Discovery Park

Daniel Abraham, Materials Scientist and Team Leader, Advanced Battery Research for Transportation (ABRT) program, Argonne National Laboratory, will give lecture titled “Lithium-ion batteries: current chemistries, future opportunities” on Thursday, April 22, 2010 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Wetherill Hall (WTHR), room 104.

Abstract

Lithium-ion Batteries: Current Chemistries, Future Opportunities The lithium-ion cell has become the front-runner in rechargeable battery technologies having found applications in industries as diverse as portable electronics, medical devices, and outer space technologies. Lithium-ion batteries are also expected to replace the nickel metal hydride battery packs used in currently available hybrid electric vehicles because of their higher energy storage and power densities. However, the mass commercialization of these batteries for transportation applications has been hampered by high cell costs, safety concerns, limited cell life, and poor performance at temperatures below 0°C. Research to overcome these limitations is being conducted on high-power and high-energy lithium ion cells at Argonne National Laboratory, as part of DOE’s Advanced Battery Research program. Various battery chemistries, including negative electrodes with various graphite morphologies, positive electrodes containing layered- and spinel- oxides, and electrolytes containing various salts and additives have been examined to identify material combinations that can meet the 15-year calendar life goal established by DOE’s FreedomCar initiative. This presentation will review some of the lithium-ion cell chemistries being considered for commercialization, highlight ongoing research strategies, and discuss challenges that remain regarding the synthesis, characterization, electrochemical performance, and safety of these systems.