Nexelion battery

The first commercial lithium-ion cell containing a carbon based hybrid material is the Sony Nexelion cell which was introduced in 2006.30 Nexelion cells contain a graphite/cobalt-doped amorphous tin hybrid electrode. Batteries of this cell type are used in video cameras which require high energy density but can accept the lower cycling stability of the Nexelion batteries compared to conventional lithium-ion battery systems. 

Early reports revealed the electrochemical formation of Li-Sn intermetallics, which could provide theoretical capacities close to 1000 mAh g in lithium cells [27]. A second impulse was received by a material patented by Fuji tin composite oxides in which tin oxides were the starting material [28]. More recently, the commercialization of the Nexelion battery by SONY gave new attraction to tin-based electrodes, with the special feature of being noncrystalline, which adds new value to the use of spectroscopic techniques. Since the late 1990s, a large number of papers have been published on the application of " Sn MS in the study of tin-based electrode materials. MS was found to be extremely useful in the analysis of the different steps commonly found during the electrochemical reaction of tin compounds with lithium (i) reduction of tetra- or divalent tin atoms to the metallic state, followed by the most important step, (ii) a reversible formation of Li-Sn intermetallics. 

The cobalt centres are redox active, being oxidized from Co(III) to Co(IV) as Li" " is removed from LiCo02. The crucial factor in lithium-ion batteries is that both electrodes are able to act as hosts for Li" " ions. Rechargeable, lithium-ion batteries now dominate the market for small electronic devices such as laptop computers, mobile phones, iPods and MP3 players, and in electric bicycles. In 2005, Sony introduced a new generation of lithium-ion batteries (the Nexelion battery) in which the... 

Finally, in yet another approach, Sony have used a quasi amorphous nano-stmctured Sn-Co-C alloy in their Nexelion battery, which was first commercialized... 

SONY S new Nexelion hybrid lithium ion batteries to have thirty-percent more capacity than conventional offering (15 Fehruary, 2005). http //www.sony.net/Sonylnfo/News/Press/200502/... 

The results reported confirm that tin or silicon composite configuration is the correct approach in bringing the related lithium alloy electrodes to the commercial stage. In fact, their use is now seriously considered by battery manufacturers. For example, the Sn-C-Co ternary composite is presently used by a Japanese manufacturer to produce a battery under the commercial name of Nexelion. The characteristics and properties of metal alloy anodes are summarised in Table 3.1. 

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