Lithium-Ion Battery

+ ___________________________
Nano-technology

?
An Overview of the battery technology that
powers our mobile society.

Bryan Lamble
Energy Law, Spring 2008

Battery History and

Basics
The modern battery was developed by
Italian physicist Alessandro Volta in 1800.
Ingredients: Zinc, Saltwater paper, and
Silver
An electrochemical reaction.
The Voltaic Pile

The Voltaic Pile

Battery Chemistry
101
Electrochemical reaction - a chemical
reaction between elements which creates
electrons.
Oxidation occurs on the metals
(electrodes), which creates the electrons.
Electrons are transferred down the pile via
the saltwater paper (the electrolyte).
A charge is introduced at one pole, which
builds as it moves down the pile.

Primary vs.
Secondary Batteries
Primary batteries are disposable
because their electrochemical reaction
cannot be reversed.
Secondary batteries are rechargeable,
because their electrochemical reaction
can be reversed by applying a certain
voltage to the battery in the opposite
direction of the discharge.

Standard Modern
Zinc-Carbon:
used in all inexpensive AA, C and
Zinc-Carbon Batteries
D dry-cell batteries. The electrodes are zinc
and carbon, with an acidic paste between
them that serves as the electrolyte.
(disposable)

Alkaline:
Alkaline used in common Duracell and
Energizer batteries, the electrodes are zinc and
manganese-oxide, with an alkaline electrolyte.
(disposable)
Lead-Acid:
Lead-Acid used in cars, the electrodes are lead
and lead-oxide, with an acidic electrolyte.
(rechargeable)

Battery types (contd)

Nickel-cadmium:
Nickel-cadmium (NiCd)

rechargeable,

memory effect

Nickel-metal hydride:
hydride (NiMH)

rechargeable

no memory effect

Lithium-Ion:
Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)

rechargeable

no memory effect

Recharge-ability &
the memory effect
Recharge-ability: basically, when the
direction of electron discharge (negative
to positive) is reversed, restoring power.
the Memory Effect:
Effect (generally) When a
battery is repeatedly recharged before it
has discharged more than half of its
power, it will forget its original power
capacity.
Cadmium crystals are the culprit! (NiCd)

Lithium
Periodic Table Symbol: Li
Atomic Weight: 3 (light!)
Like sodium and potassium, an alkali
metal. (Group 1 #s 1 through 7)
Highly reactive, with a high energy
density.
Used to treat manic-depression because it
is particularly effective at calming a
person in a manic state.

The Periodic Table

Lithium (Ion) Battery

Development
In the 1970s, Lithium metal was used
but its instability rendered it unsafe and
impractical. Lithium-cobalt oxide and
graphite are now used as the lithiumIon-moving electrodes.
The Lithium-Ion battery has a slightly
lower energy density than Lithium
metal, but is much safer. Introduced by
Sony in 1991.

Advantages of Using
Li-Ion Batteries
POWER High energy density means greater
power in a smaller package.
160% greater than NiMH
220% greater than NiCd
HIGHER VOLTAGE a strong current allows it
to power complex mechanical devices.
LONG SHELF-LIFE only 5% discharge loss
per month.

10% for NiMH, 20% for NiCd

Disadvantages of LiIonNiCd.
EXPENSIVE -- 40% more than
DELICATE -- battery temp must be
monitored from within (which raises the
price), and sealed particularly well.
REGULATIONS -- when shipping Li-Ion
batteries in bulk (which also raises the
price).
Class 9 miscellaneous hazardous
material
UN Manual of Tests and Criteria (III,
38.3)

Environmental Impact
of Li-Ion Batteries
Rechargeable batteries are often
recyclable.
Oxidized Lithium is non-toxic, and can
be extracted from the battery,
neutralized, and used as feedstock for
new Li-Ion batteries.

The Intersection

In terms of weight and size, batteries have

become one of the limiting factors in the
development of electronic devices.
http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=521
0.php
The problem with...lithium batteries is that none
of the existing electrode materials alone can
deliver all the required performance
characteristics including high capacity, higher
operating voltage, and long cycle life.
Consequently, researchers are trying to optimize
available electrode materials by designing new
composite structures on the nanoscale.

