Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030110
Authors: Maryam Mottaghi Joshua M. Pearce
To stabilize the Earth’s climate, large-scale transition is needed to non-carbon-emitting renewable energy technologies like wind and solar energy. Although these renewable energy sources are now lower-cost than fossil fuels, their inherent intermittency makes them unable to supply a constant load without storage. To address these challenges, rechargeable electric batteries are currently the most promising option; however, their high capital costs limit current deployment velocities. To both reduce the cost as well as improve performance, 3D printing technology has emerged as a promising solution. This literature review provides state-of-the-art enhancements of battery properties with 3D printing, including efficiency, mechanical stability, energy and power density, customizability and sizing, production process efficiency, material conservation, and environmental sustainability as well as the progress in solid-state batteries. The principles, advantages, limitations, and recent advancements associated with the most common types of 3D printing are reviewed focusing on their contributions to the battery field. 3D printing battery components as well as full batteries offer design flexibility, geometric freedom, and material flexibility, reduce pack weight, minimize material waste, increase the range of applications, and have the potential to reduce costs. As 3D printing technologies become more accessible, the prospect of cost-effective production for customized batteries is extremely promising.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030109
Authors: Dechao Meng Zifeng Ma Linsen Li
The improvement of fast-charging capabilities for lithium-ion batteries significantly influences the widespread application of electric vehicles. Fast-charging performance depends not only on materials but also on the battery’s inherent structure and the heterogeneity of the electrode reaction. Herein, we utilized advanced imaging techniques to explore how the internal structure of cylindrical batteries impacts macroscopic electrochemical performance. Our research unveiled the natural 3D structural non-uniformity of the electrodes, causing heterogeneity of electrode reaction. This non-uniformity of reaction exhibited a macro–meso–micro-scale feature in four dimensions: the exterior versus the interior of the electrode, the middle versus the sides of the cell, the inside versus the outside of the cell, and the surface versus the body of the electrode. Furthermore, the single-coated side of the anode demonstrated notably faster reaction than the double-coated sides, leading to the deposition of island-like lithium during fast charging. These discoveries offer novel insights into multi-scale fast-charging mechanisms for commercial batteries, inspiring innovative approaches to battery design.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030108
Authors: Marco Cecchetti Mirko Messaggi Andrea Casalegno Matteo Zago
In vanadium redox flow batteries, the flow field geometry plays a dramatic role on the distribution of the electrolyte and its design results from the trade-off between high battery performance and low pressure drops. In the literature, it was demonstrated that electrolyte permeation through the porous electrode is mainly regulated by pressure difference between adjacent channels, leading to the presence of under-the-rib fluxes. With the support of a 3D computational fluid dynamic model, this work presents two novel flow field geometries that are designed to tune the direction of the pressure gradients between channels in order to promote the under-the-rib fluxes mechanism. The first geometry is named Two Outlets and exploits the splitting of the electrolyte flow into two adjacent interdigitated layouts with the aim to give to the pressure gradient a more transverse direction with respect to the channels, raising the intensity of under-the-rib fluxes and making their distribution more uniform throughout the electrode area. The second geometry is named Four Inlets and presents four inlets located at the corners of the distributor, with an interdigitated-like layout radially oriented from each inlet to one single central outlet, with the concept of reducing the heterogeneity of the flow velocity within the electrode. Subsequently, flow fields performance is verified experimentally adopting a segmented hardware in symmetric cell configuration with positive electrolyte, which permits the measurement of local current distribution and local electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Compared to a conventional interdigitated geometry, both the developed configurations permit a significant decrease in the pressure drops without any reduction in battery performance. In the Four Inlets flow field the pressure drop reduction is more evident (up to 50%) due to the lower electrolyte velocities in the feeding channels, while the Two Outlets configuration guarantees a more homogeneous current density distribution.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030106
Authors: Alireza Rastegarparnah Mohammed Eesa Asif Rustam Stolkin
With the proliferation of electric vehicles (EVs) and the consequential increase in EV battery circulation, the need for accurate assessments of battery health and remaining useful life (RUL) is paramount, driven by environmentally friendly and sustainable goals. This study addresses this pressing concern by employing data-driven methods, specifically harnessing deep learning techniques to enhance RUL estimation for lithium-ion batteries (LIB). Leveraging the Toyota Research Institute Dataset, consisting of 124 lithium-ion batteries cycled to failure and encompassing key metrics such as capacity, temperature, resistance, and discharge time, our analysis substantially improves RUL prediction accuracy. Notably, the convolutional long short-term memory deep neural network (CLDNN) model and the transformer LSTM (temporal transformer) model have emerged as standout remaining useful life (RUL) predictors. The CLDNN model, in particular, achieved a remarkable mean absolute error (MAE) of 84.012 and a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 25.676. Similarly, the temporal transformer model exhibited a notable performance, with an MAE of 85.134 and a MAPE of 28.7932. These impressive results were achieved by applying Bayesian hyperparameter optimization, further enhancing the accuracy of predictive methods. These models were bench-marked against existing approaches, demonstrating superior results with an improvement in MAPE ranging from 4.01% to 7.12%.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030107
Authors: Zhizu Zhang Changwei Ji Yangyi Liu Yanan Wang Bing Wang Dianqing Liu
Typical usage scenarios for energy storage and electric vehicles (EVs) require lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) to operate under extreme conditions, including varying temperatures, high charge/discharge rates, and various depths of charge and discharge, while also fulfilling vehicle-to-grid (V2G) interaction requirements. This study empirically investigates the impact of ambient temperature, charge/discharge rate, and charge/discharge cut-off voltage on the capacity degradation rate and internal resistance growth of 18,650 commercial LIBs. The charge/discharge rate was found to have the most significant influence on these parameters, particularly the charging rate. These insights contribute to a better understanding of the risks associated with low-temperature aging and can aid in the prevention or mitigation of safety incidents.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030105
Authors: Christoph Seidl Sören Thieme Martin Frey Kristian Nikolowski Alexander Michaelis
The automotive industry aims for the highest possible driving range (highest energy density) in combination with a fast charge ability (highest power density) of electric vehicles. With both targets being intrinsically contradictory, it is important to understand and optimize resistances within lithium-ion battery (LIB) electrodes. In this study, the properties and magnitude of electronic resistance contributions in LiMn0.7Fe0.3PO4 (LMFP)- and LiNixCoyMnzO2 (NCM, x = 0.88~0.90, x + y + z = 1)-based electrodes are comprehensively investigated through the use of different measurement methods. Contact resistance properties are characterized via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) on the example of LMFP cathodes. The EIS results are compared to a two-point probe as well as to the results obtained using a novel commercial 46-point probe system. The magnitude and ratio of contact resistance and compound electronic resistance for LMFP- and NCM-based cathodes are discussed on the basis of the 46-point probe measurement results. The results show that the 46-point probe yields significantly lower resistance values than those in EIS studies. Further results show that electronic resistance values in cathodes can vary over several orders of magnitude. Various influence parameters such as electrode porosity, type of current collector and the impact of solvent soaking on electronic resistance are investigated.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030104
Authors: Justin Holloway Muinuddin Maharun Irma Houmadi Guillaume Remy Louis Piper Mark A. Williams Melanie J. Loveridge
The ubiquitous deployment of Li-ion batteries (LIBs) in more demanding applications has reinforced the need to understand the root causes of thermal runaway. Herein, we perform a forensic simulation of a real-case failure scenario, using localised heating of Li(Ni0.5Mn0.3Co0.2)O2 versus graphite 18650 cylindrical cells. This study determined the localised temperatures that would lead to venting and thermal runaway of these cells, as well as correlating the gases produced as a function of the degradation pathway. Catastrophic failure, involving melting (with internal cell temperatures exceeding 1085 °C), deformation and ejection of the cell componentry, was induced by locally applying 200 °C and 250 °C to a fully charged cell. Conversely, catastrophic failure was not observed when the same temperatures were applied to the cells at a lower state of charge (SOC). This work highlights the importance of SOC, chemistry and heat in driving the thermal failure mode of Ni-rich LIB cells, allowing for a better understanding of battery safety and the associated design improvements.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030103
Authors: Maite Etxandi-Santolaya Alba Mora-Pous Lluc Canals Casals Cristina Corchero Josh Eichman
As the Electric Vehicle market grows, understanding the implications of battery degradation on the driving experience is key to fostering trust among users and improving End of Life estimations. This study analyses various road types, charging behaviours and Electric Vehicle models to evaluate the impact of degradation on the performance. Key indicators related to the speed, acceleration, driving times and regenerative capabilities are obtained for different degradation levels to quantify the performance decay. Results show that the impact is highly dependent on the road type and nominal battery capacity. Vehicles with long and medium ranges show a robust performance for common driving conditions. Short-range vehicles perform adequately in urban and rural road conditions, but on highways, speed and acceleration reductions of up to 6.7 km/h and 3.96 (km/h)/s have been observed. The results of this study suggest that degradation should not be a concern for standard driving conditions and mid- and long-range vehicles currently dominate the market. In addition, the results are used to define a functional End of Life criterion based on performance loss, beyond the oversimplified 70–80% State-of-Health threshold, which does not consider individual requirements.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030102
Authors: Xingyun Zhang Kailimai Su Yue Hu Kaiyuan Xue Yan Wang Minmin Han Junwei Lang
The zinc anode mainly faces technical problems such as short circuits caused by the growth of dendrite, low coulomb efficiency, and a short cycle life caused by side reactions, which impedes the rapid development of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). Herein, a common ionic liquid, 1,1-Spirobipyrrolidinium tetrafluoroborate ([SBP]BF4), is selected as a new additive for pure ZnSO4 electrolyte. It is found that this additive could regulate the solvation sheath of hydrated Zn2+ ions, promote the ionic mobility of Zn2+, homogenize the flux of Zn2+, avoid side reactions between the electrolyte and electrode, and inhibit the production of zinc dendrites by facilitating the establishment of an inorganic solid electrolyte interphase layer. With the 1% [SBP]BF4-modified electrolyte, the Zn||Zn symmetric cell delivers an extended plating/stripping cycling life of 2000 h at 1 mA cm−2, which is much higher than that of the cell without additives (330 h). As a proof of concept, the Zn‖V2O5 battery using the [SBP]BF4 additive shows excellent cycling stability, maintaining its specific capacity at 97 mAh g−1 after 2000 cycles at 5 A g−1, which is much greater than the 46 mAh g−1 capacity of the non-additive battery. This study offers zinc anode stabilization through high-efficiency electrolyte engineering.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030101
Authors: Rafael Martínez-Sánchez Angel Molina-García Alfonso P. Ramallo-González
Batteries have been integral components in modern vehicles, initially powering starter motors and ensuring stable electrical conditions in various vehicle systems and later in energy sources of drive electric motors. Over time, their significance has grown exponentially with the advent of features such as “Start & Stop” systems, micro hybridization, and kinetic energy regeneration. This trend culminated in the emergence of hybrid and electric vehicles, where batteries are the energy source of the electric traction motors. The evolution of storage for vehicles has been driven by the need for larger autonomy, a higher number of cycles, lower self-discharge rates, enhanced performance in extreme temperatures, and greater electrical power extraction capacity. As these technologies have advanced, so have they the methods for their disposal, recovery, and recycling. However, one critical aspect often overlooked is the potential for battery reuse once they reach the end of their useful life. For each battery technology, specific regeneration methods have been developed, aiming to restore the battery to its initial performance state or something very close to it. This focus on regeneration holds significant economic implications, particularly for vehicles where batteries represent a substantial share of the overall cost, such as hybrid and electric vehicles. This paper conducts a comprehensive review of battery technologies employed in vehicles from their inception to the present day. Special attention is given to identifying common failures within these technologies. Additionally, the scientific literature and existing patents addressing regeneration methods are explored, shedding light on the promising avenues for extending the life and performance of automotive batteries.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030100
Authors: Yuri Surace Marcus Jahn Damian M. Cupid
The aqueous processing of cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has both environmental and cost benefits. However, high-loading, water-based electrodes from the layered oxides (e.g., NMC) typically exhibit worse electrochemical performance than NMP-based electrodes. In this work, primary, binary, and ternary binder mixtures of aqueous binders such as CMC, PAA, PEO, SBR, and Na alginate, in combination with bare and C-coated Al current collectors, were explored, aiming to improve the rate capability performance of NMC811 electrodes with high areal capacity (≥4 mAh cm−2) and low binder content (3 wt.%). Electrodes with a ternary binder composition (CMC:PAA:SBR) have the best performance with bare Al current collectors, attaining a specific capacity of 150 mAh g−1 at 1C. Using carbon-coated Al current collectors results in improved performance for both water- and NMP-based electrodes. This is further accentuated for Na-Alg and CMC:PAA binder compositions. These electrodes show specific capacities of 170 and 80 mAh g−1 at 1C and 2C, respectively. Although the specific capacities at 1C are comparable to those for NMP-PVDF electrodes, they are approximately 50% higher at the 2C rate. This study aims to contribute to the development of sustainably processed NMC electrodes for high energy density LIBs using water as solvent.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030099
Authors: Patrick Deeg Christian Weisenberger Jonas Oehm Denny Schmidt Orsolya Csiszar Volker Knoblauch
In this study, we investigate the use of artificial neural networks as a potentially efficient method to determine the rate capability of electrodes for lithium-ion batteries with different porosities. The performance of a lithium-ion battery is, to a large extent, determined by the microstructure (i.e., layer thickness and porosity) of its electrodes. Tailoring the microstructure to a specific application is a crucial process in battery development. However, unravelling the complex correlations between microstructure and rate performance using either experiments or simulations is time-consuming and costly. Our approach provides a swift method for predicting the rate capability of battery electrodes by using machine learning on microstructural images of electrode cross-sections. We train multiple models in order to predict the specific capacity based on the batteries’ microstructure and investigate the decisive parts of the microstructure through the use of explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) methods. Our study shows that even comparably small neural network architectures are capable of providing state-of-the-art prediction results. In addition to this, our XAI studies demonstrate that the models are using understandable human features while ignoring present artefacts.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030098
Authors: Ali Abbas Nassim Rizoug Rochdi Trigui Eduardo Redondo-Iglesias Serge Pelissier
