History of lithium batteries

1 The Lf/Li couple exhibits the lowest redox potential. Used in combination with a different redox couple involving the lithium ion, it will always have a lower potential and will therefore always be the negative electrode. 

2 The Normal Hydrogen Electrode (NHE) is defined in footnote 56 in Chapter 2. 

3 A table of oxidant/reducer couples is given in section 4.4. 

Chemically speaking, the general operational principle of lithium batteries is based on charge, on the side of the negative electrode, on the reduction of the lithium ion by capture of an electron from the external electrical circuit  

In the case of lithium-ion batteries based on the principle of insertion (explained in section 4.3.1), the lithium ions, even when they are inserted, retain a significant positive charge, and the sites of insertion of the intercalation material retain a negative charge.  

---

B. Scrosati, J. Solid-State Electrochem. 2011, 15, 1623-1630. History of lithium batteries. 

Despite the history of UPs at solvent/solvent interface is rather old, the area is still opened for scientific novelty. This results from the endless diversity of mixed solvents and less predictable trends in applied electrochemistry. Namely, new challenges arise from the development of lithium batteries [21], and it is natural to assume that future trends in electrochemical energy conversion will be also nonaqueous because of the crucial role of wide potential windows. It is difficult to predict whether molecular or ionic liquids will dominate in these future applications, but the background for LJP phenomena in both media goes from the basic knowledge of UP for molecular solvents. 

Jurgen Otto Besenhard was an exceptional and devoted scientist and he leaves behind an enduring record of achievements. He was considered as a leading authority in the field of lithium battery materials. His works will always assure him a highly prominent position in the history of battery technology. 

From the first pacemaker implant in 1958 by Dr Ake Senning surgeon at the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, numerous engineering developments have faced challenges in battery power. In 1972, a primary lithium-iodine battery replacing the mercury-zinc cells greatly extended the cardiac pacemaker life (about 10 years). More details on the history of this battery can be found in ref. 

Armand (1994) has briefly summarised the history of polymer electrolytes. A more extensive account can be found in Gray (1991). Wakihara and Yamamoto (1998) describe the development of lithium ion batteries. Sahimi (1994) discusses applications of percolation theory. Early work on conductive composites has been covered by Norman (1970). Subsequent edited volumes by Sichel (1982) and Bhattacharya (1986) deal with carbon- and metal-filled materials respectively. Donnet et al. (1993) cover the science and technology of carbon blacks including their use in composites. GuF (1996) presents a detailed account of conductive polymer composites up to the mid-1990s. Borsenberger and Weiss (1998) discuss semiconductive polymers with non-conjugated backbones in the context of xerography. Bassler (1983) reviews transport in these materials. 

While the development of primary cells with a lithium anode has been crowned by relatively fast success and such cells have filled their secure rank as power sources for portable devices for public and special purposes, the history of development of lithium rechargeable batteries was full of drama. Generally, the chemistry of secondary batteries in aprotic electrolytes is very close to the chemistry of primary ones. The same processes occur under discharge in both types of batteries anodic dissolution of lithium on the negative electrode and cathodic lithium insertion into the crystalline lattice of the positive electrode material. Electrode processes must occur in the reverse direction under charge of the secondary battery with a negative electrode of metallic lithium. Already at the end of the 1970s, positive electrode materials were found, on which cathodic insertion and anodic extraction of lithium occur practically reversibly. Examples of such compounds are titanium and molybdenum disulfides. 

The best example to highlight the importance of interphase is the EC-PC disparity and its impact on the history of Li-ion battery, as shown in Eig. 5.2 [13]. Lithium ion-graphite intercalation compound (LE-GIC) was firstly discovered in early 1950s by H6rold via the reacting graphite with either molten lithium metal or lithium... 

Yardney Technical Products, Inc. is a speciality battery manufacturer that figures prominently in this book. This is unsurprising, since the majority of the contributors are either past or present employees of Yardney. The indusbial influence was a welcome addition to the book s perspective since the underlying intention of this publication was to place the selected current topics in lithium-ion battery science and technology within the practical context. This historical note presents a few less known facts from the long and rich history of the company and its founder, Michel Yardney. 

History of Primary Lithium-Based Batteries and Their Performance Parameters... 

The history of the development of the li-ion battery is similar. Attempts to develop a rechargeable battery based on metallic lithium failed, but a totally new concept was introduced sometime in the mid-1980s (cf Section 20.3.4). This is still a very active field of R D, aiming at improving the performance and reducing the price, but the first commercial li-ion batteries were introduced just a few years after it had been invented, and within a decade this too became a multibillion product world wide. Thus the vicious circle argument used to explain the lack of success of fuel cells applies equally well to primary and rechargeable li batteries, but did not prevent their commercial success. 

As to past history, during the last 25 years the cost of batteries has been reduced by a factor of 12, and according to some estimates (California Air Resources Board), if lithium-ion packs were mass produced, their unit cost would be between 3,000 and 4,000. 

---