Coated Lithium-Nickel Cathode Material for Longer Battery Life
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium secondary batteries face degradation in power and life-span properties due to side reactions between the cathode active material and the electrolyte solution.
Innovation Solution
A cathode active material for lithium secondary batteries is developed, comprising lithium-nickel metal oxide particles with a coating element, where the coating area is 25% or more, as defined by a specific equation, enhancing ion conductivity and suppressing side reactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If lithium-nickel metal oxide particles are used as cathode active material, then high capacity is achieved, but side reactions with electrolyte solution occur causing degraded power and life-span properties
Solution Approach 1:
A coating layer containing elements such as Al, Si, P, S, or their combinations is applied on the surface of lithium-nickel metal oxide particles. This coating layer acts as an intermediary barrier between the cathode active material and the electrolyte solution, preventing direct contact and side reactions while allowing lithium ion transport, thereby improving power and life-span properties without sacrificing capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The cathode active material is designed as a composite structure where lithium-nickel metal oxide particles are coated with compounds containing Al, Si, P, S or their combinations. This composite structure combines the high capacity characteristics of lithium-nickel metal oxide with the protective and conductive properties of the coating layer, achieving both high capacity and improved reliability
2Reliability
If coating element is added to suppress side reactions, then power and life-span properties are improved, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coating layer is formed on the surface of lithium-nickel metal oxide particles before battery assembly through preliminary treatments such as surface modification, chemical vapor deposition, or solution-based coating methods. This preliminary action ensures the protective layer is already in place during manufacturing, simplifying the overall production process while achieving the desired power and life-span improvements
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The cathode active material improves the power and life-span properties of lithium secondary batteries, making them suitable for applications in electric vehicles and renewable energy systems.
Implementation Method 1
lithium-nickel metal oxide particles that include a coating element... A coating area defined by Equation 1 is 25% or more
Implementation Method 2
an ion conductivity of the cathode active material may be enhanced while suppressing a side reaction between the cathode active material and the electrolyte solution
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A cathode active material for a lithium secondary battery includes a coating element and lithium-nickel metal oxide particles. A coating area defined as (AC/ANi)*100 1 is 25% or more. AC is an area of a region where a content of the coating element is 1.6 wt% or more based on a total weight of the lithium-nickel metal oxide particles in a quantitative map (Q-map) image obtained through a scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and ANi is an area of a region where nickel is present in the Q-map image obtained through the SEM-EDS.