Predicting the operating temperature of lithium-ion battery during different cycles is important when it comes to the safety and efficiency of electric vehicles. In this regard, it is vital to adopt a suitable modeling approach to analyze the thermal performance of a battery. In this paper, the temperature of lithium-ion NMC pouch battery has been investigated. A new formulation of lumped model based on the thermal resistance network is proposed. Unlike previous models that treated the battery as a single entity, the proposed model introduces a more detailed analysis by incorporating thermal interactions between individual cells and tabs within a single cell scenario, while also considering interactions between cells and insulators or gaps, located between the cells, within the module case. This enhancement allows for the precise prediction of temperature variations across different cells implemented within the battery module. In order to evaluate the accuracy of the prediction, a three-dimensional finite element model was adopted as a reference. The study was performed first on a single cell, then on modules composed of several cells connected in series, during different operating conditions. A comprehensive comparison between both models was conducted. The analysis focused on two main aspects, the accuracy of temperature predictions and the computational time required. Notably, the developed lumped model showed a significant capability to estimate cell temperatures within the modules. The thermal results revealed close agreement with the values predicted by the finite element model, while needing significantly lower computational time. For instance, while the finite element model took almost 21 h to predict the battery temperature during consecutive charge/discharge cycles of a 10-cell module, the developed lumped model predicted the temperature within seconds, with a maximum difference of 0.42 °C.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030097
Authors: Xin Liu Liang Yue Weixu Dong Yifan Qu Xianzhong Sun Lifeng Chen
Despite features of cost-effectiveness, high safety, and superior capacity, aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have issues of uncontrolled dendritic cell failure and poor Zn utilization, resulting in inferior cycling reversibility. Herein, the environmentally friendly and naturally abundant sodium citrate (SC) was adopted as a dual-functional additive for ZnSO4-based (ZSO) electrolytes. Owing to the abundant hydrogen-bond donors and hydrogen-bond acceptors of SC, the Zn2+-solvation shell is interrupted to facilitate Zn desolvation, resulting in inhibited corrosion reactions. Additionally, sodium ions (Na+) from the SC additive with a lower effective reduction potential than that of zinc ions (Zn2+) form an electrostatic shield inhibiting the formation of initial surface protuberances and subsequent Zn dendrite growth. This assists in the Zn three-dimensional (3D) diffusion and deposition, thereby effectively enhancing cycling stability. Specifically, a long cycling lifespan (more than 760 h) of the Zn//Zn symmetric cell is achieved with a 2 M ZSO-1.0 SC electrolyte at a current density of 1 mA cm−2. When coupled with the NaV3O8·1.5 H2O (NVO) cathode, the full battery containing SC additive exhibited a capacity retention rate (40.0%) and a cycling life of 400 cycles at a current density of 1 A g−1 compared with that of pure ZnSO4 electrolyte (23.8%). This work provides a protocol for selecting an environmentally friendly and naturally abundant dual-functional electrolyte additive to achieve solvation shell regulation and Zn anode protection for the practical large-scale application of ZIBs.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030096
Authors: Timothy G. Ritter Samhita Pappu Reza Shahbazian-Yassar
High-entropy materials (HEMs) constitute a revolutionary class of materials that have garnered significant attention in the field of materials science, exhibiting extraordinary properties in the realm of energy storage. These equimolar multielemental compounds have demonstrated increased charge capacities, enhanced ionic conductivities, and a prolonged cycle life, attributed to their structural stability. In the anode, transitioning from the traditional graphite (372 mAh g−1) to an HEM anode can increase capacity and enhance cycling stability. For cathodes, lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) can be replaced with new cathodes made from HEMs, leading to greater energy storage. HEMs play a significant role in electrolytes, where they can be utilized as solid electrolytes, such as in ceramics and polymers, or as new high-entropy liquid electrolytes, resulting in longer cycling life, higher ionic conductivities, and stability over wide temperature ranges. The incorporation of HEMs in metal–air batteries offers methods to mitigate the formation of unwanted byproducts, such as Zn(OH)4 and Li2CO3, when used with atmospheric air, resulting in improved cycling life and electrochemical stability. This review examines the basic characteristics of HEMs, with a focus on the various applications of HEMs for use as different components in lithium-ion batteries. The electrochemical performance of these materials is examined, highlighting improvements such as specific capacity, stability, and a longer cycle life. The utilization of HEMs in new anodes, cathodes, separators, and electrolytes offers a promising path towards future energy storage solutions with higher energy densities, improved safety, and a longer cycling life.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030095
Authors: Jessica Gerstenberg Dominik Steckermeier Arno Kwade Peter Michalowski
Despite the variety of solid electrolytes available, no single solid electrolyte has been found that meets all the requirements of the successor technology of lithium-ion batteries in an optimum way. However, composite hybrid electrolytes that combine the desired properties such as high ionic conductivity or stability against lithium are promising. The addition of conductive oxide fillers to sulfide solid electrolytes has been reported to increase ionic conductivity and improve stability relative to the individual electrolytes, but the influence of the mixing process to create composite electrolytes has not been investigated. Here, we investigate Li3PS4 (LPS) and Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) composite electrolytes using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and distribution of relaxation times. The distinction between sulfide bulk and grain boundary polarization processes is possible with the methods used at temperatures below 10 °C. We propose lithium transport through the space-charge layer within the sulfide electrolyte, which increases the conductivity. With increasing mixing intensities in a high-energy ball mill, we show an overlay of the enhanced lithium-ion transport with the structural change of the sulfide matrix component, which increases the ionic conductivity of LPS from 4.1 × 10−5 S cm−1 to 1.7 × 10−4 S cm−1.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030094
Authors: Jorge González-Morales Jadra Mosa Sho Ishiyama Nataly Carolina Rosero-Navarro Akira Miura Kiyoharu Tadanaga Mario Aparicio
The impact of global warming has required the development of efficient new types of batteries. One of the most promising is Zn-O2 batteries because they provide the second biggest theoretical energy density, with relevant safety and a cycle of life long enough to be fitted for massive use. However, their industrial use is hindered by a series of obstacles, such as a fast reduction in the energy density after the initial charge and discharge cycles and a limited cathode efficiency or an elevated overpotential between discharge and charge. This work is focused on the synthesis of titanium compounds as catalyzers for the cathode of a Zn-O2 aqueous battery and their characterization. The results have shown a surface area of 350 m2/g after the elimination of the organic templates during heat treatment at 500 °C in air. Different thermal treatments were performed, tuning different parameters, such as intermediate treatment at 500 °C or the atmosphere used and the final temperature. Surface areas remain high for samples without an intermediate temperature step of 500 °C. Raman spectroscopy studies confirmed the nitridation of samples. SEM and XRD showed macro–meso-porosity and the presence of nitrogen, and the electrochemical evaluation confirmed the catalytic properties of this material in oxygen reaction reduction (ORR)/oxygen evolution reaction (OER) analysis and Zn-O2 battery tests.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030093
Authors: M. Ángeles Hidalgo Pedro Lavela José L. Tirado Manuel Aranda
Layered oxides exhibit interesting performance as positive electrodes for commercial sodium-ion batteries. Nevertheless, the replacement of low-sustainable nickel with more abundant iron would be desirable. Although it can be achieved in P2-Na2/3Ni2/9Fe2/9Mn5/9O2, its performance still requires further improvement. Many imaginative strategies such as surface modification have been proposed to minimize undesirable interactions at the cathode–electrolyte interface while facilitating sodium insertion in different materials. Here, we examine four different approaches based on the use of the electron-conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) as an additive: (i) electrochemical in situ polymerization of the monomer, (ii) manual mixing with the active material, (iii) coating the current collector, and (iv) a combination of the latter two methods. As compared with pristine layered oxide, the electrochemical performance shows a particularly effective way of increasing cycling stability by using electropolymerization. Contrarily, the mixtures show less improvement, probably due to the heterogeneous distribution of oxide and polymer in the samples. In contrast with less conductive polyanionic cathode materials such as phosphates, the beneficial effects of PEDOT on oxide cathodes are not as much in rate performance as in inhibiting cycling degradation, due to the compactness of the electrodes without loss of electrical contact between active particles.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030092
Authors: André Hebenbrock Nury Orazov Ralf Benger Wolfgang Schade Ines Hauer Thomas Turek
The increasing adoption of lithium-ion battery cells in contemporary energy storage applications has raised concerns regarding their potential hazards. Ensuring the safety of compact and modern energy storage systems over their operational lifespans necessitates precise and dependable monitoring techniques. This research introduces a novel method for the cell-specific surveillance of prismatic lithium-ion cells, with a focus on detecting pressure increases through the surface application of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor on a rupture disc. Commercially available prismatic cells, commonly used in the automotive sector, are employed as test specimens and equipped with proven pressure and innovative FBG sensors. Encompassing the analysis capacity, internal resistance, and pressure (under elevated ambient temperatures of up to 120 °C), this investigation explores the thermal degradation effects. The applied FBG sensor on the rupture disc exhibits reversible and irreversible state changes in the cells, offering a highly sensitive and reliable monitoring solution for the early detection of abuse and post-abuse cell condition analysis. This innovative approach represents a practical implementation of fiber optic sensor technology that is designed for strain-based monitoring of prismatic lithium-ion cells, thereby enabling customized solutions through which to address safety challenges in prismatic cell applications. In alignment with the ongoing exploration of lithium-ion batteries, this research offers a customizable addition to battery monitoring and fault detection.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030090
Authors: Livia Nastasi Silvia Fiore
This review analyzed the literature data about the global warming potential (GWP) of the lithium-ion battery (LIB) lifecycle, e.g., raw material mining, production, use, and end of life. The literature data were associated with three macro-areas—Asia, Europe, and the USA—considering common LIBs (nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) and lithium iron phosphate (LFP)). The GWP (kgCO2eq/kg) values were higher for use compared to raw material mining, production, and end of life management for hydrometallurgy or pyrometallurgy. Considering the significant values associated with the use phase and the frequent application of secondary data, this study also calculated the GWP of LIBs applied in public urban buses in Turin, Italy. The 2021 fleet (53% diesel, 36% natural gas, and 11% electric buses) was compared to scenarios with increasing shares of hybrid/electric. The largest reduction in CO2eq emissions (−41%) corresponded to a fleet with 64% electric buses. In conclusion, this review highlighted the bottlenecks of the existing literature on the GWP of the LIB lifecycle, a lack of data for specific macro-areas for production and use, and the key role of public transportation in decarbonizing urban areas.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030091
Authors: Tahmid Muhith Santosh Behara Munnangi Anji Reddy
This study explores the feasibility of integrating battery technology into electric buses, addressing the imperative to reduce carbon emissions within the transport sector. A comprehensive review and analysis of diverse literature sources establish the present and prospective landscape of battery electric buses within the public transportation domain. Existing battery technology and infrastructure constraints hinder the comprehensive deployment of electric buses across all routes currently served by internal combustion engine counterparts. However, forward-looking insights indicate a promising trajectory with the potential for substantial advancements in battery technology coupled with significant investments in charging infrastructure. Such developments hold promise for electric buses to fulfill a considerable portion of a nation’s public transit requirements. Significant findings emphasize that electric buses showcase considerably lower emissions than fossil-fuel-driven counterparts, especially when operated with zero-carbon electricity sources, thereby significantly mitigating the perils of climate change.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030089
Authors: Hossam M. Hussein Mustafa Esoofally Abhishek Donekal S M Sajjad Hossain Rafin Osama Mohammed
Batteries have been considered a key element in several applications, ranging from grid-scale storage systems through electric vehicles to daily-use small-scale electronic devices. However, excessive charging and discharging will impair their capabilities and could cause their applications to fail catastrophically. Among several diagnostic indices, state-of-charge estimation is essential for evaluating a battery’s capabilities. Various approaches have been introduced to reach this target, including white, gray, and black box or data-driven battery models. The main objective of this work is to provide an extensive comparison of currently highly utilized machine learning-based estimation techniques. The paper thoroughly investigates these models’ architectures, computational burdens, advantages, drawbacks, and robustness validation. The evaluation’s main criteria were based on measurements recorded under various operating conditions at the Energy Systems Research Laboratory (ESRL) at FIU for the eFlex 52.8 V/5.4 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack. The primary outcome of this research is that, while the random forest regression (RFR) model emerges as the most effective tool for SoC estimation in lithium-ion batteries, there is potential to enhance the performance of simpler models through strategic adjustments and optimizations. Additionally, the choice of model ultimately depends on the specific requirements of the task at hand, balancing the need for accuracy with the complexity and computational resources available and how it can be merged with other SoC estimation approaches to achieve high precision.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030088
Authors: Armel Asongu Nkembi Marco Simonazzi Danilo Santoro Paolo Cova Nicola Delmonte
Currently, the electrification of transport networks is one of the initiatives being performed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the rapid advancement of power electronic systems for electrified transportation systems, their integration into the AC power grid generates a variety of quality issues in the electrical distribution system. Among the possible solutions to this challenge is the inclusion of continuous storage systems, which can be located either onboard or offboard. The rapid development of energy storage devices has enabled the creation of numerous solutions that are leading to ever-increasing energy consumption efficiency, particularly when two or more of these storage systems are linked in a cascade and a hybrid mode. The various energy storage systems that can be integrated into vehicle charging systems (cars, buses, and trains) are investigated in this study, as are their electrical models and the various hybrid storage systems that are available.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030087
Authors: Chongbin Sun Wenhu Qin Zhonghua Yun
A reliable and accurate estimation of the state-of-health (SOH) of lithium batteries is critical to safely operating electric vehicles and other equipment. This paper proposes a state-of-health estimation method based on fennec fox optimization algorithm–mixed extreme learning machine (FFA-MELM). Firstly, health indicators are extracted from lithium-battery-charging data, and grey relational analysis (GRA) is employed to identify highly correlated features with the state-of-health of the battery. Subsequently, a state-of-health estimation model based on mixed extreme learning machine is constructed, and the hyperparameters of the model are optimized using the fennec fox optimization algorithm to improve estimation accuracy and convergence speed. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method has significantly improved the accuracy of the state-of-health estimation for lithium batteries compared to the extreme learning machine. Furthermore, it can achieve precise state-of-health estimation results for multiple batteries, even under complex operating conditions and with limited charge/discharge cycle data.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030086
Authors: Tianqi Yang Jin Li Qianqian Xin Hengyun Zhang Juan Zeng Kodjo Agbossou Changqing Du Jinsheng Xiao
Thermal runaway (TR) of lithium-ion batteries has always been a topic of concern, and the safety of batteries is closely related to the operating temperature. An overheated battery can significantly impact the surrounding batteries, increasing the risk of fire and explosion. To improve the safety of battery modules and prevent TR, we focus on the characteristics of temperature distribution and thermal spread of battery modules under overheating conditions. The heat transfer characteristics of battery modules under different battery thermal management systems (BTMSs) are assessed. In addition, the effects of abnormal heat generation rate, abnormal heat generation location, and ambient temperature on the temperature distribution and thermal spread of battery modules are also studied. The results indicate that the BTMS consisting of flat heat pipes (FHPs) and bottom and side liquid cooling plates can effectively suppress thermal spread and improve the safety of the battery module.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030085
Authors: Hanwen Zhang Abbas Fotouhi Daniel J. Auger Matt Lowe
