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Low-Cost, Alkaline-Metal Salts for Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries--Excellatron Solid State, LLC, 1640 Roswell Street, Suite J, Smyrna, GA  30080; 770-428-2201

Dr. Jason Zhang, Principal Investigator

Mr. Lonnie Johnson, Business Official

DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-00ER83006

Amount:  $98,753

 

As low cost electrode materials such as LiCo_0.2 Ni _0.8O₂ and stabilized LiMn₂O₄ are being introduced into Li-ion batteries and more effective cell manufacturing technologies have been developed, the electrolyte salt namely LiPF₆ becomes the most expensive component in a Li-ion cell.  The excessive cost of the electrolyte is limiting Li-ion batteries from being used for commercial applications such as electrical vehicles.  Much less expensive salts and salt mixtures are proposed here to replace lithium salts.  Such a substitution does not require any change of other components in a Li-ion cell.  In addition, these electrolytes made with these salts/salt mixtures would have the same constitution as a Lithium salt electrolyte after the initial formation of a Li-ion cell.  Non-aqueous salt solutions of alkali metal salts other than lithium or mixtures of an inexpensive salt and lithium salt will be systematically evaluated as the electrolyte for rechargeable Li-ion batteries.  The feasibility of using such electrolytes for rechargeable Li-ion batteries will be investigated.

 

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee:  The alternative salts proposed in this proposal are many times less expensive than the lithium salts that are currently used in Li-ion batteries.  These salts can be used in any Li-ion battery.  Use of these salts will reduce the current electrolyte cost by many times.  Such a cost reduction would enable battery manufactures to make affordable batteries for electrical vehicles.