A research team at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China is studying the use of an advanced electrolyte material (LiFNFSI) to enhance the thermal stability of lithium-ion batteries. The team has conducted several tests of the material, replacing the more conventional LiPF6 electrolyte with this advanced substance. Hongbo Han, a member of the Chinese research team, points to these keys findings, which highlight the thermal stability of batteries with the LiFNFSI electrolyte substance:
The electrolyte having 1.0 M LiFNFSI in a mixture of ethylene carbonate and ethyl methyl carbonate shows high conductivity comparable to LiClO4, good electrochemical stability, and does not corrode aluminum. At both room temperature (25 °Celsisus) and elevated temperature (60 °C), the graphite/LiCoO2 cells with LiFNFSI exhibit better cycling performances than those with LiPF6.Particularly, at 60 °C, the capacity fading rate of the LiFNFSI-based cell without any additive is 37% after 100 cycles, while the cell with LiPF6 fails rapidly. These outstanding properties of LiFNFSI make it an attractive candidate to overcome the rapid capacity fading of lithium-ion batteries at elevated temperatures
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Upon repeated testing, the LiFNFSI electrolyte material displayed an ability to improve the performance of batteries operating at high temperatures. In an automotive application, this high-temp resiliency could prove beneficial, allowing automakers to forego the expensive liquid cooling techniques currently used to control battery temps in some plug-in vehicles.
[Source: Green Car Congress]
