논문에서 리튬이온전지용 양극 소재의 개발 동향과 함께 앞으로 필요한 양극 소재의 연구 방향을 제시한다. 현재 리튬이온 전지는 지구 환경 개선을 위한 친환경 에너지로 주목받고 있으며, 전기차와 에너지저장 시스템 등에서의 다양한 활용으로 고용량 및 고안정성 소재 개발에 초점을 맞추어 연구가 진행되고 있다. 특히, 리튬이온전지 양극 소재의 경우 전지의 가격 및 성능을 결정하기 때문에 활발한 연구가 이루어지며, 그중 높은 이론 용량을 가지는 Ni-rich 계 layered 구조의 양극 소재에 대한 연구가 집중되고 있다. 그러나, 고용량 특성을 달성하기 위한 Ni-rich 계 양극 소재는 높은 Ni 조성에 의해 비용량이 증가함에 따라 전기화학적 불안정성 또한 증가하는 문제를 가지기 때문에 활용에 한계를 가진다. 이를 해결하기 위한 방법으로 본 논문에서는 양극 소재의 표면 개질 방법 과 원소치환 방법에 대해 언급하며, 이에 진일보하여 리튬이온전지의 가격 경쟁력을 확보하기 위한 양극 소재의 연구 방향을 제안한다.

Nanostructured ZnO materials have been studied extensively because of their functional properties. This paper presents a composite material of zinc oxide quantum dots (ZnO QDs) and porous carbon using a one-step carbonization process. The direct carbonization of a metal–organic complex generates mesostructured porous carbon with a homogeneous distribution of ZnO QDs. The structural and morphological properties are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The resulting ZnO QDs@porous carbon composite delivers a high specific capacity of 990 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1, 357 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1, and high reversibility when evaluated as an anode for lithium ion batteries.

High-quality and solution processable graphene sheets are produced by a simple electrochemical exfoliation method and employed as a high-power anode for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The electrochemically exfoliated graphene (EEG) composed of a few layers of graphene sheets, have low oxygen content and high C/O ratio (~ 14.9). The LIBs with EEG anode exhibit ultrafast lithium storage and excellent cycling stability, but low initial efficiency. The excellent rate capability and cycling stability are attributed to the favorable structural and chemical properties of the EEG, but the large irreversibility needs to be overcome for practical applications.

High performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have attracted considerable attention as essential energy sources for high-technology electrical devices such as electrical vehicles, unmanned drones, uninterruptible power supply, and artificial intelligence robots because of their high energy density (150-250 Wh/kg), long lifetime (> 500 cycles), low toxicity, and low memory effects. Of the high-performance LIB components, cathode materials have a significant effect on the capacity, lifetime, energy density, power density, and operating conditions of high-performance LIBs. This is because cathode materials have limitations with respect to a lower specific capacity and cycling stability as compared to anode materials. In addition, cathode materials present difficulties when used with LIBs in electric vehicles because of their poor rate performance. Therefore, this study summarizes the structural and electrochemical properties of cathode materials for LIBs used in electric vehicles. In addition, we consider unique strategies to improve their structural and electrochemical properties.

In this study, an experiment is performed to recover the Li in Li2CO3 phase from the cathode active material NMC (LiNiCoMnO2) in waste lithium ion batteries. Firstly, carbonation is performed to convert the LiNiO, LiCoO, and Li2MnO3 phases within the powder to Li2CO3 and NiO, CoO, and MnO. The carbonation for phase separation proceeds at a temperature range of 600oC~800oC in a CO2 gas (300 cc/min) atmosphere. At 600~700oC, Li2CO3 and NiO, CoO, and MnO are not completely separated, while Li and other metallic compounds remain. At 800 oC, we can confirm that LiNiO, LiCoO, and Li2MnO3 phases are separated into Li2CO3 and NiO, CoO, and MnO phases. After completing the phase separation, by using the solubility difference of Li2CO3 and NiO, CoO, and MnO, we set the ratio of solution (distilled water) to powder after carbonation as 30:1. Subsequently, water leaching is carried out. Then, the Li2CO3 within the solution melts and concentrates, while NiO, MnO, and CoO phases remain after filtering. Thus, Li2CO3 can be recovered.

Free-standing electrodes of CuO nanorods in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are developed by synthesizing porous CuO nanorods throughout CNT webs. The electrochemical performance of the free-standing electrodes is evaluated for their use in flexible lithium ion batteries (LIBs). The electrodes comprising CuO@CNT nanocomposites (NCs) were characterized by charge-discharge testing, cyclic voltammetry, and impedance measurement. These structures are capable of accommodating a high number of lithium ions as well as increasing stability; thus, an increase of capacity in long-term cycling and a good rate capability is achieved. We demonstrate a simple process of fabricating free-standing electrodes of CuO@ CNT NCs that can be utilized in flexible LIBs with high performance in terms of capacity and cycling stability.

In this study, a finite element analysis approach is proposed to predict the fluid-structure interaction behavior of active materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), which are mainly composed of graphite powder. The porous matrix of graphite powder saturated with fluid electrolyte is considered a representative volume element (RVE) model. Three different RVE models are proposed to consider the uncertainty of the powder shape and the porosity. Pwave modulus from RVE solutions are analyzed based on the microstructure and the interaction between the fluid and the graphite powder matrix. From the results, it is found that the large surface area of the active material results in low mechanical properties of LIB, which leads to poor structural durability when subjected to dynamic loads. The results obtained in this study provide useful information for predicting the mechanical safety of a battery pack.