Maintaining batteries within a specific temperature range is vital for safety and efficiency, as extreme temperatures can degrade a battery’s performance and lifespan. In addition, battery temperature is the key parameter in battery safety regulations. Battery thermal management systems (BTMSs) are pivotal in regulating battery temperature. While current BTMSs offer real-time temperature monitoring, their lack of predictive capability poses a limitation. This study introduces a novel hybrid system that combines a machine learning-based battery temperature prediction model with an online battery parameter identification unit. The identification unit continuously updates the battery’s electrical parameters in real time, enhancing the prediction model’s accuracy. The prediction model employs an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) and considers various input parameters, such as ambient temperature, the battery’s current temperature, internal resistance, and open-circuit voltage. The model accurately predicts the battery’s future temperature in a finite time horizon by dynamically adjusting thermal and electrical parameters based on real-time data. Experimental tests are conducted on Li-ion (NCA and LFP) cylindrical cells across a range of ambient temperatures to validate the system’s accuracy under varying conditions, including state of charge and a dynamic load current. The proposed models prioritise simplicity to ensure real-time industrial applicability.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030082
Authors: Jiegang Wang Kerui Li Chi Zhang Zhenpo Wang Yangjie Zhou Peng Liu
Inconsistency is a key factor triggering safety problems in battery packs. The inconsistency evaluation of retired batteries is of great significance to ensure the safe and stable operation of batteries during subsequent gradual use. This paper summaries the commonly used diagnostic methods for battery inconsistency assessment. The local outlier factor (LOF) algorithm and the improved Shannon entropy (ImEn) algorithm are selected for validation based on the individual voltage data from real-world vehicles. Then, a comprehensive inconsistency evaluation strategy for retired batteries with many levels and indicators is established based on the three parameters of LOF, ImEn, and cell voltage range. Finally, the evaluation strategy is validated using two real-world vehicle samples of retired batteries. The results show that the proposed method can achieve the inconsistency evaluation of retired batteries quickly and effectively.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030084
Authors: Chao Shi Hewu Wang Hengjie Shen Juan Wang Cheng Li Yalun Li Wenqiang Xu Minghai Li
Layered ternary materials with high nickel content are regarded as the most promising cathode materials for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries, owing to their advantages of high capacity, low cost, and relatively good safety. However, as the nickel content increases in ternary layered materials, their thermal stability noticeably decreases. It is of paramount importance to explore the characteristics of thermal runaway for lithium-ion batteries. In this study, two high-nickel LiNi0.9Co0.05Mn0.05O2 batteries were laterally heated to thermal runaway in a sealed chamber filled with nitrogen to investigate the thermal characteristics and gas compositions. The temperature of the battery tabs was measured, revealing that both batteries were in a critical state of thermal runaway near 120 degrees Celsius. A quantitative analysis method was employed during the eruption process, dividing it into three stages: ultra-fast, fast, and slow; the corresponding durations for the two batteries were 3, 2, 27 s and 3, 3, 26 s. By comparing the changes in chamber pressure, it was observed that both batteries exhibited a similar continuous venting duration of 32 s. However, the pressure fluctuation ranges of the two samples were 99.5 and 68.2 kPa·m·s−1. Compared to the other sample, the 211 Ah sample exhibited larger chamber pressure fluctuations and reached higher peak pressures, indicating a higher risk of explosion. In the experimental phenomenon captured by a high-speed camera, it took only 1 s for the sample to transition from the opening of the safety valve to filling the experimental chamber with smoke. The battery with higher energy density exhibited more intense eruption during thermal runaway, resulting in more severe mass loss. The mass loss of the two samples is 73% and 64.87%. The electrolyte also reacted more completely, resulting in a reduced number of measured exhaust components. The main components of gaseous ejections are CO, CO2, H2, C2H4, and CH4. For the 211 Ah battery, the vented gases were mainly composed of CO (41.3%), CO2 (24.8%), H2 (21%), C2H4 (7.4%) and CH4 (3.9%), while those for the other 256 Ah battery were mainly CO (30.6%), CO2 (28.5%), H2 (21.7%), C2H4 (12.4%) and CH4 (5.8%). Comparatively, the higher-capacity battery produced more gases. The gas volumes, converted to standard conditions (0 °C, 101 kPa) and normalized, resulted in 1.985 L/Ah and 2.182 L/Ah, respectively. The results provide valuable guidance for the protection of large-capacity, high-energy-density battery systems. The quantitative analysis of the eruption process has provided assistance to fire alarm systems and firefighting strategies.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030083
Authors: Yadyra Ortiz Paul Arévalo Diego Peña Francisco Jurado
Effective thermal management is essential for ensuring the safety, performance, and longevity of lithium-ion batteries across diverse applications, from electric vehicles to energy storage systems. This paper presents a thorough review of thermal management strategies, emphasizing recent advancements and future prospects. The analysis begins with an evaluation of industry-standard practices and their limitations, followed by a detailed examination of single-phase and multi-phase cooling approaches. Successful implementations and challenges are discussed through relevant examples. The exploration extends to innovative materials and structures that augment thermal efficiency, along with advanced sensors and thermal control systems for real-time monitoring. The paper addresses strategies for mitigating the risks of overheating and propagation. Furthermore, it highlights the significance of advanced models and numerical simulations in comprehending long-term thermal degradation. The integration of machine learning algorithms is explored to enhance precision in detecting and predicting thermal issues. The review concludes with an analysis of challenges and solutions in thermal management under extreme conditions, including ultra-fast charging and low temperatures. In summary, this comprehensive review offers insights into current and future strategies for lithium-ion battery thermal management, with a dedicated focus on improving the safety, performance, and durability of these vital energy sources.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030081
Authors: Anna Pražanová Zbyněk Plachý Jan Kočí Michael Fridrich Vaclav Knap
The significant deployment of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) within a wide application field covering small consumer electronics, light and heavy means of transport, such as e-bikes, e-scooters, and electric vehicles (EVs), or energy storage stationary systems will inevitably lead to generating notable amounts of spent batteries in the coming years. Considering the environmental perspective, material resource sustainability, and terms of the circular economy, recycling represents a highly prospective strategy for LIB end-of-life (EOL) management. In contrast with traditional, large-scale, implemented recycling methods, such as pyrometallurgy or hydrometallurgy, direct recycling technology constitutes a promising solution for LIB EOL treatment with outstanding environmental benefits, including reduction of energy consumption and emission footprint, and weighty economic viability. This work comprehensively assesses the limitations and challenges of state-of-the-art, implemented direct recycling methods for spent LIB cathode and anode material treatment. The introduced approaches include solid-state sintering, electrochemical relithiation in organic and aqueous electrolytes, and ionothermal, solution, and eutectic relithiation methods. Since most direct recycling techniques are still being developed and implemented primarily on a laboratory scale, this review identifies and discusses potential areas for optimization to facilitate forthcoming large-scale industrial implementation.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030080
Authors: Thang Phan Nguyen Il Tae Kim
The long-term stability of energy-storage devices for green energy has received significant attention. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) based on materials such as metal oxides, Si, Sb, and Sn have shown superior energy density and stability owing to their intrinsic properties and the support of conductive carbon, graphene, or graphene oxides. Abnormal capacities have been recorded for some transition metal oxides, such as NiO, Fe2O3, and MnO/Mn3O4. Recently, the restructuring of NiO into LiNiO2 anode materials has yielded an ultrastable anode for LIBs. Herein, the effect of the thin film thickness on the restructuring of the NiO anode was investigated. Different electrode thicknesses required different numbers of cycles for restructuring, resulting in significant changes in the reconstituted cells. NiO thicknesses greater than 39 μm reduced the capacity to 570 mAh g−1. The results revealed the limitation of the layered thickness owing to the low diffusion efficiency of Li ions in the thick layers, resulting in non-uniformity of the restructured LiNiO2. The NiO anode with a thickness of approximately 20 μm required only 220 cycles to be restructured at 0.5 A g−1, while maintaining a high-rate performance for over 500 cycles at 1.0 A g−1, and a high capacity of 1000 mAh g−1.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030079
Authors: Farhad Salek Shahaboddin Resalati Meisam Babaie Paul Henshall Denise Morrey Lei Yao
The increasing number of electric vehicles (EVs) on the roads has led to a rise in the number of batteries reaching the end of their first life. Such batteries, however, still have a capacity of 75–80% remaining, creating an opportunity for a second life in less power-intensive applications. Utilising these second-life batteries (SLBs) requires specific preparation, including grading the batteries based on their State of Health (SoH); repackaging, considering the end-use requirements; and the development of an accurate battery-management system (BMS) based on validated theoretical models. In this paper, we conduct a technical review of mathematical modelling and experimental analyses of SLBs to address existing challenges in BMS development. Our review reveals that most of the recent research focuses on environmental and economic aspects rather than technical challenges. The review suggests the use of equivalent-circuit models with 2RCs and 3RCs, which exhibit good accuracy for estimating the performance of lithium-ion batteries during their second life. Furthermore, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests provide valuable information about the SLBs’ degradation history and conditions. For addressing calendar-ageing mechanisms, electrochemical models are suggested over empirical models due to their effectiveness and efficiency. Additionally, generating cycle-ageing test profiles based on real application scenarios using synthetic load data is recommended for reliable predictions. Artificial intelligence algorithms show promise in predicting SLB cycle-ageing fading parameters, offering significant time-saving benefits for lab testing. Our study emphasises the importance of focusing on technical challenges to facilitate the effective utilisation of SLBs in stationary applications, such as building energy-storage systems and EV charging stations.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030078
Authors: Nikko Cano Talplacido Denis J. Cumming
Thermal monitoring of lithium-ion batteries ensures their safe and optimal operation. To collect the most accurate temperature data of LIBs, previous studies used thermocouples in the cell and proved them to be technically viable. However, the cost and scale-up limitations of this method restricted its use in many applications, hindering its mass adoption. This work developed a low-cost and scalable screen-printed carbon black thermocouple to study its applicability for the thermal monitoring of LIB. Given the appropriate manufacturing parameters, it was found that thermal sensors may be printed on the electrodes, installed on a pouch cell, and once calibrated, operate with excellent sensitivity. However, to reliably use a printed carbon black thermocouple in operando of a pouch cell, its chemical resistance against electrolytes was found to require further development.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030077
Authors: Mike Kopp Alexander Fill Marco Ströbel Kai Peter Birke
Revolutionary and cost-effective state estimation techniques are crucial for advancing lithium-ion battery technology, especially in mobile applications. Accurate prediction of battery state-of-health (SoH) enhances state-of-charge estimation while providing valuable insights into performance, second-life utility, and safety. While recent machine learning developments show promise in SoH estimation, this paper addresses two challenges. First, many existing approaches depend on predefined charge/discharge cycles with constant current/constant voltage profiles, which limits their suitability for real-world scenarios. Second, pure time series forecasting methods require prior knowledge of the battery’s lifespan in order to formulate predictions within the time series. Our novel hybrid approach overcomes these limitations by classifying the current aging state of the cell rather than tracking the SoH. This is accomplished by analyzing current pulses filtered from authentic drive cycles. Our innovative solution employs a Long Short-Term Memory-based neural network for SoH prediction based on residual capacity, making it well suited for online electric vehicle applications. By overcoming these challenges, our hybrid approach emerges as a reliable alternative for precise SoH estimation in electric vehicle batteries, marking a significant advancement in machine learning-based SoH estimation.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030076
Authors: Sahithi Maddipatla Lingxi Kong Michael Pecht
Cylindrical lithium-ion batteries are widely used in consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and energy storage applications. However, safety risks due to thermal runaway-induced fire and explosions have prompted the need for safety analysis methodologies. Though cylindrical batteries often incorporate safety devices, the safety of the battery also depends on its design and manufacturing processes. This study conducts a design and process failure mode and effect analysis (DFMEA and PFMEA) for the design and manufacturing of cylindrical lithium-ion batteries, with a focus on battery safety.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030075
Authors: Richard Žilka Ondrej Lipták Martin Klaučo
This paper addresses the control of load demand and power in a battery energy storage system (BESS) with Boolean-type constraints. It employs model predictive control (MPC) tailored for such systems. However, conventional MPC encounters computational challenges in practical applications, including battery storage control, and requires dedicated, mostly licensed solvers. To mitigate this, a solver-free yet efficient, suboptimal method is proposed. This approach involves generating randomized control sequences and assessing their feasibility to ensure adherence to constraints. The sequence with the best performance index is then selected, prioritizing feasibility and safety over optimality. Although this chosen sequence may not match the exact MPC solution in terms of optimality, it guarantees safe operation. The optimal control problem for the BESS is outlined, encompassing constraints on the state of charge, power limits, and charge/discharge modes. Three distinct scenarios evaluate the proposed method. The first prioritizes minimizing computational time, yielding a feasible solution significantly faster than the optimal approach. The second scenario strikes a balance between computational efficiency and suboptimality. The third scenario aims to minimize suboptimality while accepting longer computation times. This method’s adaptability to the user’s requirements in various scenarios and solver-free evaluation underscores its potential advantages in environments marked by stringent computational demands, a characteristic often found in BESS control applications.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030074
Authors: Xiaoming Han Zhentao Dai Mifeng Ren Jing Cui Yunfeng Shi
Using different fast charging strategies for lithium-ion batteries can affect the degradation rate of the batteries. In this case, predicting the capacity fade curve can facilitate the application of new batteries. Considering the impact of fast charging strategies on battery aging, a battery capacity degradation trajectory prediction method based on the TM-Seq2Seq (Trend Matching—Sequence-to-Sequence) model is proposed. This method uses data from the first 100 cycles to predict the future capacity fade curve and EOL (end of life) in one-time. First, features are extracted from the discharge voltage-capacity curve. Secondly, a sequence-to-sequence model based on CNN, SE-net, and GRU is designed. Finally, a trend matching loss function is designed based on the common characteristics of capacity fade curves to constrain the encoding features of the sequence-to-sequence model, facilitating the learning of the underlying relationship between inputs and outputs. TM-Seq2Seq model is verified on a public dataset with 132 battery cells and multiple fast charging strategies. The experimental results indicate that, compared to other popular models, the TM-Seq2Seq model has lower prediction errors.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030073
Authors: Sumit Kumar Rajesh Raghupathy Michele Vittadello
Lithium-based electrolytes are, at least from a thermodynamic standpoint, the most suitable ion-transport materials for energy storage systems. However, lithium-based ionic conductors suffer from safety concerns, and the limited availability of lithium in the Earth’s crust is at the root of the need to consider alternative metal ions. Notably, sodium stands out as the sixth most-prevalent element; therefore, when considering mineral reserves, it as a very attractive candidate as an alternative to the status quo. Even if the specific energy and energy density of sodium are indeed inferior with respect to those of lithium, there is substantial economic appeal in promoting the use of the former metal in stationary energy storage applications. For these reasons, the promise of sodium is likely to extend to other commercial applications, including portable electronics, as well as hybrid and electric vehicles. Widely used organic liquid electrolytes, regardless of their chosen metal cation, are disadvantageous due to leakage, evaporation, and high flammability. Polymer electrolytes are acknowledged as the most effective candidates to overcome these obstacles and facilitate the advancement of next-generation energy storage applications. In this contribution, an in-depth and comprehensive review of sodium polymer electrolytes for primary and secondary batteries is proposed. The overarching goal was to gain insight into successful synthetic strategies and their implications for conduction parameters and conductivity mechanisms. The focus lies on solid, gel, and composite polymer electrolytes. Our hope is that the proposed discussion will be helpful to all operators in the field, whether in tackling fundamental research problems or resolving issues of practical significance.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030072
