As efforts towards global energy sustainability increase, there has become a higher demand for energy storage products. A common cathode material used in commercial energy storage products is LiCoO2 (LCO). LCO has become quite costly as the global supply of lithium and cobalt is limited. To improve costs for these materials the cobalt can be replaced with other transition metals to improve stability and performance, such as been studied with LiNixMnyCo(1-x-y)O2 (NMC), with reduced costs compared to LCO. Due to the current lack of recycling infrastructure for these materials there is a high risk of environmental exposure. Previous work done by the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology has shown that is exposure is damaging to biological systems because of the release of toxic ions from the cathode surface. To deter the environmental impact of these materials the release of ions should be hindered. Studies on iron oxide coatings for cathode materials have shown improved results on the electrochemical performance of the cell. Studying the properties of these coatings may be a way to enhance the performance of these materials and mitigate their potential environmental impact (by limiting ion release). The properties of the two cathode materials (NMC and LCO) are compared using the analytical techniques of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, powder x-ray diffraction, ICP-OES, and electrochemical cell testing. Both materials are coated with iron oxide to observe any changes in dissolution, electrical potential, and structure. These tests give insight into the sustainable properties of the iron oxide coated cathode materials. Preliminary results show that the presence of the iron oxide coating on similar materials will impact dissolution and improve electrochemical performance. Using iron oxide as a coating will serve as a simple, bulk, inexpensive coating that can improve the industrial uses of these materials and reduce their impact on environmental systems.

Comparative study of the environmental exposure of common lithium ion cathode materials coated with iron oxide

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.