• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.165-173
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• 2019

Lithium anodes (13, 15, 17, and 20 wt% Li) were fabricated by mixing molten lithium and iron powder, which was used as a binder to hold the molten lithium, at about $500^{\circ}C$ (discharge temp.). In this study, the effect of applied pressure and lithium content on the discharge properties of a thermal battery's single cell was investigated. A single cell using a Li anode with a lithium content of less than 15 wt% presented reliable performance without any abrupt voltage drop resulting from molten lithium leakage under an applied pressure of less than $6kgf/cm^2$. Furthermore, it was confirmed that even when the solid electrolyte is thinner, the Li anode of the single cell normally discharges well without a deterioration in performance. The Li anode of the single cell presented a significantly improved open-circuit voltage of 2.06 V, compared to that of a Li-Si anode (1.93 V). The cut-off voltage and specific capacity were 1.83 V and $1,380As\;g^{-1}$ (Li anode), and 1.72 V and $1,364As\;g^{-1}$ (Li-Si anode). Additionally, the Li anode exhibited a stable and flat discharge curve until 1.83 V because of the absence of phase change phenomena of Li metal and a subsequent rapid voltage drop below 1.83 V due to the complete depletion of Li at the end state of discharge. On the other hand, the voltage of the Li-Si anode cell decreased in steps, $1.93V{\rightarrow}1.72V(Li_{13}Si_4{\rightarrow}Li_7Si_3){\rightarrow}1.65V(Li_7Si_3{\rightarrow}Li_{12}Si_7)$, according to the Li-Si phase changes during the discharge reaction. The energy density of the Li anode cell was $807.1Wh\;l^{-1}$, which was about 50% higher than that of the Li-Si cell ($522.2Wh\;l^{-1}$).

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.89-95
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• 2021

Research on the production of lithium hydroxide (LiOH) has been actively conducted in response to the increasing demand for high nickel-based positive electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Herein we studied the conversion of lithium oxide (Li2O) through thermal decomposition of lithium carbonate for the production of lithium hydroxide from lithium carbonate (Li2CO3). The reaction mechanism of lithium carbonate with alumina, quartz and graphite crucible during heat treatment was confirmed. When graphite crucible was used, complete lithium oxide powder was obtained. Based on the TG analysis results, reagent-grade lithium carbonate was heat-treated at 700℃, 900℃ and 1100℃ for various time and atmosphere conditions. XRD analysis showed the produced lithium oxide showed high crystallinity at 1100℃ for 1 hour in a nitrogen atmosphere. In addition, several reagent-grade lithium oxides were reacted at 100℃ to convert to lithium hydroxide. XRD analysis confirmed that lithium hydroxide (LiOH) and lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LiOH·H2O) were produced.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.729-744
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• 2023

The value of lithium has significantly increased due to the rising demand for electric cars and batteries. Lithium is primarily found in pegmatites, hydrothermally altered tuffaceous clays, and continental brines. Globally, groundwater-fed salt lakes and oil field brines are attracting attention as major sources of lithium in continental brines, accounting for about 70% of global lithium production. Recently, deep groundwater, especially geothermal water, is also studied for a potential source of lithium. Lithium concentrations in deep groundwater can increase through substantial water-rock reaction and mixing with brines. For the exploration of lithim in deep groundwater, it is important to understand its origin and behavior. Therefore, based on a nationwide preliminary study on the hydrogeochemical characteristics and evolution of thermal groundwater in South Korea, this study aims to investigate the distribution of lithium in the deep groundwater environment and understand the geochemical factors that affect its concentration. A total of 555 thermal groundwater samples were classified into five hydrochemical types showing distinct hydrogeochemical evolution. To investigate the enrichment mechanism, samples (n = 56) with lithium concentrations exceeding the 90th percentile (0.94 mg/L) were studied in detail. Lithium concentrations varied depending upon the type, with Na(Ca)-Cl type being the highest, followed by Ca(Na)-SO₄ type and low-pH Ca(Na)-HCO₃ type. In the Ca(Na)-Cl type, lithium enrichment is due to reverse cation exchange due to seawater intrusion. The enrichment of dissolved lithium in the Ca(Na)-SO₄ type groundwater occurring in Cretaceous volcanic sedimentary basins is related to the occurrence of hydrothermally altered clay minerals and volcanic activities, while enriched lithium in the low-pH Ca(Na)-HCO₃ type groundwater is due to enhanced weathering of basement rocks by ascending deep CO₂. This reconnaissance geochemical study provides valuable insights into hydrogeochemical evolution and economic lithium exploration in deep geologic environments.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 2000