Authors: Luigi Aiello Peter Ruchti Simon Vitzthum Federico Coren
In this study, the performances of a pouch Li-ion battery (LIB) with respect to temperature, pressure and discharge-rate variation are measured. A sensitivity study has been conducted with three temperatures (5 °C, 25 °C, 45 °C), four pressures (0.2 MPa, 0.5 MPa, 0.8 MPa, 1.2 MPa) and three electrical discharge rates (0.5 C, 1.5 C, 3.0 C). Electrochemical processes and overall efficiency are significantly affected by temperature and pressure, influencing capacity and charge–discharge rates. In previous studies, temperature and pressure were not controlled simultaneously due to technological limitations. A novel test bench was developed to investigate these influences by controlling the surface temperature and mechanical pressure on a pouch LIB during electrical charging and discharging. This test rig permits an accurate assessment of mechanical, thermal and electrical parameters, while decoupling thermal and mechanical influences during electrical operation. The results of the study confirm what has been found in the literature: an increase in pressure leads to a decrease in performance, while an increase in temperature leads to an increase in performance. However, the extent to which the pressure impacts performance is determined by the temperature and the applied electrical discharge rate. At 5 °C and 0.5 C, an increase in pressure from 0.2 MPa to 1.2 MPa results in a 5.84% decrease in discharged capacity. At 45 °C the discharge capacity decreases by 2.17%. Regarding the impact of the temperature, at discharge rate of 0.5 C, with an applied pressure of 0.2 MPa, an increase in temperature from 25 °C to 45 °C results in an increase of 4.27% in discharged capacity. The impact on performance varies significantly at different C-rates. Under the same pressure (0.2 MPa) and temperature variation (from 25 °C to 45 °C), increasing the electrical discharge rate to 1.5 C results in a 43.04% increase in discharged capacity. The interplay between temperature, pressure and C-rate has a significant, non-linear impact on performance. This suggests that the characterisation of an LIB would require the active control of both temperature and pressure during electrical operation.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030071
Authors: Chunsong Lin Xianguo Tuo Longxing Wu Guiyu Zhang Xiangling Zeng
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been widely used for electric vehicles owing to their high energy density, light weight, and no memory effect. However, their health management problems remain unsolved in actual application. Therefore, this paper focuses on battery capacity as the key health indicator and proposes a data-driven method for capacity prediction. Specifically, this method mainly utilizes Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) for automatic feature extraction from raw data and combines it with the Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) algorithm to realize the capacity prediction of LIBs. In addition, the sparrow search algorithm (SSA) is used to optimize the hyper-parameters of the neural network to further improve the prediction performance of original network structures. Ultimately, experiments with a public dataset of batteries are carried out to verify and evaluate the effectiveness of capacity prediction under two temperature conditions. The results show that the SSA-CNN-BiLSTM framework for capacity prediction of LIBs has higher accuracy compared with other original network structures during the multi-battery cycle experiments.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030070
Authors: Hong Yin Yuliang Liu Yifeng Zhu Fengxiang Ye Guangliang Xu Mengfang Lin Wenbin Kang
Aqueous zinc ion batteries are highly sought after for the next generation of sustainable energy storage systems. However, their development is significantly impeded by the presence of undesired zinc dendrites, which greatly reduce their cycle life. It is well-received that surface passivation by introducing foreign metals represents a compelling measure to enhance the stability of Zn anodes. Nevertheless, the vast potential of effecting concerted interplay between multiple metal elements for enhanced overall performance in Zn ion batteries remains elusive, due to the overwhelming challenge in creating uniform textures from hetero-units and understanding the mechanism underlying the synergistic performance gain. In this work, an innovative bimetallic overlaying strategy is proposed that renders possible the synergy between AgZn3 and CuZn5 in effecting uniform Zn deposition in a laterally confined and compact manner. The seeded growth of Zn on the bimetal-modulated interface effectively reduces the nucleation potential barrier, yielding a low nucleation overpotential (25 mV). In full cell testing with a commercial MnO2 applied as the cathode, superb cycling stability, surpassing the results reported in previous works, is achieved. The cell delivers an outstanding remaining capacity of 215 mA h g−1 after 300 cycles with almost no capacity degradation observed. The simple and highly efficient bimetal design, which synergizes the strengths of distinct metals, has the potential to drive innovations in the development of multicomponent aqueous Zn batteries with exceptional performance.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030069
Authors: Hussein Jaffal Leopoldo Guanetti Giuliano Rancilio Matteo Spiller Filippo Bovera Marco Merlo
The Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is one of the possible solutions to overcoming the non-programmability associated with these energy sources. The capabilities of BESSs to store a consistent amount of energy and to behave as a load by releasing it ensures an essential source of flexibility to the power system. Nevertheless, BESSs have some drawbacks that pose limitations to their utilization. Indeed, effectively managing the stored and released energy is crucial, considering the degradation of performance associated with these systems over time. The substantial capital expenditure (CAPEX) required to install these systems represents a current constraint, impeding their broader adoption. This work evaluates a techno-economic analysis of a 2MW/2MWh BESS providing multiple services, namely participating in capacity and balance markets. The analysis is based on a BESS model implemented in SIMULINK, adopting online data gathered from a Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery facility. The model evaluates the auxiliary power consumption, state-of-charge (SoC), state of health (SoH), and the round-trip efficiency (RTE) of the overall system. The analysis is based on three price profiles: 2019 (Business-As-Usual), 2020 (COVID-19), and 2022 (Gas Crisis). Furthermore, this work conducts a case study to analyze the behavior of the BESS. It entails a sensitivity analysis, specifically evaluating the influence of CAPEX and upward bid price on the economic viability of the project. The results show a strong relation between the CAPEX variation and the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of the project.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10030068
Authors: Dominik Petz Volodymyr Baran Juyeon Park Alexander Schökel Armin Kriele Joana Rebelo Kornmeier Carsten Paulmann Max Koch Tom Nilges Peter Müller-Buschbaum Anatoliy Senyshyn
Structural and spatial aspects of cell degradation are studied using a combination of diffraction-and imaging-based tools applying laboratory X-rays, neutron scattering and synchrotron radiation with electrochemical and thermal characterization. Experimental characterization is carried out on cylindrical cells of 21700-type, where four regimes of cell degradation are identified, which are supplemented by an increased cell resistance and surface temperature during cell operation. The amount of intercalated lithium in the fully charged anodes in the fresh and aged states is determined by ex situ X-ray diffraction radiography and in situ X-ray diffraction computed tomography. The qualitatively similar character of the results revealed a loss of active lithium along with the development of a complex heterogeneous distribution over the electrode stripe.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020067
Authors: Wenli Wei Marzi Barghamadi Anthony F. Hollenkamp Peter J. Mahon
In this review, the application of five commercially available aqueous-based binders including sodium carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC), polyacrylic acid (PAA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene oxide (PEO), and polyethyleneimine (PEI) as well as some representative custom (or purpose) synthesized functional binders used in lithium sulfur (Li-S) batteries is summarized based on the main evaluation criteria of cycling capacity, battery lifetime, and areal sulfur loading (and, consequently, energy density of the battery). CMC with SBR (styrene butadiene rubber) has been reported with promising results in highly loaded sulfur cathodes (>5 mg cm−2 sulfur loading). PVA and PEI were confirmed to provide an enhanced adsorption of lithium polysulfides due to the interaction with hydroxyl and amine groups. No competitive advantage in electrochemical performance was demonstrated through the use of PAA and PEO. Water-based binders modified with polysulfide-trapping functional groups have complex fabrication processes, which hinders their commercial application. In general, achieving a high capacity and long cycling stability for highly loaded sulfur cathodes using commercial aqueous-based binders remains a significant challenge. Additionally, the scalability of these reported sulfur cathodes, in terms of complexity, cost, and stable electrochemical cycling, should be evaluated through further battery testing, particularly targeting pouch cell performance.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020066
Authors: Yubo Sun Qianming Shang Wanying Jiang
Aiming to solve the problems of insufficient dynamic responses, the large loss of energy storage life of a single power cell, and the large fluctuation in DC (direct current) bus voltage in fuel cell vessels, this study takes a certain type of fuel cell ferry as the research object and proposes an improved equivalent minimum hydrogen consumption energy management strategy, based on fuzzy logic control. First, a hybrid power system including a fuel cell, a lithium–iron–phosphate battery, and a supercapacitor is proposed, with the simulation of the power system of the modified mother ship. Second, a power system simulation model and a double-closed-loop PI (proportion integration) control model are established in MATLAB/Simulink to design the equivalent hydrogen consumption model and fuzzy logic control strategy. The simulation results show that, under the premise of meeting the load requirements, the control strategy designed in this paper improves the Li-ion battery’s power, the Li-ion battery’s SOC (state of charge), the bus voltage stability, and the equivalent hydrogen consumption significantly, compared with those before optimization, which improves the stability and economy of the power system and has certain practical engineering value.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020063
Authors: Christian Nobis Marco Mancini Michael Fischlschweiger
Developing efficient recycling processes with high recycling quotas for the recovery of graphite and other critical raw materials contained in LIBs is essential and prudent. This action holds the potential to substantially diminish the supply risk of raw materials for LIBs and enhance the sustainability of their production. An essential processing step in LIB recycling involves the thermal treatment of black mass to degrade the binder. This step is crucial as it enhances the recycling efficiency in subsequent processes, such as flotation and leaching-based processing. Therefore, this paper introduces a Representative Black Mass Model (RBMM) and develops a computational framework for the simulation of the thermal degradation of polymer-based binders in black mass (BM). The models utilize the discrete element method (DEM) with a coarse-graining (CG) scheme and the isoconversional method to predict binder degradation and the required heat. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the binder polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is utilized to determine the model parameters. The model simulates a specific thermal treatment case on a laboratory scale and investigates the relationship between the scale factor and heating rate. The findings reveal that, for a particular BM system, a scaling factor of 100 regarding the particle diameter is applicable within a heating rate range of 2 to 22 K/min.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020065
Authors: Debabrata Mohanty I-Ming Hung Chien-Te Hsieh Jing-Pin Pan Wei-Ren Liu
In recent years, the evolution of lithium-ion batteries (LIB) has been propelled by the growing demand for energy storage systems that are lightweight, have high energy density, and are long-lasting. This review article examines the use of self-terminated oligomers with hyperbranched architecture (STOBA) as a key electrode additive for the superior performance of LIBs. STOBA has been found to have excellent electrochemical properties, including high specific capacity, low impedance, and good cycling stability when used as an additive in electrode materials. The article discusses the process of synthesis and characterization of STOBA materials, including their potential applications in LIBs as electrode material additives. The article also discusses current research on the optimization of STOBA materials for LIBs, including the use of different solvents, monomers, and initiators. Overall, the review concludes that STOBA materials possess huge potential as a next-generation additive for LIB safety.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020064
Authors: Marius Schütte Florian Degen Hendrik Walter
As the world’s automotive battery cell production capacity expands, so too does the demand for sustainable production. Much of the industry’s efforts are aimed at reducing the high energy consumption in battery cell production. A key driver is electrode drying, which is currently performed in long ovens using large volumes of hot air. Several drying technologies from other industries could reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions if successfully applied to battery cell production. High process and quality requirements must be met when adapting these technologies for battery cell production. Evaluating the technologies against these requirements is difficult due to the technological novelty of this industry and the associated lack of data. Furthermore, the significant differences in drying technologies render a comparison even more challenging. One objective of this study was to evaluate drying technologies and identify those that could be best adapted to lithium-ion battery cell production. Near-infrared and laser drying were found to be the best in terms of energy efficiency, cost savings and other parameters. Another aim was to analyse, in more detail, the technological challenges and the advantages and disadvantages of the top-ranked drying technologies. Finally, the saving potential for greenhouse gas emissions of near-infrared and laser drying was calculated for a global production scenario of LIB cells in 2030. The saving potential in this scenario would amount to 2.63 million metric tonnes (Mt) CO2eq per year if near-infrared drying was applied in all global LIB cell production facilities within the mentioned scenario and 1.47 million Mt CO2eq per year for laser drying.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020062
Authors: Yi Cui Xueling Shen Hang Zhang Yanping Yin Zhanglong Yu Dong Shi Yanyan Fang Ran Xu
Since 2014, the electric vehicle industry in China has flourished and has been accompanied by rapid growth in the power battery industry led by lithium-ion battery (LIB) development. Due to a variety of factors, LIBs have been widely used, but user abuse and battery quality issues have led to explosion accidents that have caused loss of life and property. Current strategies to address battery safety concerns mainly involve enhancing the intrinsic safety of batteries and strengthening safety controls with approaches such as early warning systems to alert users before thermal runaway and ensure user safety. In this paper, we discuss the current research status and trends in two areas, intrinsic battery safety risk control and early warning methods, with the goal of promoting the development of safe LIB solutions in new energy applications.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020061
Authors: Minh-Chau Dinh Thi-Tinh Le Minwon Park
In this paper, a high-efficiency and low-cost active cell-to-cell balancing circuit for the reuse of electric vehicle (EV) batteries is proposed. In the proposed method, a battery string is divided into two legs to transfer the charge from each cell in one leg to that in the other and a bidirectional CLLC resonant converter is used to transfer energy between the selected cells. Thanks to the proposed structure, the number of bidirectional switches and gate drivers can be reduced by half compared to the conventional direct cell-to-cell topologies, thereby achieving lower cost for the system. The CLLC converter is used to transfer the charge, and it is designed to work at resonant frequencies to achieve zero-voltage zero-current switching (ZVZCS) for all the switches and diodes. Consequently, the system’s efficiency can be enhanced, and hence, the fuel economy of the system can also be improved significantly. To verify the performance of the proposed active cell-balancing system, a prototype is implemented for balancing the three EV battery modules that contain twelve lithium-ion batteries from xEV. The maximum efficiency achieved for the charge transfer is 89.4%, and the balancing efficiency is 96.3%.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020060
Authors: David Geerts Róbinson Medina Wilfried van Sark Steven Wilkins
