Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) are manufactured through a multistep process combining various active and inactive materials. Material selection and processing conditions can greatly affect the final battery performance.
From lightweight laptops to cross-country EV driving, countless applications require increasing lithium-ion batteries’ energy density and performance. Since battery electrodes directly contribute to these aspects of battery function, electrodes and their components are of particular interest to battery researchers seeking to advance technology to the next level. Battery slurry processing is also a key step of manufacturing, offering significant opportunities to increase efficiency while reducing cost.
The world is driven by battery power, and the various battery testing laboratory applications help to ensure that we get the most out of them.
Over the past decade, battery research, development, and quality control have adopted in-situ and in-operando isothermal microcalorimetry (IMC) as the leading method to evaluate heat flow during lithium-ion battery cycling. While cycling a cell to failure can take many months, emerging diagnostic tests are able to predict long-term behavior in a matter of weeks.
Consumer interest and sustainability goals are driving soaring demand for electric vehicles. The U.S. aims for electric vehicle sales to reach 50% of the total market by 2030, yet 99% of the raw and component materials for EV batteries are produced externally.1, 2 Sourcing foreign-made materials and batteries has already created challenges in the industry. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led to market instability that caused the price of nickel, a key battery material, to skyrocket in March 2022.
Lithium-ion batteries represent the dominant rechargeable battery on the market today. They can be found in many applications including consumer electronics, electric vehicles and industrial equipment. Due to the tremendous adoption of lithium-ion batteries in recent years, battery technology is the focus of a diverse set of research areas aiming to improve battery lifetime, performance and safety.
Catalytic reactions are everywhere: from plastics and bread to over 90% of all chemicals worldwide, countless goods and materials are manufactured with the aid of catalysts.1 Catalysts are substances that speed up sluggish chemical reactions. Faster reactions are more technologically and economically competitive. Furthermore, optimized catalysts offer a huge potential to reduce energy and resource consumption and lower carbon dioxide emissions.
Whether you’ve used a cell phone or driven an electric vehicle (please, not at the same time), you’ve probably come to realize that lithium-ion batteries are taking over the energy world. They power our portable electronics, vital medical equipment, electric vehicles, and renewable energy storage. As the market expands, researchers are finding ways to make Li-ion batteries increasingly powerful, dependable, and safe, all while minimizing production time and cost.
In autumn of 2021, the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 26) met in Glasgow to work out agreements to curb greenhouse gas emissions and prevent additional climate change. COP 26 built upon the Paris Agreement to limit global warming below 2-degrees Celsius by achieving net zero carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. These two agreements will shape how governments and industries work together to reduce climate change over the next decade.
Lithium-ion batteries are transforming key industries through efficient power storage. Today’s battery scientists must build upon previous discoveries while focusing on the battery elements that will drive progress in leading application areas.