All solid-state thin film micro-batteries consisting of lithium metal anode, an amorphous LiPON electrolyte and cathode of vanadium oxide have been fabricated and characterized, which were fabricated with cell structure of $Li/LiPON/V_2O_5Pt$. The effect of various oxygen partial pressure on the electrochemical properties of vanadium oxide thin films formed by d.c. reactive sputtering deposition were investigated. The vanadium oxide thin film with deposition condition of $20\%\;O_2/Ar$ ratio showed good cycling behavior. In in-siか process, the LiPON electrolyte was deposited on the $V_2O_5$ films without breaking vacuum by r.f. magnetron sputtering at room temperature. After deposition of the amorphous LiPON, the Li metal films were grown by a thermal evaporator in a dry room. The charge-discharge cycle measurements as a function of current density and voltage variation revealed that the $Li/LiPON/V_2O_5$ thin film had excellent rechargeable properly when current density was $7{\mu}A/cm^2$. and cut-off voltage was between 3.6 and 2.7V In practical experiment, a stopwatch ran on this $Li/LiPON/V_2O_5$ thin film micro-battery. This result means that thin film micro-battery fabricated by in-siか process is a promising for power source for electronic devices.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.585-593
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• 2020

Until now, 29 fire accidents have occurred; 22 of them were caused by the interconnection of renewable energy sources that occurred during the rest period after the lithium-ion battery had been fully charged regardless of the seasons. The fire accidents of ESS were attributed to thermal runaway due to the overcharging of a few cells with the phenomenon of self-energy balancing, which is unintentional current flow from cells with a high SOC to the low cells if the SOC condition of each cell connected in parallel is different. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel configuration and operation algorithm of the BMS to prevent the self-energy balancing of ESS and presents a hybrid SOC estimation algorithm. From the test results of the self-energy balancing phenomenon between aging and normal cells based on the proposed algorithm and BMS, it was confirmed the possibility of self-energy balancing, which is unintentional current flow from cells with a high SOC to cells with a low SOC. In addition, the proposed configuration of the BMS is useful and practical to improve the safety of lithium-ion batteries because the BMS can reliably disconnect a parallel connection of the cells if the self-energy balancing current becomes excessively high.

• Carbon letters
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.279-284
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• 2010

Graphene is one of the most promising materials for many applications. It can be used in a variety of applications not only as a reinforcement material for polymer to obtain a combination of desirable mechanical, electrical, thermal, and barrier properties in the resulting nanocomposite but also as a component in energy storage, fuel cells, solar cells, sensors, and batteries. Recent research at Michigan State University has shown that it is possible to exfoliate natural graphite into graphite nanoplatelets composed entirely of stacks of graphene. The size of the platelets can be controlled from less than 10 nm in thickness and diameters of any size from sub-micron to 15 microns or greater. In this study we have investigated the influence of melt compounding processing on the physical properties of a polyamide 6 (PA6) nanocomposite reinforced with exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets (xGnP). The morphology, electrical conductivity, and mechanical properties of xGnP-PA6 nanocomposite were characterized with electrical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, AC impedance, and mechanical properties. It was found that counter rotation (CNR) twins crew processed xGnP/PA6 nanocomposite had similar mechanical properties with co-rotation (CoR) twin screw processed or with CoR conducted with a screw design modified for nanoparticles (MCoR). Microscopy showed that the CNR processed nanocomposite had better xGnP dispersion than the (CoR) twin screw processed and modified screw (MCoR) processed ones. It was also found that the CNR processed nanocomposite at a given xGnP content showed the lowest graphite X-ray diffraction peak at $26.5^{\circ}$ indicating better xGnP dispersion in the nanocomposite. In addition, it was also found that the electrical conductivity of the CNR processed 12 wt.% xGnP-PA6 nanocomposite is more than ten times higher than the CoR and MCoR processed ones. These results indicate that better dispersion of an xGnP-PA6 nanocomposite is attainable in CNR twins crew processing than conventional CoR processing.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.228-241
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• 2020