Reducing greenhouse emissions can be done via the electrification of the transport industry. However, there are challenges related to the electrification such as the lifetime of vehicle batteries as well as limitations on the charging possibilities. To cope with some of these challenges, a charge scheduling method for fleets of electric vehicles is presented. Such a method assigns the charging moments (i.e., schedules) of fleets that have more vehicles than chargers. While doing the assignation, the method also maximizes the total Remaining Useful Life (RUL) of all the vehicle batteries. The method consists of two optimization algorithms. The first optimization algorithm determines charging profiles (i.e., charging current vs time) for individual vehicles. The second algorithm finds the charging schedule (i.e., the order in which vehicles are connected to a charger) that maximizes the RUL in the batteries of the entire fleet. To reduce the computational effort of predicting the battery RUL, the method uses a Machine Learning (ML) model. Such a model predicts the RUL of an individual battery while taking into account common stress factors and fabrication-related differences per battery. Simulation results show that charging a single vehicle as late as possible maximizes the RUL of that single vehicle, due to the lower battery degradation. Simulations also show that the ML model accurately predicts the RUL, while taking into account fabrication-related variability in the battery. Additionally, it was shown that this method schedules the charging moments of a fleet, leading to an increased total RUL of all the batteries in the vehicle fleet.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020059
Authors: Jaehyun Bae Daeil Hyun Jaeyoung Han
With an increase in global warming, battery electric vehicles (BEVs), which are environmentally friendly, have been rapidly commercialized to replace conventional vehicles with internal combustion engines. Unlike traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, the powertrain system of BEVs operates with high efficiency, resulting in lower heat generation. This poses a challenge for cabin heating under low-temperature conditions. Conversely, under high-temperature conditions, the operating temperature of a high-voltage battery (HVB) is lower than the ambient air temperature, which makes cooling through ambient air challenging. To overcome these challenges, in this study, we proposed an integrated thermal management system (ITMS) based on a heat pump system capable of stable thermal management under diverse climatic conditions. Furthermore, to assess the ability of the proposed ITMS to perform thermal management under various climatic conditions, we integrated a detailed powertrain system model incorporating BEV specifications and the proposed ITMS model based on the heat pump system. The ITMS model was evaluated under high-load-driving conditions, specifically the HWFET scenario, demonstrating its capability to perform stable thermal management not only under high-temperature conditions, such as at 36 °C, but also under low-temperature conditions, such as at −10 °C, through the designated thermal management modes.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020058
Authors: Penghui Zhu Benjamin Ebert Peter Smyrek Wilhelm Pfleging
An increase in the energy density on the cell level while maintaining a high power density can be realized by combining thick-film electrodes and the 3D battery concept. The effect of laser structuring using different pattern types on the electrochemical performance was studied. For this purpose, LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 (NMC 622) thick-film cathodes were prepared with a PVDF binder and were afterward structured using ultrafast laser ablation. Eight different pattern types were realized, which are lines, grids, holes, hexagonal structures, and their respective combinations. In addition, the mass loss caused by laser ablation was kept the same regardless of the pattern type. The laser-structured electrodes were assembled in coin cells and subsequently electrochemically characterized. It was found that when discharging the cells for durations of less than 2 h, a significant, positive impact of laser patterning on the electrochemical cell performance was observed. For example, when discharging was performed for one hour, cells containing laser-patterned electrodes with different structure types exhibited a specific capacity increase of up to 70 mAh/g in contrast to the reference ones. Although cells with a hole-patterned electrode exhibited a minimum capacity increase in the rate capability analysis, the combination of holes with lines, grids, or hexagons led to further capacity increases. In addition, long-term cycle analyses demonstrated the benefits of laser patterning on the cell lifetime, while cyclic voltammetry highlighted an increase in the Li-ion diffusion kinetics in cells containing hexagonal-patterned electrodes.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020057
Authors: Christopher Wett Jörg Lampe Jan Haß Thomas Seeger Bugra Turan
Lithium–ion batteries are well established as traction batteries for electric vehicles. This has led to a growing market for second-life batteries that can be used in applications like home energy storage systems. Moreover, the recyclability and safe handling of aged or damaged cells and packs has become more important. While there are several indicators, like state of health (SOH), state of power (SOP), or state of safety (SOS), which describe the state of a battery before its defined end of life (EOL), there is no consistent classification methodology by which to describe the usability of a cell or pack after its EOL is reached. The proposed state of usability (SOU) provides a new indicator that accounts for the usability for second life, recyclability, and possible required safety handling of a lithium–ion battery after its first intended life cycle. This work presents a decision tree method, which in turn leads to five discrete usability levels enabling a fast and rough determination of the SOU for practical use. Further, a calculation methodology for reasonable continuous regions of the SOU is proposed. Both methods are based on a literature-based rating of all of the relevant defect and aging mechanisms displayed in a risk matrix. Finally, some experimental methods that can be used for SOU determination are proposed. The developed methodology and the hands-on approach using a decision tree are well-suited for real world application in recycling companies and battery test laboratories.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020056
Authors: Narcis Varan Petru Merghes Nicoleta Plesu Lavinia Macarie Gheorghe Ilia Vasile Simulescu
Lithium-ion polymer batteries, also known as lithium-polymer, abbreviated Li-po, are one of the main research topics nowadays in the field of energy storage. This review focuses on the use of the phosphorus containing compounds in Li-po batteries, such as polyphosphonates and polyphosphazenes. Li-po batteries are mini-devices, capable of providing power for any portable gadget. From a constructive point of view, Li-po batteries contain an anode (carbon), a cathode (metal oxide), and a polymer electrolyte, which could be liquid electrolytes or solid electrolytes. In general, a divider is used to keep the anode and cathode from touching each other directly. Since liquid electrolytes have a generally high ionic conductivity, they are frequently employed in Li-ion batteries. In the last decade, the research in this field has also focused on solving safety issues, such as the leakage of electrolytes and risk of ignition due to volatile and flammable organic solvents. The research topics in the field of Li-po remain focused on solving safety problems and improving performance.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020055
Authors: Ana Olona Luis Castejón
When designing the battery of an electric vehicle, different parameters must be considered to obtain the safest arrangement of the battery/modules/cells from the mechanical and thermal points of view. In this study, the thermal runaway propagation mechanism of lithium-ion cells is analyzed as a function of their arrangement within a battery pack in case of a fire propagation of a battery pack in which a thermal runaway has occurred. The objective is to identify which cell/module arrangement is most critical within the battery pack, using microscopic analysis of the structure and chemical composition of the most damaged cells, both horizontally and vertically, of a battery belonging to a burnt vehicle. And their final condition was compared with the condition of new cells of the same type. In this way, the structure and chemical composition of the cathode, anode, and separator after thermal runaway were compared. This research was carried out to obtain information to understand the mechanical properties of lithium-ion cells and their behavior after thermal runaway heating leading to the propagation of a fire. Through the analysis carried out, it is concluded that cells placed in a vertical arrangement have worse behavior than cells in a horizontal arrangement. Regarding the safety of the battery, the results of this study will allow us to determine which arrangement and structure of the cells in the battery pack is safer against thermal runaway due to thermal failure.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020054
Authors: Yan Wang Kaiyuan Xue Changzeng Yan Yuehui Li Xingyun Zhang Kailimai Su Pengjun Ma Shanhong Wan Junwei Lang
Electrochemical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) possess extremely high-power density and a long cycle lifespan, but they have been long constrained by a low energy density. Since the electrochemical stability of electrolytes is essential to the operating voltage of EDLCs, and thus to their energy density, the tuning of electrolyte components towards a high-voltage window has been a research focus for a long time. Organic electrolytes based on ionic liquids (ILs) are recognized as the most commercially promising owing to their moderate operating voltage and excellent conductivity. Despite impressive progress, the working voltage of IL–solvent electrolytes needs to be improved to meet the growing demand. In this review, the recent progress in the tuning of IL- based organic electrolyte components for higher-voltage EDLCs is comprehensively summarized and the advantages and limitations of these innovative components are outlined. Furthermore, future trends of IL–solvent electrolytes in this field are highlighted.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020053
Authors: Angelica Martino Jiyun Jeon Hyun-Ho Park Hochun Lee Chang-Seop Lee
Severe volumetric expansion (~400%) limits practical application of silicon nanoparticles as anode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Here, we describe the fabrication and characterization of a conformal polydopamine carbon shell encapsulating rattle-type silica@silicon nanoparticles (PDA–PEI@PVP–SiO2@Si) with a tunable void structure using a dual template strategy with TEOS and (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) pretreated with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP K30) as SiO2 sacrificial template via a modified Stöber process. Polyethylene imine (PEI) crosslinking facilitated the construction of an interconnected three-dimensional bubble wrap-like carbon matrix structure through hydrothermal treatment, pyrolysis, and subsequent surface-protected etching. The composite anode material delivered satisfactory capacities of 539 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g−1, 512.76 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles at 1 A g−1, and 453 mAh g−1 rate performance at 5 A g−1, respectively. The electrochemical performance of PDA–PEI@PVP–SiO2@Si was attributed to the rattle-type structure providing void space for Si volume expansion, PVP K30-pretreated APTES/TEOS SiO2 seeds via catalyst-free, hydrothermal-assisted Stöber protecting Si/C spheres upon etching, carbon coating strategy increasing Si conductivity while stabilizing the solid electrolyte interface (SEI), and PEI carbon crosslinks providing continuous conductive pathways across the electrode structure. The present work describes a promising strategy to synthesize tunable yolk shell C@void@Si composite anode materials for high power/energy-density LIBs applications.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020052
Authors: Indira Cahyani Fatiha Sigit Puji Santosa Djarot Widagdo Arief Nur Pratomo
The market for electric vehicles (EVs) has been growing in popularity, and by 2027, it is predicted that the market valuation will reach $869 billion. To support the growth of EVs in public road safety, advances in battery safety research for EV application should achieve low-cost, lightweight, and high safety protection. In this research, the development of a lightweight, crashworthy battery protection system using an excellent energy absorption capability is carried out. The lightweight structure was developed by using metastructure constructions with an arrangement of repeated lattice cellular structures. Three metastructure configurations (bi-stable, star-shaped, double-U) with their geometrical variables (thickness, inner spacing, cell stack) and material types (stainless steel, aluminium, and carbon steel) were evaluated until the maximum Specific Energy Absorptions (SEA) value was attained. The Finite Element Method (FEM) is utilised to simulate the mechanics of impact and calculate the optimum SEA of the various designs using machine learning methodology. Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) was used to derive the design variation by dividing the variables into 100 samples. The machine learning optimisation method utilises the Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II) to forecast the design that produces maximum SEA. The optimum control variables are star-shaped cells consisting of one vertical unit cell using aluminium material with a cross-section thickness of 2.9 mm. The optimum design increased the SEA by 5577% compared to the baseline design. The accuracy of the machine learning prediction is also verified using numerical simulation with a 2.83% error. Four different sandwich structure configurations are then constructed using the optimal geometry for prismatic battery protection subjected to ground impact loading conditions. An optimum configuration of 6×4×1 core cells arrangement results in a maximum displacement of 7.33 mm for the prismatic battery in the ground impact simulation, which is still less than the deformation threshold for prismatic battery safety of 10.423 mm. It is shown that the lightweight metastructure is very efficient for prismatic battery protection subjected to ground impact loading conditions.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020051
Authors: Mohit Anil Lal Akashdeep Singh Ryan Mzik Amirmasoud Lanjan Seshasai Srinivasan
In this work, we propose a machine learning (ML)-based technique that can learn interatomic potential parameters for various particle–particle interactions employing quantum mechanics (QM) calculations. This ML model can be used as an alternative for QM calculations for predicting non-bonded interactions in a computationally efficient manner. Using these parameters as input to molecular dynamics simulations, we can predict a diverse range of properties, enabling researchers to design new and novel materials suitable for various applications in the absence of experimental data. We employ our ML-based technique to learn the Buckingham potential, a non-bonded interatomic potential. Subsequently, we utilize these predicted values to compute the densities of four distinct molecules, achieving an accuracy exceeding 93%. This serves as a strong demonstration of the efficacy of our proposed approach.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020050
Authors: Mohammad Ahmadian-Elmi Peng Zhao
This paper presents a comprehensive review of the thermal management strategies employed in cylindrical lithium-ion battery packs, with a focus on enhancing performance, safety, and lifespan. Effective thermal management is critical to retain battery cycle life and mitigate safety issues such as thermal runaway. This review covers four major thermal management techniques: air cooling, liquid cooling, phase-change materials (PCM), and hybrid methods. Air-cooling strategies are analyzed for their simplicity and cost-effectiveness, while liquid-cooling systems are explored for their superior heat dissipation capabilities. Phase-change materials, with their latent heat absorption and release properties, are evaluated as potential passive cooling solutions. Additionally, hybrid methods, such as combining two or more strategies, are discussed for their synergistic effects in achieving optimal thermal management. Each strategy is assessed in terms of its thermal performance, energy efficiency, cost implications, and applicability to cylindrical lithium-ion battery packs. The paper provides valuable insights into the strengths and limitations of each technique, offering a comprehensive guide for researchers, engineers, and policymakers in the field of energy storage. The findings contribute to the ongoing efforts to develop efficient and sustainable thermal management solutions for cylindrical lithium-ion battery packs in various applications.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020049
Authors: Yejin Lee Seung-hee Park Sung Hoon Ahn
Recent advancements in energy conversion and storage systems have placed a spotlight on the role of multi-functional electrodes employing conductive substrates. These substrates, however, often face obstacles due to intricate and expensive production methods, as well as limitations in thickness. This research introduces a novel, economical approach using graphite felt as a versatile electrode. A method to enhance the typically low conductivity of graphite felt was devised, incorporating interfacial chemical tuning and the electrodeposition of a highly conductive nickel layer. This technique facilitates the integration of diverse transition metal-based active sites, aiming to refine the catalytic activity for specific electrochemical reactions. A key finding is that a combination of a nickel-rich cathode and an iron-rich anode can effectively optimize alkaline water electrolysis for hydrogen production at the ampere scale. Furthermore, the addition of sulfur improves the bi-functional oxygen-related redox reactions, rendering it ideal for air cathodes in solid-state zinc–air batteries. The assembled battery exhibits impressive performance, including a peak power density of 62.9 mW cm−2, a minimal voltage gap in discharge–charge polarization, and a lifecycle surpassing 70 h. This advancement in electrode technology signifies a significant leap in energy storage and conversion, offering a sustainable and efficient solution for future energy systems.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020048
Authors: Marco Ambrosetti Walter Rocchetta Irene Quinzeni Chiara Milanese Vittorio Berbenni Marcella Bini
GeFe2O4 (GFO), with its intriguing intercalation mechanism based on alloying–conversion reactions, was recently proposed as an anode material for sodium ion batteries (SIBs). However, drawbacks related to excessive volume expansion during intercalation/deintercalation and poor electronic conductivity enormously hinder its practical application in batteries. In this regard, some experimental strategies such as cation substitutions and proper architectures/carbon coatings can be adopted. In this paper, pure and Mn-doped GFO samples were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis. The doped samples maintained the spinel cubic structure and the morphology of pure GFO. The electrochemical tests of the samples, performed after proper carbon coating, showed the expected redox processes involving both Ge and Fe ions. The Mn doping had a positive effect on the capacity values at a low current density (about 350 mAh/g at C/5 for the Mn 5% doping in comparison to 300 mAh/g for the pure sample). Concerning the cycling stability, the doped samples were able to provide 129 mAh/g (Mn 10%) and 150 mAh/g (Mn 5%) at C/10 after 60 cycles.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020047
