Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1942/39304
Title: Eliminating cobalt from lithium-ion batteries: which improvements can be enabled by the use of wet chemical routes?
Authors: DE SLOOVERE, Dries 
ULU, Fulya 
PAULUS, Andreas 
MYLAVARAPU, Satish Kumar 
VAN BAEL, Marlies 
HARDY, An 
Issue Date: 2022
Source: International Meeting on Lithium Batteries 2022, Sydney, Australia, 26/6/2022-1/7/2022
Abstract: Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are considered an important technology for the mobility sector’s green energy transition by enabling the breakthrough of electric vehicles (EVs). The forecasted explosive growth of the EV market implies that the demand for LIB materials will show a steep increase over the following years. This will put considerable strain on the sourcing of the critical raw materials needed for LIB production. The mining, refining, and processing of cobalt pose a number of challenges, ranging from social and environmental impacts to supply shortages. One way to tackle these challenges is to use battery active materials which contain (almost) no cobalt. This again requires extensive research to ensure high cycle life and thermal stability. In the Horizon 2020 COBRA project, we aim to completely eliminate cobalt from the positive electrode, while reaching an adequate energy density (750 Wh/L) and cycle life (>2000 cycles) with fast charging (3 C). COBRA aims to reach competitive cost targets (< 90 €/kWh at pack level). Here, an overview will be given of our recent studies on Co-free and Co-poor materials for LIBs. Our research relies on the use of wet chemical routes, either to synthesize the active materials, or to form a shell on pre-existing active material core particles. The developed wet chemical synthesis routes allow a careful control over the synthesis parameters, and enable us to accurately control the particle size/morphology of cobalt-free LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) particles.[1] The electrochemical performance of LNMO core particles could be further improved by coating them with shells of TiOx or amorphous Li4Ti5O12.[2] Cores of LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 (NMC-622, a nickel-rich, cobalt-poor layered oxide) were similarly modified with TiOx shells, improving its rate capability and energy density.[3] Wet chemical routes are ideal for inserting dopants into materials. For instance, the replacement of Mn4+ by Sn4+ in lithium- and manganese-rich (and cobalt-poor) NMC was studied in an effort to mitigate the voltage fade which is typically observed in such materials.[4] Whereas cobalt is ubiquitous in today’s LIBs, current research efforts strive toward a reduction and even elimination of cobalt in future LIBs. As shown here, our research contributes to the improvements required to make these novel materials competitive with the materials that are currently used in LIBs. [1] F. Ulu Okudur, S. K. Mylavarapu, M. Safari, D. De Sloovere, J. D’Haen, B. Joos, P. Kaliyappan, A. S. Kelchtermans, P. Samyn, M. K. Van Bael, A. Hardy, J. Alloys Compd. 892 (2022) 162175. [2] F. Ulu Okudur, J. D’Haen, T. Vranken, D. De Sloovere, M. Verheijen, O. M. Karakulina, A. M. Abakumov, J. Hadermann, M. K. Van Bael, A. Hardy, RSC Adv. 8 (2018) 7287-7300. [3] S. K. Mylavarapu, F. Ulu Okudur, S. Yari, D. De Sloovere, J. D’Haen, A. Shafique, M. K. Van Bael, M. Safari, A. Hardy, ACS Appl. Energy Mater. 4 (2021) 10493-10504. [4] A. Paulus, M. Hendrickx, M. Bercx, O. M. Karakulina, M. A. Kirsanova, D. Lamoen, J. Hadermann, A. M. Abakumov, M. K. Van Bael, A. Hardy, Dalt. Trans. 49 (2020) 10486-10497. The Horizon 2020 LCBAT-5 COBRA project 875568 is acknowledged for financial support.
Document URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1942/39304
Category: C2
Type: Conference Material
Appears in Collections:Research publications

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