Lithium ion battery are one of representative rechargeable batteries with high energy density, tiny memory effect, and low self-discharge and composed of anode, cathode, electrolyte, and membrane separator. The importance of membrane separator has been improved further as electric vehicle market increases rapidly. The conventional membrane separators are based on polyolefin (e.g., polyethylene and/or polypropylene). In case of lithium ion battery with a high capacity, polyolefin membrane separators are suffering from low thermal resistance and easy short-circuit formation leading to overheating. For these reasons, in this study, gel polymers are in-situ synthesized in electrolytes used as solvent, which are located in pores of polyolefin separators to obtain gel polymer electrolyte-polyolefin reinforced membranes.

향후 우리 사회의 혁신적 변화를 가져올 휴대용 전자기기, 전기자동차 및 스마트 그리드 에너지 저장장치 등의 비약적인 발전에 따라, 그 전원으로서 리튬이차전지에 대한 관심이 더욱 증대하고 있다. 본 총설에서는, 리튬이차전지 핵심 소재 중 하나인 분리막에 대해 기공 구조 및 물리화학적 물성 관점에서 고찰하고, 이와 함께 최신 연구 동향을 소개하고자 한다. 리튬이차전지 분리막은 양극과 음극 사이에 위치하는 다공성 막으로서, 두 전극 간의 전기적 단락을 방지하고, 이온의 흐름을 가능하게 하는 기능을 갖는다. 분리막 자체는 전지 내 전기화학 반응에는 직접적으로 참여하지 않으나, 앞서 언급한 기능들에 의해 전지 성능 및 안전성에 큰 영향을 끼친다. 최근 들어, 이러한 분리막의 기본 특성 이외에, 전지 안전성 강화 및 금속 이온 흡착 등을 비롯한 다양한 기능 부여를 위한 노력들이 활발히 진행되고 있다. 본 총설에서는 현재 상업화된 폴리올 레핀 분리막에 대한 이해를 토대로, 개질 폴리올레핀 분리막, 부직포 분리막, 세라믹 복합 분리막 및 화학 활성 분리막 등으 로 대표되는 최신 분리막 기술들을, 차세대 전지 개발 방향과 관련 지어 기술하고자 한다.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are rapidly improving in capacity and life cycle characteristics to meet the requirements of a wide range of applications, such as portable electronics, electric vehicles, and micro- or nanoelectromechanical systems. Recently, atomic layer deposition (ALD), one of the vapor deposition methods, has been explored to expand the capability of LIBs by producing near-atomically flat and uniform coatings on the shell of nanostructured electrodes and membranes for conventional LIBs. In this paper, we introduce various ALD coatings on the anode, cathode, and separator materials to protect them and improve their electrochemical and thermomechanical stability. In addition, we discuss the effects of ALD coatings on the three-dimensional structuring and conduction layer through activation of electrochemical reactions and facilitation of fluent charge collection.

The microstructures and cyclic voltammograms of Al-Si/C nano-composites were investigated as the anode of lithium ion batteries. Al-Si nanoparticles were prepared by the arc-discharge method. Al-Si/C nanoparticles were obtained by coated Al-Si nanoparticles with the precursor of glucose (C6H12O6) as carbon source. It was indicated that the post carbon coating treatment can reduce Al2O3 film on Al-Si particles, and new phase Al4C3 formed in the process can activate the inactivated materials of electrode in a certain extent.

다공성 Poly(propylene) 분리막의 지지 하에 전해질 용액 (EC/DEC 1 : 1 혼합물 내의 LiPF6 1 M 용액) 내에서 DEGDMA [Di(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate]의 70℃ 열중합을 통하여 겔 고분자 전해질(GPE)막이 합성 되었다. 합성된 겔 고분자 전해질막의 이온전도도 및 전기화학적 안정성은 AC 임피던스법 및 CV (cyclic voltametry)법에 의하여 측정 평가하였다. 겔 고분자를 전해질로, 그리고 양극 및 음극으로는 각각 LiMi0.8Co0.2O2 및 graphite로 이용하여 리튬이온전지(LIB)도 제작하였다. 열중합을 통하여 리튬 이온전지에 적합한 이온전도도(10 -3 S/cm 이상) 및 전기화학적 안정성을 보이면서 자체적인 성상을 유지하는 겔 고분자 전해질막을 얻을 수 있었다. 단량체 함량 5%의 전구체로 제작한 겔 고분자 전지는 단량체 함량이 7.0% 및 10.0%인 경우에 비하여 우수한 고율 및 충-방전 효율을 보였다.

The Sn - graphite composites were prepared by chemical encapsulation method for anode materials in Li-ion batteries. EDS and XRD analysis confirmed the presence of Sn in the graphite structure. Cyclic voltammometry (CV) measurement shows extra reduction and oxidation peaks, which might to be related to the formations of alloy compounds. Graphite-tin composite electrodes demonstrated higher Lithium storage capacities than graphite electrodes. Due to the nature of fine Sn particles on graphite surface, the graphite-tin composite electrodes have shown a good cycle properties.