Lithium batteries history

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. 

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. 

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 outlier in this group is VC, which contains a double bond capable of polymerization by either a radical or anionic mechanism on the anode. This stmcture provides another mechanism of surface film formation besides the formation of insoluble lithium carbonates and lithium alkyl carbonates. Although the study on VC as an additive has more than 20 years of history, its working mechanism in batteries is stiU under debate. While some chemists believe VC is involved with radical/anionic polymerization, as there has been experimental proof of such a product [36], other chemists have proposed mechanisms that involve the interaction of VC with reduction products of EC, which agrees with the observation of gas products such as CO and CO2 (Scheme 1) [126, 135]. Electrochemical processes can be very complicated, and in batteries they can be even more convoluted due to the heterogeneous surface chenustiy of electrode materials. There is experimental evidence to support both of these mechanisms. Even though the success of VC is... 

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