Key Points
- Lithium-ion batteries remain central to renewable energy storage and electric vehicles.
- Electrolyte additives are crucial for improving battery performance, stability, and safety.
- National Taiwan University and Bar-Ilan University researchers developed a new additive classification system based on core elements.
- The research provides a framework for developing new, more effective additives for lithium-ion batteries.
The renewable energy sector has been identified as a critical industry for the future, strongly emphasizing the development of affordable and high-performance energy storage solutions. Lithium-ion batteries, the most widely used battery system in both renewable energy storage and electric vehicles, are expected to maintain their dominant role in the near future.
A key component of improving lithium-ion battery performance is its electrolyte composition, particularly the additives that enhance efficiency, stability, and safety. The composition of these electrolyte additives plays a crucial role in determining the overall performance, electrode stability, cycle life, long-term durability at high temperatures, and the safety of lithium-ion batteries. However, the chemical properties of these additives are diverse, and their mechanisms are often not fully understood, posing challenges for researchers.
In a significant advancement, Professor Nae-Lih Wu and his research team from the Department of Chemical Engineering at National Taiwan University, collaborating with Professor Doron Aurbach’s team from Bar-Ilan University in Israel, have published an influential review paper in Progress in Materials Science.
The paper systematically investigates the various additives used in lithium-ion secondary batteries, focusing on the importance of their functional groups. By developing a new classification system based on the core elements of these additives, the research offers a clearer understanding of their specific roles in battery performance.
The innovative classification method proposed by the research team categorizes additives based on their elemental composition, providing a new framework for understanding their functionality. This approach helps clarify additives’ roles and opens the door to more targeted future development of new electrolyte additives. The paper highlights how additives can impact key aspects such as electrochemical performance, stability, and safety, especially under demanding conditions like high temperatures.
This breakthrough in additive classification is expected to aid in developing more efficient lithium-ion batteries for renewable energy storage and electric vehicles, which will be vital as the world transitions to cleaner energy sources.