Authors: Niladri Talukder Yudong Wang Bharath Babu Nunna Eon Soo Lee
In recent years, graphene-type materials originating from metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) or integrated with MOFs have exhibited notable performances across various applications. However, a comprehensive understanding of these complex materials and their functionalities remains obscure. While some studies have reviewed graphene/MOF composites from different perspectives, due to their structural–functional intricacies, it is crucial to conduct more in-depth reviews focusing on specific sets of graphene/MOF composites designed for particular applications. In this review, we thoroughly investigate the syntheses, characteristics, and performances of N-G/MOF(ZIF-8)-based/derived materials employed in electrochemical energy conversion and storage systems. Special attention is given to realizing their fundamental functionalities. The discussions are divided into three segments based on the application of N-G/ZIF-8-based/derived materials as electrode materials for batteries, electrodes for electrochemical capacitors, and electrocatalysts. As electrodes for batteries, N-G/MOF(ZIF-8) materials can mitigate issues like an electrode volume expansion for Li-ion batteries and the ‘shuttle effect’ for Li-S batteries. As electrodes for electrochemical capacitors, these materials can considerably improve the ion transfer rate and electronic conductivity, thereby enhancing the specific capacitance while maintaining the structural stability. Also, it was observed that these materials could occasionally outperform standard platinum-based catalysts for the electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The reported electrochemical performances and structural parameters of these materials were carefully tabulated in uniform units and scales. Through a critical analysis of the present synthesis trends, characteristics, and functionalities of these materials, specific aspects were identified that required further exploration to fully utilize their inherent capabilities.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020046
Authors: Samantha L. Morelly Renee M. Saraka Nicolas J. Alvarez Maureen Tang
The viscosity and microstructure of Li-ion battery slurries and the performance of the resulting electrodes have been shown to depend on the mixing protocol. This work applies rheology to understand the impact of shear during mixing and polymer molecular weight on slurry microstructure and electrode performance. Mixing protocols of different shear intensity are applied to slurries of LiNi0.33Mn0.33Co0.33O2 (NMC), carbon black (CB), and polyvinyldiene difluoride (PVDF) in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP), using both high-molecular-weight (HMW) and low-molecular-weight (LMW) PVDF. Slurries of both polymers are observed to form colloidal gels under high-shear mixing, even though unfavorable interactions between high molecular weight PVDF and CB should prevent this microstructure from forming. Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that increasing shear rate during the polymer and particle mixing steps causes polymer scission to decrease the polymer molecular weight and allow colloidal gelation. In general, electrodes made from high molecular weight PVDF generally show increased rate capability. However, high shear rates lead to increased cell variability, possibly due to the heterogeneities introduced by polymer scission.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020045
Authors: Mohamed Ammar Sherif Ashraf Diego Alexander Gonzalez-casamachin Damilola Tomi Awotoye Jonas Baltrusaitis
Urea, a basic chemical compound, holds diverse applications across numerous domains, ranging from agriculture to energy storage. Of particular interest is its role as a hydrogen bond donor (HBD). This specific characteristic has propelled its utilization as an essential component in crafting deep eutectic solvents (DESs) for battery electrolytes. Incorporating urea into DESs presents a promising avenue to address environmental concerns associated with traditional electrolytes, thereby advancing battery technology. Conventional electrolytes, often composed of hazardous and combustible solvents, pose significant environmental risks upon improper disposal potentially contaminating soil and water and threatening both human health and ecosystems. Consequently, there is a pressing need for eco-friendly alternatives capable of upholding high performance and safety standards. DESs, categorized as organic salts resulting from the blending of two or more compounds, have emerged as promising contenders for the next generation of electrolytes. Urea stands out among DES electrolytes by enhancing ion transport, widening the electrochemical window stability (ESW), and prolonging battery cycle life. Further, its non-toxic nature, limited flammability, and elevated thermal stability play pivotal roles in mitigating environmental concerns and safety issues associated with traditional electrolytes. Laboratory testing of urea-based DES electrolytes across various battery systems, including Al-ion, Na-ion, and Zn-ion batteries, has already been demonstrated. This review examines the evolution of urea-based DES electrolytes by elucidating their structure, molecular interaction mechanisms, performance attributes, and preparation methodologies.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020044
Authors: Shijiang He Zidong Wang Wenbo Qiu Huaping Zhao Yong Lei
Due to their high specific capacity and long cycle life, bimetallic sulfides are the preferred choice of researchers as anodes in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, studies indicate that this class of materials often requires expensive elements such as Co, Sb, Sn, etc., and their performance is insufficient with the use of inexpensive Fe, V alone. Therefore, there is a need to explore the relationship between metal cations and anode performance so that the requirements of cost reduction and performance enhancement can be met simultaneously. In this work, a series of partially replaced sulfides with different cation ratios have been prepared by a hydrothermal method followed by heat treatment. By partially replacing Co in NiCo sulfides, all samples show improved capacity and stability over the original NiCo sulfides. As a result, the metal elements have different oxidation states, which leads to a higher capacity through their synergistic effects on each other. Mn-NiCoS with 10% replacement showed satisfactory capacity (721.09 mAh g−1 at 300 mA g−1, 662.58 mAh g−1 after 20 cycles) and excellent cycle life (85.41% capacity retention after 1000 cycles at 2000 mA g−1).
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020043
Authors: Ngoc Nam Pham Radim Bloudicek Jan Leuchter Stanislav Rydlo Quang Huy Dong
This paper deals with the analyses of batteries used in current military systems to power the electric drives of military vehicles. The article focuses on battery analyses based on operational data obtained from measurements rather than analyses of the chemical composition of the tested batteries. The authors of the article used their experience from the development test-laboratory of military technology. This article presents a comparative analysis of existing and promising technologies in the field of energy storage and buffering for military electric vehicles. The overview of these technologies, including the design, operating principles, advantages, and disadvantages, are briefly presented to produce theoretical comparative analyses. However, this article mainly focuses on the experimental verification of operational ability in varied conditions, as well as the comparison and analysis of these results. The main part of the article provides more experimental studies on technologies of energy storage and buffering using the results of several experiments conducted to demonstrate the behavior of each technology in different working conditions. The output parameters, as well as the state of charge of each technology’s samples, were surveyed in various temperatures and loading characteristics. The results presented in this paper are expected to be useful for optimizing the selection of energy storage and buffering solutions for military electric vehicles in different applications and functional environments.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020042
Authors: Tarek Ibrahim Tamas Kerekes Dezso Sera Abderezak Lashab Daniel-Ioan Stroe
The intermittent nature of power generation from photovoltaics (PV) requires reliable energy storage solutions. Using the storage system outdoors exposes it to variable temperatures, affecting both its storage capacity and lifespan. Utilizing and optimizing energy storage considering climatic variations and new storage technologies is still a research gap. Therefore, this paper presents a modified sizing algorithm based on the Golden Section Search method, aimed at optimizing the number of cells in an energy storage unit, with a specific focus on the unique conditions of Denmark. The considered energy storage solutions are Lithium-ion capacitors (LiCs) and Lithium-ion batteries (LiBs), which are tested under different temperatures and C-rates rates. The algorithm aims to maximize the number of autonomy cycles—defined as periods during which the system operates independently of the grid, marked by intervals between two consecutive 0% State of Charge (SoC) occurrences. Testing scenarios include dynamic temperature and dynamic load, constant temperature at 25 °C, and constant load, considering irradiation and temperature effects and cell capacity fading over a decade. A comparative analysis reveals that, on average, the LiC storage is sized at 70–80% of the LiB storage across various scenarios. Notably, under a constant-temperature scenario, the degradation rate accelerates, particularly for LiBs. By leveraging the modified Golden Section Search algorithm, this study provides an efficient approach to the sizing problem, optimizing the number of cells and thus offering a potential solution for energy storage in off-grid PV systems.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020041
Authors: Niklas Kisseler Fabian Hoheisel Christian Offermanns Moritz Frieges Heiner Heimes Achim Kampker
The temperature of a lithium-ion battery is a crucial parameter for understanding the internal processes during various operating and failure scenarios, including thermal runaway. However, the internal temperature is comparatively higher than the surface temperature. This particularly affects cells with a large cross-section, which is due to heat development within the cell and lower heat dissipation due to a poorer ratio of volume to surface area. This paper presents an approach that enables real-time monitoring of the behavior of a commercial prismatic high-energy battery cell (NMC811/C, 95 Ah, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (Ningde, China)) in the event of thermal runaway induced by overcharging. The internal cell temperature is investigated by the subsequent integration of two hard sensors between the two jelly rolls and additional sensors on the surface of the aluminum housing of the battery cell. The sensor’s signals show a significant increase in the temperature gradient between the temperature in the core of the cell and the cell casing surface until the onset of venting and thermal runaway of the battery. The data enable a detailed investigation of the behavior of the battery cell and the comparatively earlier detection of the point of no return in the event of thermal runaway.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10020040
Authors: Laura Gottschalk Jannes Müller Alexander Schoo Ernesto Baasch Arno Kwade
Current research focuses on lithium-ion battery cells with a high energy density and efficient fast-charging capabilities. However, transport limitations, and, therefore, the uniform diffusion of lithium-ions across the electrode layers, remain a challenge and could lead to reduced cell performance. One approach to overcome these transport challenges is the use of subsequently produced two-layer anodes with the particle size variation of spherical graphite (x50 = 18 µm; x50 = 11 µm). Thereby, a defined pore network is created, which reduces the ionic resistance and ensuring improved fast charging capabilities. The analysis focuses on the evaluation of electrode properties and the electrochemical performance. By examining the pore size distribution of the anodes, it has been found that during the manufacturing of the two-layer anodes, carbon black and binder particles are transported into the existing microstructure of the lower layer, resulting in localized densification between the anode layers. This could also be supported by color measurements. This effect also extends to electrochemical investigations, with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showing significantly lower ionic resistances in all two-layer anodes. Reduced ionic resistance and tortuosity near the separator due to absorption effects enhance the ion diffusion and have a direct impact on anode performance. Cell ageing analysis showed a significant capacity decrease of almost 15 mAh g −1 in the single-layer references only, in contrast to the stability of the two-layer anodes. This could also be attributed to the reduced ionic resistance and active counteraction of binder migration. In conclusion, this study highlights how subsequently produced two-layer anodes significantly shape the electrode properties and cell performance of lithium-ion batteries.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010039
Authors: Mohamed Djihad Bouguern Anil Kumar Madikere Raghunatha Reddy Xia Li Sixu Deng Harriet Laryea Karim Zaghib
The pursuit of industrializing lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with exceptional energy density and top-tier safety features presents a substantial growth opportunity. The demand for energy storage is steadily rising, driven primarily by the growth in electric vehicles and the need for stationary energy storage systems. However, the manufacturing process of LIBs, which is crucial for these applications, still faces significant challenges in terms of both financial and environmental impacts. Our review paper comprehensively examines the dry battery electrode technology used in LIBs, which implies the use of no solvents to produce dry electrodes or coatings. In contrast, the conventional wet electrode technique includes processes for solvent recovery/drying and the mixing of solvents like N-methyl pyrrolidine (NMP). Methods that use dry films bypass the need for solvent blending and solvent evaporation processes. The advantages of dry processes include a shorter production time, reduced energy consumption, and lower equipment investment. This is because no solvent mixing or drying is required, making the production process much faster and, thus, decreasing the price. This review explores three solvent-free dry film techniques, such as extrusion, binder fibrillation, and dry spraying deposition, applied to LIB electrode coatings. Emphasizing cost-effective large-scale production, the critical methods identified are hot melting, extrusion, and binder fibrillation. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the solvent-free dry-film-making methods, detailing the underlying principles, procedures, and relevant parameters.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010038
Authors: Alessandra Zanoletti Eleonora Carena Chiara Ferrara Elza Bontempi
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are a widely used energy storage technology as they possess high energy density and are characterized by the reversible intercalation/deintercalation of Li ions between electrodes. The rapid development of LIBs has led to increased production efficiency and lower costs for manufacturers, resulting in a growing demand for batteries and their application across various industries, particularly in different types of vehicles. In order to meet the demand for LIBs while minimizing climate-impacting emissions, the reuse, recycling, and repurposing of LIBs is a critical step toward achieving a sustainable battery economy. This paper provides a comprehensive review of lithium-ion battery recycling, covering topics such as current recycling technologies, technological advancements, policy gaps, design strategies, funding for pilot projects, and a comprehensive strategy for battery recycling. Additionally, this paper emphasizes the challenges associated with developing LIB recycling and the opportunities arising from these challenges, such as the potential for innovation and the creation of a more sustainable and circular economy. The environmental implications of LIB recycling are also evaluated with methodologies able to provide a sustainability analysis of the selected technology. This paper aims to enhance the comprehension of these trade-offs and encourage discussion on determining the “best” recycling route when targets are in conflict.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010037
Authors: Arpita Mondal Yuhong Fu Wei Gao Chunting Chris Mi
The ongoing transition toward electric vehicles is a major factor in the exponential rise in demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). There is a significant effort to recycle battery materials to support the mining industry in ensuring enough raw materials and avoiding supply disruptions, so that there will be enough raw materials to produce LIBs. Nevertheless, LIBs that have reached the end of their useful lives and are sent for recycling may still have some energy left in them, which could be dangerous during handling and processing. Therefore, it is important to conduct discharge pretreatment of LIBs before dismantling and crushing them, especially in cases where pyrometallurgical recycling is not used. Electrochemical discharge in conducting solutions has been commonly studied and implemented for this purpose, but its effectiveness has yet to be fully validated. Non-electrochemical discharge has also been researched as a potentially cleaner and more efficient discharge technology at the same time. This article presents a non-electrochemical discharge process by completely draining the energy from used batteries before recycling. A comprehensive investigation of the behavior of LIBs during discharge and the amount of energy remaining after fully discharging the battery at different temperatures is analyzed in this work. According to the experimental findings, completely discharging the battery at higher temperatures results in a reduced amount of residual energy in the battery. This outcome holds great importance in terms of safe and environmentally friendly recycling of used LIBs, emphasizing that safety and environmentally friendly recycling must go hand in hand with a cost-effective and sustainable solution.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010036
