• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.10
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• pp.3682-3686
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• 2011

The electrochemical properties of lithium-sulfur batteries with binary electrolytes based on DME and DOL, TEGDME and DOL mixed solvent containing $LiClO_4$, LiTFSI, and LiTF salts were investigated. The ionic conductivity of 1M LiTFSI and $LiClO_4$ electrolytes based on TEGDME and DOL increased as the volume ratio of DOL solvent increased, because DOL effectively reduces the viscosity of the above electrolytes medium under the same salts concentration. The first discharge capacity of lithium-sulfur batteries in the DME and DOL-based electrolyte followed this order: LiTFSI (1,000 mAh/g) > LiTF (850 mAh/g) > $LiClO_4$ (750 mAh/g). In case of the electrolyte based on TEGDME and DOL, the first discharge capacity of batteries followed this order: $LiClO_4$ (1,030 mAh/g) > LiTF (770 mAh/g) > LiTFSI (750 mAh/g). The cyclic efficiency of lithium-sulfur batteries at 1M $LiClO_4$ electrolytes is higher than that of batteries at other lithium salts-based electrolytes. Lithium-sulfur battery showed discharge capacity of 550 mAh/g until 20 cycles at all electrolytes based on DME and DOL solvent. By contrast, the discharge capacity of batteries was about 450 mAh/g at 1M LiTFSI and LiTF electrolytes based on TEGDME and DOL solvent after 20 cycles.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2024

This paper presents applications of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) energy storage batteries, while showing merits and demerits of several techniques to mitigate their electrochemical challenges. Unmanned aerial vehicles, electric cars, and grid-scale energy storage systems represent main applications of Li-S batteries due to their low cost, high specific capacity, and light weight. However, polysulfide shuttle effects, low conductivities, and low coulombic efficiencies signify key challenges of Li-S batteries, causing high volumetric changes, dendritic growths, and limited cycling performances. Solid-state electrolytes, interfacial interlayers, and electrocatalysts denote promising methods to mitigate such challenges. Moreover, nanomaterials have capability to improve kinetic reactions of Li-S batteries based on several properties of nanoparticles to immobilize sulfur in cathodes, stabilizing lithium in anodes while controlling volumetric growths. Li-S energy storage technologies are able to satisfy requirements of future markets for advanced rechargeable batteries with high-power densities and low costs, considering environmentally friendly systems based on renewable energy sources.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.279-284
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• 2021

The high theoretical specific capacity of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries makes them a more promising energy storage system than conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the slow kinetics of the electrochemical conversion reaction seriously hinders the utilization of Li-S as an active battery material and has prevented the successful application of Li-S cells. Therefore, exploration of alternatives that can overcome the sluggish electrochemical reaction is necessary to increase the performance of Li-S batteries. In this work, an ionic liquid (IL) is proposed as a functional additive to promote the electrochemical reactivity of the Li-S cell. The sluggish electrochemical reaction is mainly caused by precipitation of low-order polysulfide (l-PS) onto the positive electrode, so the IL is adopted as a solubilizer to remove the precipitated l-PS from the positive electrode to promote additional electron transfer reactions. The ILs effectively dissolve l-PS and greatly improve the electrochemical performance by allowing greater utilization of l-PS, which results in a higher initial specific capacity, together with a moderate retention rate. The results presented here confirmed that the use of an IL as an additive is quite effective at enhancing the overall performance of the Li-S cell and this understanding will enable the construction of highly efficient Li-S batteries.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.243-248
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• 2018

All solid state thin film batteries with two types of cell structure, Pt / $LiCoO_2$ / LiPON / Cu and Pt / $LiCoO_2$ / LiPON / $LiCoO_2$ / Cu, are prepared and their electrochemical performances are investigated to evaluate the effect of $LiCoO_2$ interlayer at the interface of LiPON / Cu. The crystallinity of the deposited $LiCoO_2$ thin films is confirmed by XRD and Raman analysis. The crystalline $LiCoO_2$ cathode thin film is obtained and $LiCoO_2$ as the interlayer appears to be amorphous. The surface morphology of Cu current collector after cycling of the batteries is observed by AFM. The presence of a 10 nm-thick layer of $LiCoO_2$ at the interface of LiPON / Cu enhances the interfacial adhesion and reduces the interfacial resistance. As a result, Li plating / stripping at the interface of LiPON / Cu during charge/discharge reaction takes place more uniformly on Cu current collector, while without the interlayer of $LiCoO_2$ at the interface of LiPON / Cu, the Li plating / stripping is localized on current collector. The thin film batteries with the interlayer of $LiCoO_2$ at the interface of LiPON / Cu exhibits enhanced initial coulombic efficiency, reversible capacity and cycling stability. The thickness of the anode current collector Cu also appears to be crucial for electrochemical performances of all solid state thin film batteries.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.85-91
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• 2010

We have studied the origin of an additional plateau of $Li_{4+x}Ti_5O_{12}$ (LTO) observed at 0.7 V (vs. Li/$Li^+$). Some LTO has to be discharged down to below 1.0 V forming two-stage plateau (1.5 V and 0.7 V) in order to obtain most of capacity while others could achieve the same level of capacity at higher potential (1.0 V vs. Li/$Li^+$) forming one plateau (1.5 V). The particle size effect has been investigated as a possible reason of this. The 0.7 V plateau was gradually elongated with increasing the particle size. The structural variations and kinetic behaviors during discharge were carefully examined by in-situ XRD technique and OCV measurement. According to structural and electrochemical verifications, the kinetic limitation of $Li^+$ insertion is responsible primarily for the two-stage plateau which is related to the particle size of LTO rather than the formation of new intermediate phase during discharge. Herein, we propose a possible reaction model to elucidate this abnormal behavior of LTO below 1.0 V (Li/$Li^+$).