Nano-Science and
-Technology
The attempt to manufacture and control
objects at the atomic and molecular
level (i.e. 100 nanometers or smaller).
1 nanometer = 1 billionth of a meter
(10-9)
1 nanometer : 1 meter :: 1 marble :
Earth
1 sheet of paper = 100,000 nanometers

Nano S & T (contd)

Nano-science:
Nano-science research of the
differing behavioral properties of
elements on the nano scale.
Conductivity (electric/thermal),
strength, magnetism, reflectivity....
Sometimes these properties differ
on the nanoscale.
Carbon is particularly strong on the
nano scale.
C60 = Fullerene, a.k.a buckyball

Nano S & T (contd)

Nano-technology:
Nano-technology the use of nanoscale
materials in critical dimensions of mechanical
devices.
Nanotubes -- carbon molecules have greater
mechanical strength at less weight per
volume.
Nanotransistors -- the computer industrys
best technology features microchips with
transistors as small as 45nm.
Batteries with nanoscale materials deliver more
power quickly with less heat.

Environmental Impacts
and Use of
Nanotechnology
Smaller scale technology means less
resources used and less waste.
The EPA recently issued research grants
to use nanotechnology to develop new
methods of detecting toxins in water.

An example of the
intersection...
From graphite to metallic tin (electrodes), but
metallic tin isnt great eitheryet.
...the biggest challenge for employing
metallic tin...is that it suffers from huge
volume variation during the lithium
insertion/extraction cycle, which leads to
pulverization of the electrode and very
rapid capacity decay."
But nanotechnology could offer a solution...

The Director of the Institute of Chemistry

at the Chinese Academy of Sciences
published a paper in February describing
the novel carbon nanocomposite above as
a promising [electrode] material for
lithium-ion batteries.

Another example...

The storage capacity of a Li-Ion battery

is limited by how much lithium can be
held in the battery's anode, which is
typically made of carbon. Silicon has a
much higher capacity than carbon, but
also has a drawback.
Silicon placed in a battery swells as it
absorbs positively charged lithium atoms
during charging, then shrinks during use
as the lithium ion is drawn out of the
silicon. This cycle typically causes the
silicon to pulverize, degrading the
performance of the battery.

The Nano-technology
solution...
The lithium is stored in a forest of tiny
silicon nanowires, each with a diameter
one one-thousandth the thickness of a
sheet of paper. The nanowires inflate to
four times their normal size as they soak
up lithium but, unlike other silicon
shapes, they do not fracture.
See next slide

 Photos

taken by a scanning electron microscope of

silicon nanowires before (left) and after (right)
absorbing lithium. Both photos were taken at the
same magnification. The work is described in Highperformance lithium battery anodes using silicon
nanowires, published online Dec. 16 in Nature
Nanotechnology.

The Potential of Li-Ion

Batteries
Electrodes that dont deteriorate
metallic tin with carbon hollow
spheres

Forested rods on a thin film

electrode
Stacked rods in a truck bed

2D & 3D battery design

silicon nanowires

Nano + Li-Ion = ?
Nanotechnology and Li-Ion applications in
the commercial sector are apparent...
lighter, more powerful batteries
increase user mobility and equipment
life.
DeWalt 36volt cordless power tools
Nanotechnology & Li-Ion applications in
the residential sector are not so obvious...
HVAC system batteries? Microgenerated energy storage?

Micro-Generated
Energy Storage
Li-Ion batteries high energy density
allows batteries them to power complex
machinery.
Li-Ion batteries recharge quickly and
hold their charge longer, which provides
flexibility to the micro-generator.
particularly helpful for wind and solar
generators!
Lightness, and power per volume allow
for storage and design flexibility.

Finally, an interesting
idea...
Background:
battery research results in annual
capacity gains of approximately 6%
Moores Law: The number of transistors
on a computer microchip will double
every two years. (40 years of proof!)
Idea: If battery technology had developed
at the same rate, a heavy duty car
battery would be the size of a penny.

Links to References
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/battery.htm
http://everything2.com/e2node/Lithium%2520ion%2520b
attery
http://www.batteryuniversity.com
http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2008/january9/na
nowire-010908.html
http://www.nano.gov/html/research/industry.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckminster_Fuller
http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=5210.php