Separators, which produces physical layer between a cathode and anode, are getting enormous attention as the quality of the separator determines the performance of lithium ion batteries (LIBs). Porous membranes based on polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) are generally utilized as the separator of LIBs because of their high electrochemical stability and suitable mechanical strength. However, low thermal resistance and wettability of PE and PP membranes limited the potential of LIBs. Operating at the temperature exceeding the melting point of membranes, the separators change their structures which lead to short circuit of LIBs. Low wettability of the separators corresponds to low ionic conductivity which increases the cell resistance. To overcome these weaknesses of PE and PP separators, different types of separator were prepared by co-electrospinning, applying coating layer, forming core shell around membrane, and papermaking method. The synthesized separator greatly enhanced the heat resistance and wettability of separator and mechanical properties like flexibility and tensile strength. In this review different type of polymer membrane used as separator in lithium ion battery are discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.145-152
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• 2010

The gel polymer electrolyte(GPE) were prepared by in-situ thermal cross-linking reaction of homogeneous precursor solution of perfluorinated phosphate-based cross-linker and liquid electrolyte. Ionic conductivities and electrochemical properties of the prepared gel polymer electrolyte with the various contents of liquid electrolytes and perfluorinated organophosphate-based cross-linker were examined. The stable gel polymer electrolyte was obtained up to 97 wt% of the liquid electrolyte. Ionic conductivity and electrochemical properties of the gel polymer electrolytes with the various chain length of perfluorinated ethylene oxide and different content of liquid electrolytes were examined. The maximum ionic conductivity of liquid electrolyte was measured to be $1.02\;{\times}\;10^{-2}\;S/cm$ at $30^{\circ}C$ using the cross-linker($PFT_nGA$). The electrochemical stability of the gel polymer electrolyte was extended to 4.5 V. The electrochemical performances of test cells composed of the resulting gel polymer electrolyte were also studied to evaluate the applicability on the lithium polymer batteries. The test cell carried a discharge capacity of 136.11mAh/g at 0.1C. The discharge capacity was measured to be 91% at 2C rate. The discharge capacity decreased with increase of discharge rate which was due to the polarization. After 500th charge/discharge cycles, the capacity of battery decreased to be 70% of the initial capacity.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.82-87
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• 2005

The cathode material, $LiNi_{0.5}Mn_{1.5}O_4$, for high voltage applications of Li-ion batteries exhibits impurity phases due to oxygen deficiency during the high temperature heat treatment. The impurity phase reduces the electrochemical properties of the electrode since the deficiency spinel structure disturbs the lithium ion intercalation and deintercalation. In this study, Cr-substituted $LiNi_{0.5-x}Mn_{1.5}Cr_xO_4(0{\leq}x{\leq}0.05)$ powders are synthesized by a sol-gel method in order to reduce the amount of the impurity phases in the $LiNi_{0.5-x}Mn_{1.5}Cr_xO_4$. Thermal analysis of the cathode material shows that the $LiNi_{0.5}Mn_{1.5}O_4$ without Cr substitution looses $2\%$ of its weight due to oxygen deficiency but the amount of weight loss is diminished when Cr is substituted. XRD analysis also supports the reduction of the impurity phases in the cathode after chromium substitution, suggesting that the improvement of the electrochemical properties such as the capacity retention and electrochemical stability are attributed to the low content of impurity phases in the Cr-substituted $LiNi_{0.5-x}Mn_{1.5}Cr_xO_4.$

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.346-351
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• 2012

$Li_{1+x}Al_xTi_{2-x}(PO_4)_3$(LATP) is a promising solid electrolyte for all-solid-state Li ion batteries. In this study, LATP is prepared through a sol-gel method using relatively the inexpensive reagents $TiCl_4$. The thermal behavior, structural characteristics, fractured surface morphology, ion conductivity, and activation energy of the LATP sintered bodies are investigated by TG-DTA, X-ray diffraction, FE-SEM, and by an impedance method. A gelation powder was calcined at $500^{\circ}C$. A single crystalline phase of the $LiTi_2(PO_4)_3$(LTP) system was obtained at a calcination temperature above $650^{\circ}C$. The obtained powder was pelletized and sintered at $900^{\circ}C$ and $1000^{\circ}C$. The LTP sintered at $900{\sim}1000^{\circ}C$ for 6 h had a relatively low apparent density of 75~80%. The LATP(x = 0.3) pellet sintered at $900^{\circ}C$ for 6 h was denser than those sintered under other conditions and showed the highest ion conductivity of $4.50{\times}10^{-5}$ S/cm at room temperature. However, the ion conductivity of LATP (x = 0.3) sintered at $1000^{\circ}C$ decreased to $1.81{\times}10^{-5}$ S/cm, leading to Li volatilization and abnormal grain growth. For LATP sintered at $900^{\circ}C$ for 6 h, x = 0.3 shows the lowest activation energy of 0.42 eV in the temperature range of room temperature to $300^{\circ}C$.