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.84.2-84.2
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• 2015

Growing market of electric vehicles such as hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and bare electric vehicles in the world is accelerating the significance of Li-ion batteries as a renewable green energy. According to such market flow, the developing components such as cathode, anode, electrolyte, and separator, composing the Li-ion batteries, is significantly important tasks for the commercialization. In particular, development of the cathode material having high capacity and stable thermal stability is essential for long-distance electric vehicle in the near future. Herein we introduce various applications of Li-ion batteries such as portable electronics, electric vehicles, and energy storage system, and also its research trend, in particular on the cathode materials.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.430-436
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• 2020

Lithium thionyl chloride (Li/SOCl₂) batteries exhibit the highest energy densities seen in commercially available primary batteries because of their high operating voltages and discharge capacities. They are widely used in various extreme environments; however, they show signs of degradation at high discharge currents. The discharge performance of Li/SOCl₂ is considered to be greatly dependent on the carbon materials used in the cathode. Therefore, suitable carbon materials must be chosen to improve discharge performances. In this work, we investigated the discharge properties of Li/SOCl₂ batteries in which the cathodes contained various ratios of acetylene black (AB) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) at high discharge currents. It was confirmed that the MWCNTs were effectively dispersed in the mixed AB/MWCNT cathodes. Moreover, the discharge capacity and operating voltage improved at high discharge currents in these mixed cathodes when compared with pure AB cathodes. It was found that the mesopores present in the cathodes have a strong impact on the discharge capacity, while the macropores present on the cathode surface influence the discharge properties at high discharge rates in Li/SOCl₂ batteries. These results indicate that the ratio of mesopores and macropores in the cathode is key to improving the discharge performance of Li/SOCl₂ batteries, as is the dispersion of the MWCNTs.

• Carbon letters
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.180-183
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• 2011

Li metal is accepted as a good counter electrode for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) as the active material in Li-ion and Li-ion polymer batteries. We examined the existence of signal noise from a Li-metal counter quantitatively as a preliminary study. We suggest an electrochemical cell with one switchable electrode to obtain the exact impedance signal of active materials. To verify the effectiveness of the switchable electrode, EIS measurements of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) before severe $Li^+$ intercalation to SFG6 graphite (at > ca. 0.25 V vs. Li/$Li^+$) were taken. As a result, the EIS spectra without the signal of Li metal were obtained and analyzed successfully for the following parameters i) $Li^+$ conduction in the electrolyte, ii) the geometric resistance and constant phase element of the electrode (insensitive to the voltage), iii) the interfacial behavior of the SEI related to the $Li^+$ transfer and residence throughout the near-surface (sensitive to voltage), and iv) the term reflecting the differential limiting capacitance of $Li^+$ in the graphite lattice.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.740-746
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• 2011

Thermally activated batteries have good stability, reliability and long shelf life. Due to these characteristics and operational mechanism, thermal batteries are usually applied to military power sources. Especially, Li/$FeS_2$ thermal batteries, which are used mostly in these days, use LiCl-KCl and LiBr-LiCl-LiF as electrolytes. The electrochemistry of thermal batteries have been researched for long time, however, electrochemical study using impedance spectroscopy was not published so much. Through this research, microscopic electrochemical research was investigated with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(E.I.S). Electrolyte effects on Li/$FeS_2$ thermal battery was researched changing electrolytes, LiCl-KCl and LiBr-LiCl-LiF. Additionally, the salts, which are added to electrolytes, effects on thermal battery were researched. It is expected that the impedance spectroscopy analysis is applicable to not only thermal battery electrochemical study effectively, but also, thermal battery developments.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.3331-3335
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• 2014

We examine the potential use of disordered mesoporous carbon as a functional additive for confining dissolved Li-polysulfides and improving the cycling performance of Li-S batteries. To promote a better understanding of the correlation between the total pore volume of disordered mesoporous carbon and the cycling performance of Li-S batteries, a series of disordered mesoporous carbons with different total pore volumes are successfully synthesized using a commercial silica template. Based on the electrochemical and structural analyses, we suggest that the total pore volume of disordered mesoporous carbon is a predominant factor in determining its capability for either the absorption or adsorption of Li-polysulfides, which is primarily responsible for enhancing the cycling performance. The addition of disordered mesoporous carbon is also effective in enhancing the homogeneous distribution of active sulfur in the cathode, thereby affecting the cycling performance.