Negative electrodes in lithium-ion batteries

Due to its high energy density (3,860 mAh/g) and low voltage, lithium is the most attractive metal of the periodic table for battery application. Unfortunately lithium metal, and most of its alloys cannot be used in rechargeable batteries because of their poor cyclability. Therefore, lithium intercalation compounds and reversible alloys are among today s materials of choice for subject application. The most common active materials for the negative electrodes in lithium-ion battery applications are carbonaceous materials. The ability of graphitized carbonaceous materials to... 

Attempts were made to discover the correlation between the crystalline structure of carbonaceous materials and their capability to reversibly intercalate lithium. This correlation has not been definitely established, but still, one can assume as a certain general principle that the optimum materials would contain an amorphous matrix with inclusions of a mesophase nuclei of graphite crystallites. Such materials are various cokes, pyrographite, and products of pyrolysis (carbonization) of various polymers. For practical purposes, the industry mastered some special materials providing high characteristics of negative electrodes in lithium ion batteries. The most popular material is manufactured by the Japanese company of Osaka Gas Co. under the name of mesocarbon microbeads, MCMB it represents the carbonization product of pitchy resins under a certain temperature regime. 

Zhao, L. Watanabe, I. Doi, T Okada, S. Yamaki, J.-i. TG-MS analysis of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on graphite negative-electrode in lithium-ion batteries, J. Power Sources, 2006,161, 1275-1280. 

Jeong S.-K., Inaba M., Iriyama Y., Abe T., Ogumi Z. Surface film formation on a graphite negative electrode in lithium-ion batteries AFM study on the effects of co-solvents in ethylene carbonate-based solutions, Electrochim. Acta 2002,47,1975-1982. 

Buqa H, Holzapfel M, Krumeich F, Veit C, Novak P (2006) Study of styrene butadiene rubber and sodium methyl cellulose as binder for negative electrodes in lithium-ion batteries. J Power Sources 161 617-622... 

Pure metals and metal compounds (metal oxides, intermetallic compounds) which are capable of forming alloys with lithium constitute another category of electrode materials versus the insertion materials seen previously. They are used for the negative electrode in lithium-ion batteries because their redox potential versus lithium is less than 2 V. They are cited in the following four sections ... 

Y. Hamon, T. Brousse, F. Jousse, P. Topart, P. Buvat, D.M. Schleich, Aluminum negative electrode in lithium ion batteries , J. of Power Sources, 97-98, 185-187, 2001. 

Hamon Y et al (2001) Aluminum negative electrode in lithium ion batteries. J Power Sour 97-98 185-187... 

There are many kinds of carbon materials, with different crystallinity. Their crystallinity generally develops due to heat-treatment in a gas atmosphere ("soft" carbon). However, there are some kinds of carbon ("hard" carbon) in which it is difficult to develop this cristallinity by the heat-treatment method. Both kinds of carbon materials are used as the negative electrode for lithium-ion batteries. 

High-crystallinity natural graphite materials are attractive active materials in the negative electrode of lithium-ion batteries due to their high theoretical reversible charge capacity of 372 mAh g 1 as well as the low and flat potential profile below 0.2 V vs. Li/Li+, which are important features which are needed to improve the energy density of portable lithium-ion batteries. The drawbacks for the... 

A fully charged battery spontaneously produces an electric current and, therefore, power when its positive and negative electrodes are connected in an electrical circuit. The positive electrode is called the anode, and the negative electrode is called the cathode. The materials used for the electrodes in lithium ion batteries are under intense development. Currently the anode material is graphite, a form of carbon, and the cathode is most frequently LiCo02, lithium cobalt oxide ( FIGURE 7.8). Between anode and cathode is a separator, a solid material that allows lithium ions, but not electrons, to pass through. 

V versus Lf/Li (case of a metal lithium negative electrode) or 4.18V versus C/LiCg (case of a lithiated carbon negative electrode in lithium-ion secondary batteries). 

Wang Z. X., Huang X. J. and Chen L. Q., Spectroscopic studies of solid-electrolyte interphase on positive and negative electrodes for lithium ion batteries. In Lithium-Ion Batteries Solid-Electrolyte Interphase, ed. by Balbuena P. B. and Wang Y. X. (Imperial College Press, London, 2004). 

Walker W, Grugeon S, Vezin H et al (2011) Electrochemical characterization of lithium 4,4 [prime or minutej-tolane-dicarboxylate for use as a negative electrode in Li-ion batteries. J Mater Chem 21(5) 1615-1620... 

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