Authors: Sami Lieskoski Jessica Tuuf Margareta Björklund-Sänkiaho
In an effort to tackle climate change, various sectors, including the transport sector, are turning towards increased electrification. As a result, there has been a swift increase in the sales of electric vehicles (EVs) that use lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). When LIBs reach their end of life in EVs, it may still be possible to use them in other, less demanding applications, giving them a second life. This article describes a case study where the feasibility of a hypothetical business repurposing Tesla Model S/X batteries in the Ostrobothnia region, Finland, is investigated. A material-flow analysis is conducted to estimate the number of batteries becoming available for second-life applications from both the Ostrobothnia region and Finland up to 2035. The cost of repurposing batteries is evaluated for four different scenarios, with the batteries being processed either on the pack, module, or cell level. Three scenarios were found to be feasible, with repurposing costs of 27.2–38.3 EUR/kWh. The last scenario, in which all battery packs are disassembled at the cell level, was found not to be feasible due to the labor intensiveness of disassembly and testing at the cell level. This work gives indications of the potential for repurposing batteries in the Ostrobothnia region and Finland.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010035
Authors: Xiaoqing Dong Ying Wang Qian Zou Chaolin Li
Cost-effective bismuth (Bi) boasts a high theoretical capacity and exceptional selectivity towards Cl- ion storage, making it a promising material for desalination batteries (DBs). However, the substantial volume expansion and low conductivity severely hinder the cycling performance of Bi-based DBs. In this study, a carbon-layer-coated Bi nanocomposite (Bi@C) was synthesized by pyrolyzing a metal–organic framework (Bi-MOF) containing Bi using a straightforward method. The results show that the Bi@C synthesized under the condition of annealing at 700 °C for 2 h has the optimum properties. The Bi@C has good multiplication performance, and the desalination capacity is 106.1 mg/g at a high current density of 1000 mA/g. And the material exhibited a high desalination capacity of 141.9 mg/g at a current density of 500 mA/g and retained 66.9% of its capacity after 200 cycles. In addition, the Bi@C can operate at a wide range of NaCl concentrations from 0.05 to 2 mol/L. The desalination mechanism analysis of the Bi@C revealed that the carbon coating provides space for Bi particles to expand in volume, thereby mitigating the issues of electrode material powdering and shedding. Meanwhile, the porous carbon skeleton establishes electron and ion channels to enhance the electrode material’s conductivity. This research offers a promising strategy for the application of chloride-storage electrode materials in electrochemical desalination systems.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010034
Authors: Pierpaolo Dini Antonio Colicelli Sergio Saponara
Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionized the portable and stationary energy industry and are finding widespread application in sectors such as automotive, consumer electronics, renewable energy, and many others. However, their efficiency and longevity are closely tied to accurately measuring their SOC and state of health (SOH). The need for precise algorithms to estimate SOC and SOH has become increasingly critical in light of the widespread adoption of lithium-ion batteries in industrial and automotive applications. While the benefits of lithium-ion batteries are undeniable, the challenges related to their efficient and safe management cannot be overlooked. Accurate estimation of SOC and SOH is crucial for ensuring optimal battery management, maximizing battery lifespan, optimizing performance, and preventing sudden failures. Consequently, research and development of reliable algorithms for estimating SOC and SOH have become an area of growing interest for the scientific and industrial community. This review article aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the state-of-the-art in SOC and SOH estimation algorithms for lithium-ion batteries. The most recent and promising theoretical and practical techniques used to address the challenges of accurate SOC and SOH estimation will be examined and evaluated. Additionally, critical evaluation of different approaches will be highlighted: emphasizing the advantages, limitations, and potential areas for improvement. The goal is to provide a clear view of the current landscape and to identify possible future directions for research and development in this crucial field for technological innovation.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010033
Authors: Amel Benmouna Laurence Borderiou Mohamed Becherif
The large-scale adoption of electric vehicles will require a charging infrastructure that meets the new needs that will arise. Currently, the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is still in the early stages of development, not least because of the low number of electric vehicles in use. However, there are still many questions to be answered when it comes to standardization in terms of connectors, DC or AC charging, and power, as well as both operational and economic issues. Although this topic has been the subject of numerous studies over the last ten years, there are still gaps to be filled, particularly with regard to the mix of different recharging strategies (normal, accelerated, fast, induction-track, etc.), as well as the economic and operational aspects. Moreover, the relationship between users and private cars is changing rapidly, and charging behaviors are not yet well established.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010032
Authors: Seham Shahid Martin Agelin-Chaab
This paper introduces a novel hybrid thermal management strategy, which uses secondary coolants (air and fluid) to extract heat from a phase change material (paraffin), resulting in an increase in the phase change material’s heat extraction capability and the battery module’s overall thermal performance. A novel cold plate design is developed and placed between the rows and columns of the cells. The cold plate contains a single fluid body to improve the thermal performance of the battery module. Experimental studies were conducted to obtain the temperature and heat flux profiles of the battery module. Moreover, a numerical model is developed and validated using the experimental data obtained. The numerical data stayed within ±2% of the experimental data. In addition, the ability of nanoparticles to increase the thermal conductivity of water is examined and it is found that the cooling from the liquid cooling component is not sensitive enough to capture the 0.32 W/m K increase in the thermal conductivity of the fluid. Furthermore, in order to enhance the air cooling, fins were added within the air duct to the cold plate. However, this is not feasible, as the pressure drop through the addition of the fins increased by ~245%, whereas the maximum temperature of the battery module reduced by only 0.6 K. Finally, when scaled up to an entire battery pack at a high discharge rate of 7 C, the numerical results showed that the overall temperature uniformity across the pack was 1.14 K, with a maximum temperature of 302.6 K, which was within the optimal operating temperature and uniformity ranges. Therefore, the developed thermal management strategy eliminates the requirement of a pump and reservoir and can be scaled up or down according to the energy and power requirements.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010031
Authors: Zhixiong Chai Junqiu Li Ziming Liu Zhengnan Liu Xin Jin
This paper addresses the challenge of thermal runaway propagation in lithium-ion battery modules and presents a safety protection design method based on a thermal propagation model. Firstly, it systematically analyzes the triggering mechanisms of thermal runaway in batteries, establishes a model for cell thermal runaway, and calibrates the model parameters through experiments. Secondly, by integrating the cell thermal runaway model and considering the three-dimensional structure of the battery module, a comprehensive thermal runaway propagation model is developed and validated. Subsequently, a simulation study on thermal runaway propagation, incorporating multi-factor influences and typical operating conditions, is conducted using the established thermal propagation model for the battery module. The study elucidates the thermal runaway propagation characteristics of the battery module under different safety protection strategies. The findings highlight that the proposed safety protection strategy effectively mitigates thermal propagation within the battery module, particularly when the thermal runaway is influenced by multiple factors.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010030
Authors: Qianmu Pan Yongkun Yu Yuxin Zhu Chunli Shen Minjian Gong Kui Yan Xu Xu
The problem of lithium dendrite growth has persistently hindered the advancement of lithium metal batteries. Lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON), functioning as an amorphous solid electrolyte, is extensively employed as an artificial solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) owing to its remarkable stability and mechanical strength, which is beneficial for effectively mitigating dendrite growth. Nevertheless, the significant challenge arises from the volume changes in the Li metal anode during cycling, leading to the vulnerability of LiPON due to its high rigidity, which impedes the widespread use of LiPON. To address this problem, our study introduces a lithium-boron (Li-B) alloy as the anode, featuring a 3D structure, which can be synergistic with the artificial LiPON layer during cycling, leading to a better performance. The average Coulombic efficiency (CE) of a Li || Cu half-cell reaches 95% over 120 cycles. The symmetric cells exhibit sustained operation for 950 h with a low voltage polarization of less than 20 mV under a current density of 0.5 mA/cm2 and for 410 h under 1 mA/cm2.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010029
Authors: Abniel Machín Carmen Morant Francisco Márquez
The primary goal of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art in solid-state batteries (SSBs), with a focus on recent advancements in solid electrolytes and anodes. The paper begins with a background on the evolution from liquid electrolyte lithium-ion batteries to advanced SSBs, highlighting their enhanced safety and energy density. It addresses the increasing demand for efficient, safe energy storage in applications like electric vehicles and portable electronics. A major part of the paper analyzes solid electrolytes, key to SSB technology. It classifies solid electrolytes as polymer-based, oxide-based, and sulfide-based, discussing their distinct properties and application suitability. The review also covers advancements in anode materials for SSBs, exploring materials like lithium metal, silicon, and intermetallic compounds, focusing on their capacity, durability, and compatibility with solid electrolytes. It addresses challenges in integrating these anode materials, like the interface stability and lithium dendrite growth. This review includes a discussion on the latest analytical techniques, experimental studies, and computational models to understand and improve the anode–solid electrolyte interface. These are crucial for tackling interfacial resistance and ensuring SSBs’ long-term stability and efficiency. Concluding, the paper suggests future research and development directions, highlighting SSBs’ potential in revolutionizing energy storage technologies. This review serves as a vital resource for academics, researchers, and industry professionals in advanced battery technology development. It offers a detailed overview of materials and technologies shaping SSBs’ future, providing insights into current challenges and potential solutions in this rapidly evolving field.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010028
Authors: Yong Guo Fupeng Liu Feixiong Chen Zaoming Chen Hong Zeng Tao Zhang Changquan Shen
The selective separation of lithium from spent ternary positive materials is achieved through hydrogen reduction followed by water leaching. Almost 98% of the Li is transformed into soluble LiOH⋅H2O, while the Ni, Co and Mn species are all transformed into insoluble metals or their oxides, so the recovery of Ni, Co and Mn at this stage is challenging. The traditional acid leaching process has drawbacks such as high oxidant consumption, the low recovery of valuable metals and high production costs. Thus, sulfation roasting followed by water leaching was studied in this project. The leaching levels of Ni, Co, Mn and Al reached 87.13%, 99.87%, 96.21% and 94.95%, respectively, with 1.4 times the theoretical amount of sulfuric acid used at 180 °C for 120 min. To avoid the adverse effects of Mn and Al on the quality of the Ni and Co sulfate products, Mn2+ was first separated and precipitated via the KMnO4 oxidation–precipitation method, and >98% of the Mn was removed and precipitated within 30 min with a Kp/Kt (ratio of actual usage to theoretical usage of KMnO4) of 1.0 at pH = 2.0 and 25 °C. After removal of the Mn, the solvent extraction method was adopted by using P204 as an extractant to separate Al. More than 98% of the Al was extracted in 30 min with 20% (v/v) P204 + 10% (v/v) TBP with an A/O ratio of 1:1 at 30 °C. This optimized process for extracting lithium residues improved the hydrogen reduction process of waste lithium batteries and will enable industrialization of the developed processes.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010027
Authors: Daniele Marchese Chiara Giosuè Antunes Staffolani Massimo Conti Simone Orcioni Francesca Soavi Matteo Cavalletti Pierluigi Stipa
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) can play a crucial role in the decarbonization process that is being tackled worldwide; millions of electric vehicles are already provided with or are directly powered by LIBs, and a large number of them will flood the markets within the next 8–10 years. Proper disposal strategies are required, and sustainable and environmental impacts need to be considered. Despite still finding little applicability in the industrial field, recycling could become one of the most sustainable options to handle the end of life of LIBs. This review reports on the most recent advances in sustainable processing for spent LIB recycling that is needed to improve the LIB value chain, with a special focus on green leaching technologies for Co-based cathodes. Specifically, we provide the main state of the art for sustainable LIB recycling processes, focusing on the pretreatment of spent LIBs; we report on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies on the usage of acids, including mineral as well as organic ones; and summarize the recent innovation for the green recovery of valuable metals from spent LIBs, including electrochemical methods. The advantage of using green leaching agents, such as organic acids, which represent a valuable option towards more sustainable recycling processes, is also discussed. Organic acids can, indeed, reduce the economic, chemical, and environmental impacts of LIBs since post-treatments are avoided. Furthermore, existing challenges are identified herein, and suggestions for improving the effectiveness of recycling are defined.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010026
Authors: Zijiang Yang Xiaofeng Zhao Hongquan Zhang
The health assessment of lithium-ion batteries holds great research significance in various areas such as battery management systems, battery usage and maintenance, and battery economic evaluation. However, because environmental perturbations are not taken into account during the assessment, the accuracy and reliability of the assessment are limited. Thus, a health assessment model for lithium-ion batteries based on evidence reasoning rules with dynamic reference value (ER-DRV) is proposed in this paper. Firstly, considering that the data are subject to changes, dynamic reference values, real-time weights, and real-time reliability were utilized in the model to ensure the effectiveness and accuracy of the assessment. Moreover, an enhanced optimization method based on the whale optimization algorithm (WOA) was developed to improve the accuracy of the assessment model. In addition, the robustness of the ER-DRV model was studied with perturbation analysis methods. Finally, the proposed method was validated on two open lithium-ion battery datasets. The experimental results show that the health assessment method proposed in this article not only has higher accuracy and transparent reasoning process but also has strong robustness and good generalization ability.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010025
Authors: Du Yeol Jo Seung-Keun Park
Recently, potassium-ion batteries (KIBs) have attracted significant interest due to a number of factors, including the growing demand for energy and limited lithium resources. However, their practical use is hampered by poor cycling stability due to the large size of K+. Therefore, it is critical to develop a structural design that effectively suppresses large volume changes. This study presents a simple method of using a salt template to fabricate porous microspheres (p-MoSe2@C MS) of MoSe2 and a carbon matrix as anode materials in KIBs. These microspheres have a distinct porous design, with uniformly distributed MoSe2 nanocrystals embedded in the carbon matrix to prevent MoSe2 overgrowth due to material diffusion during heat treatment. The manufacturing process combined one-step spray drying with recyclable NaCl as a hard template. Through a two-step thermal process under an inert atmosphere, the initial dextrin, NaCl, and Mo salt microspheres were converted into a p-MoSe2@N MS composite. The carbon structure derived from the dextrin maintained the shape of the microspheres when NaCl was removed, ensuring no overgrowth of MoSe2. This well-designed porous structure improves the interaction with the electrolyte, facilitating the transport of ions and electrons and reducing the K+ diffusion distances. In addition, the porous carbon structure accommodates large volume changes during cycling and maintains its structural strength. As a result, p-MoSe2@C MS composite exhibits superior electrochemical properties, with remarkable capacity, long-term cycling stability (193 mA h g−1 after 500 cycles at 2.0 A g−1), and rate capability.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010024
Authors: Zouina Karkar Mohamed S. E. Houache Chae-Ho Yim Yaser Abu-Lebdeh
