Critical issues in Lithium-ion battery development - Materials Research Bulletin papers

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), most representative of the alkali-ion batteries, have become one of the most advanced and commonly used rechargeable batteries for portable devices and, more recently, for electric vehicles, because of their high energy density, negligible memory effect, and low self-discharge. An LIB consists of a cathode and an anode separated by an electrolyte, in which lithium ions transfer between the two electrodes while electrons move via an external electric wire. The commercialization of LIBs was achieved in the early 1990s by employing an intercalated lithium metal oxide compound as a cathode and graphite as an anode—materials that are still used today.

However, the rapidly growing market for electric vehicles has created a demand for high energy storage capacity (more than 0.8 KW/g and 100 GWh) and fast charge/discharge capability, without loss of energy density or durability. To meet these requirements, much research has been focused on improving the performance of pre-existing electrodes and/or developing new electrode materials.

To highlight these contributions and their impact not only on the battery industry, but also more broadly on the materials science community, we have collected 25 articles published in Materials Research Bulletin over the last two years which cover critical issues in LIB development, with an emphasis on ‘Material design and characterization of Li (more broadly, alkali) ion battery electrodes’.