This review focuses on the promising technology of solid-state batteries (SSBs) that utilize lithium metal and solid electrolytes. SSBs offer significant advantages in terms of high energy density and enhanced safety. This review categorizes solid electrolytes into four classes: polymer, oxide, hybrid, and sulfide solid electrolytes. Each class has its own unique characteristics and benefits. By exploring these different classes, this review aims to shed light on the diversity of materials and their contributions to the advancement of SSB technology. In order to gain insights into the latest technological developments and identify potential avenues for accelerating the progress of SSBs, this review examines the intellectual property landscape related to solid electrolytes. Thus, this review focuses on the recent SSB technology patent filed by the main companies in this area, chosen based on their contribution and influence in the field of batteries. The analysis of the patent application was performed through the Espacenet database. The number of patents related to SSBs from Toyota, Samsung, and LG is very important; they represent more than 3400 patents, the equivalent of 2/3 of the world’s patent production in the field of SSBs. In addition to focusing on these three famous companies, we also focused on 15 other companies by analyzing a hundred patents. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the strategies employed by various companies in the field of solid-state battery technologies, bridging the gap between applied and academic research. Some of the technologies presented in this review have already been commercialized and, certainly, an acceleration in SSB industrialization will be seen in the years to come.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010023
Authors: Joseba Martínez-López Koldo Portal-Porras Unai Fernández-Gamiz Eduardo Sánchez-Díez Javier Olarte Isak Jonsson
This article explores the novel application of a trained artificial neural network (ANN) in the prediction of vanadium redox flow battery behaviour and compares its performance with that of a two-dimensional numerical model. The aim is to evaluate the capability of two ANNs, one for predicting the cell potential and one for the overpotential under various operating conditions. The two-dimensional model, previously validated with experimental data, was used to generate data to train and test the ANNs. The results show that the first ANN precisely predicts the cell voltage under different states of charge and current density conditions in both the charge and discharge modes. The second ANN, which is responsible for the overpotential calculation, can accurately predict the overpotential across the cell domains, with the lowest confidence near high-gradient areas such as the electrode membrane and domain boundaries. Furthermore, the computational time is substantially reduced, making ANNs a suitable option for the fast understanding and optimisation of VRFBs.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010022
Authors: Lilin Zhang Cong Wei Lin Gao Meng-Fang Lin Alice Lee-Sie Eh Jingwei Chen Shaohui Li
Zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are increasingly recognized as highly promising candidates for grid-scale energy storage systems due to their cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, and high security. Despite recent advancements in the research of cathode materials, Zn anodes, and electrolytes, several challenges persist and must be addressed, including cathode dissolution, generation of by-products, and zinc dendrite formation, which hinder the future application of ZIBs. In this review, we systematically summarize the recent developments in electrospinning technology within ZIBs. First, the principle technical parameters and subsequent thermal treatment of electrospinning technology are discussed, and then the synthetic preparation, morphologies, and electrochemical performance of electrospun nanostructured electrodes in ZIBs are comprehensively reviewed. Finally, some perspectives on research directions and optimization strategies for electrospinning technology in energy applications are outlined.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010021
Authors: Farzaneh Bahmani Collin Rodmyre Karen Ly Paul Mack Alevtina White Smirnova
Over the past years, lithium-ion solid-state batteries have demonstrated significant advancements regarding such properties as safety, long-term endurance, and energy density. Solid-state electrolytes based on lithium halides offer new opportunities due to their unique features such as a broad electrochemical stability window, high lithium-ion conductivity, and elasticity at close to melting point temperatures that could enhance lithium-ion transport at interfaces. A comparative study of lithium indium halide (Li3InCl6) electrolytes synthesized through a mechano-thermal method with varying optimization parameters revealed a significant effect of temperature and pressure on lithium-ion transport. An analysis of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) data within the temperature range of 25–100 °C revealed that the optimized Li3InCl6 electrolyte reveals high ionic conductivity, reaching 1.0 mS cm−1 at room temperature. Herein, we present the utilization of in situ/operando X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and in situ X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) to investigate the temperature-dependent behavior of the Li3InCl6 electrolyte. Confirmed by these methods, significant changes in the Li3InCl6 ionic conductivity at 70 °C were observed due to phase transformation. The observed behavior provides critical information for practical applications of the Li3InCl6 solid-state electrolyte in a broad temperature range, contributing to the enhancement of lithium-ion solid-state batteries through their improved morphology, chemical interactions, and structural integrity.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010020
Authors: Ed Darnbrough David E. J. Armstrong
Macro-scale mechanical testing and finite element analysis of lithium metal in compression have been shown to suggest methods and parameters for producing thin lithium anodes. Consideration of engineering and geometrically corrected stress experiments shows that the increasing contact area dominates the stress increase observed during the compression, not strain hardening, of lithium. Under static loading, the lithium metal stress relaxes, which means there is a speed of deformation (engineering strainrate limit of 6.4×10−5 s−1) where there is no increase in stress during compression. Constant displacement tests show that stress relaxation depends on the initial applied stress and the amount of athermal plastic work within the material. The finite element analysis shows that barrelling during compression and the requirement for high applied stresses to compress lithium with a small height-to-width ratio are friction and geometric effects, respectively. The outcomes of this work are discussed in relation to the diminishing returns of stack pressure, the difficulty in closing voids, and potential methods for designing and producing sub-micron lithium anodes.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010019
Authors: Weifeng Li Yi Xie Wei Li Yueqi Wang Dan Dan Yuping Qian Yangjun Zhang
Predicting the core temperature of a Li-ion battery is crucial for precise state estimation, but it is difficult to directly measure. Existing quick temperature-predicting approaches can hardly consider the thermal mass of complex structure that may cause time delays, particularly under high C-rate dynamic conditions. In this paper, we developed a quick temperature prediction algorithm based on a thermal convolution method (TCM) to calculate the core temperature of a flat heat pipe-based battery thermal management system (FHP-BTMS) under dynamic conditions. The model could predict the core temperature rapidly through convolution of the thermal response map which contains full physical information. Firstly, in order to obtain a high fidelity spatio-temporal temperature distribution, the thermal capacitance-resistance network (TCRN) of the FHP-BTMS is established and validated by constant and dynamic discharging experiments. Then, the response map of the core temperature motivated by various impulse heat sources and heat sinks is obtained. Specifically, the dynamic thermal characteristics of an FHP are discussed to correct the boundary conditions of the TCM. Afterwards, the temperature prediction performances of the TCM and a lumped model under different step operating conditions are compared. The TCM results show a 70–80% accuracy improvement and better dynamic adaptivity than the lumped model. Lastly, a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) profile is employed. The temperature prediction accuracy results show that the TCM can maintain a relative error below 5% throughout the entire prediction period.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010018
Authors: Adrián Criollo Luis I. Minchala-Avila Dario Benavides Paul Arévalo Marcos Tostado-Véliz Daniel Sánchez-Lozano Francisco Jurado
The integration of renewable resources in isolated systems can produce instability in the electrical grid due to its intermintency. In today’s microgrids, which lack synchronous generation, physical inertia is substituted for inertia emulation. To date, the most effective approach remains the frequency derivative control technique. Nevertheless, within this method, the ability to provide virtual drooping is often disregarded in its design, potentially leading to inadequate development in systems featuring high renewable penetration and low damping. To address this issue, this paper introduces an innovative design and analysis of virtual inertia control to simultaneously mimic droop and inertia characteristics in microgrids. The dynamic frequency response without and with renewable energy sources penetration is comparatively analyzed by simulation. The proposed virtual inertia control employs a derivative technique to measure the rate of change of frequency slope during inertia emulation. Sensitivity mapping is conducted to scrutinize its impact on dynamic frequency response. Finally, the physical battery storage system of the University of Cuenca microgrid is used as a case study under operating conditions.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010017
Authors: Fatemeh Nasr Esfahani Ahmed Darwish Xiandong Ma
This paper presents operation and control systems for a new modular on-board charger (OBC) based on a SEPIC converter (MSOBC) for electric vehicle (EV) applications. The MSOBC aims to modularise the battery units in the energy storage system of the EV to provide better safety and improved operation. This is mainly achieved by reducing the voltage of the battery packs without sacrificing the performance required by the HV system. The proposed MSOBC is an integrated OBC which can operate the EV during traction and braking, as well as charge the battery units. The MSOBC is composed of several submodules consisting of a full-bridge voltage source converter connected on the ac side and SEPIC converter installed on the battery side. The SEPIC converter controls the battery segments with a continuous current because it has an input inductor which can smooth the battery’s currents without the need for large electrolytic capacitors. The isolated version of the SEPIC converter is employed to enhance the system’s safety by providing galvanic isolation between the batteries and the ac output side. This paper presents the necessary control loops to ensure the optimal operation of the EV with the MSOBC in terms of charge and temperature balance without disturbing the required modes of operation. The mathematical analyses in this paper are validated using a full-scale EV controlled by TMS320F28335 DSP.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010016
Authors: Meng Jiang Muhammad Abdullah Xin Chen Yi E Liyi Tan Wei Yan Yang Liu Wenrui Jiang
Transition metal sulfides have excellent electrochemical performance and show great potential for improving the energy density of asymmetric supercapacitors. This study demonstrates a two-step synthesis technique and highlights the enhanced energy storage efficiency of ZnS-NiS2 composite materials for asymmetric supercapacitors. The composite materials of ZnS nanosheets and NiS2 nanocrystals are characterized by a rough surface and spherical shape. The sample with the optimal ratio (ZnS-NiS2-1:7) exhibits a maximum specific capacitance of 1467.9 F g−1 (550.5 C g−1) at 1 A g−1. The specific capacitance of the ZnS-NiS2-1:7 sample is 26.1% higher compared to the pure NiS2 sample. Furthermore, the assembled ZnS-NiS2-1:7//AC device shows a high specific capacitance of 127.8 F g−1 (217.3 C g−1) at 1 A g−1 and an energy density of 51.3 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 820.8 W kg−1. The ZnS-NiS2-1:7 sample has exceptional energy storage capability on its own, but it can also be composited with graphene to further increase the specific capacitance (1681.0 F g−1 at 1 A g−1), suggesting promising prospects for the ZnS-NiS2-based composite material in the future.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010015
Authors: Mengdi Zhang Shuoshuo Kong Bei Chen Mingbo Wu
By virtue of the high theoretical energy density and low cost, Lithium–sulfur (Li-S) batteries have drawn widespread attention. However, their electrochemical performances are seriously plagued by the shuttling of intermediate polysulfides and the slow reaction kinetics during practical implementation. Herein, we designed a freestanding flexible membrane composed of nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanofibers anchoring iron and zinc single atoms (FeZn-PCNF), to serve as the polysulfide barrier and the reaction promotor. The flexible porous networks formed by the interwoven carbon nanofibers not only offer fast channels for the transport of electrons/ions, but also guarantee the structural stability of the all-in-one multifunctional interlayer during cycling. Highly dispersed Fe and Zn atoms in the carbon scaffold synergistically immobilize sulfur species and expedite their reversible conversion. Therefore, employing FeZn-PCNF as the freestanding interlayer between the cathode and separator, the Li-S battery delivers a superior initial reversible discharge capacity of 1140 mA h g−1 at a current density of 0.5 C and retains a high capacity of 618 mA h g−1 after 600 cycles at a high current density of 1 C.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010014
Authors: Youjun Han Yueming Hu Yaqing Wang Gang Jia Chengjie Ge Chunjie Zhang Xuejie Huang
The authors wish to make the following corrections in Section 3 [...]
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010013
Authors: Abniel Machín Francisco Márquez
As global energy priorities shift toward sustainable alternatives, the need for innovative energy storage solutions becomes increasingly crucial. In this landscape, solid-state batteries (SSBs) emerge as a leading contender, offering a significant upgrade over conventional lithium-ion batteries in terms of energy density, safety, and lifespan. This review provides a thorough exploration of SSBs, with a focus on both traditional and emerging cathode materials like lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2), lithium manganese oxide (LiMn2O4), lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4), as well as novel sulfides and oxides. The compatibility of these materials with solid electrolytes and their respective benefits and limitations are extensively discussed. The review delves into the structural optimization of cathode materials, covering strategies such as nanostructuring, surface coatings, and composite formulations. These are critical in addressing issues like conductivity limitations and structural vulnerabilities. We also scrutinize the essential roles of electrical and thermal properties in maintaining battery safety and performance. To conclude, our analysis highlights the revolutionary role of SSBs in the future of energy storage. While substantial advancements have been made, the path forward presents numerous challenges and research opportunities. This review not only acknowledges these challenges, but also points out the need for scalable manufacturing approaches and a deeper understanding of electrode–electrolyte interactions. It aims to steer the scientific community toward addressing these challenges and advancing the field of SSBs, thereby contributing significantly to the development of environmentally friendly energy solutions.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010012
Authors: Yuanmao Li Guixiong Liu Wei Deng
This study presents a novel data-driven method for state-of-charge estimation in lithium-ion batteries. It integrates a temporal convolutional network with multi-verse optimization to enhance the accuracy of predicting the state of charge. The temporal convolutional network possesses advantages such as an extended memory window and efficient parallel computation, exhibiting exceptional performance in time-series tasks for state of charge estimation. Its hyperparameters are optimized by adopting multi-verse optimization to obtain better model performance. The driving model utilizes various measurable data as inputs, including battery terminal voltage, current, and surface temperature. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, extensive datasets from diverse dynamic working conditions at different ambient temperatures are employed for model training, validation, and testing. The numerical outcomes provide evidence of the proposed method’s superior performance compared to the other two methods, providing a more robust and accurate solution for the state of charge estimation in lithium-ion batteries.
]]>Batteries doi: 10.3390/batteries10010011
Authors: Asia Patriarchi Hamideh Darjazi Luca Minnetti Leonardo Sbrascini Giuseppe Antonio Elia Vincenzo Castorani Miguel Ángel Muñoz-Márquez Francesco Nobili
Li-ion batteries (LIBs) represent the most sophisticated electrochemical energy storage technology. Nevertheless, they still suffer from safety issues and practical drawbacks related to the use of toxic and flammable liquid electrolytes. Thus, polymer-based solid electrolytes may be a suitable option to fulfill the safety and energy density requirements, even though the lack of high ionic conductivity at 25 °C (10−8–10−7 S cm−1) hinders their performance. To overcome these drawbacks, herein, we present an all-solid-state Li-metal full cell based on a three-component solid poly(ethylene oxide)/lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide/titanium dioxide composite electrolyte that outclasses the conventional poly(ethylene oxide)-based solid electrolytes. Moreover, the cell features are enhanced by the combination of the solid electrolyte with a self-standing LiFePO4 catholyte fabricated through an innovative, simple and easily scalable approach. The structural, morphological and compositional properties of this system are characterized, and the results show that the electrochemical performance of the solid composite electrolyte can be considerably improved by tuning the concentration and morphology of TiO2. Additionally, tests performed with the self-standing LiFePO4 catholyte underline a good cyclability of the system, thus confirming the beneficial effects provided by the novel manufacturing path used for the preparation of self-standing electrodes.
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