Over the last decades, lithium-ion batteries have grown more important and substituted other energy storage systems. Due to advantages such as high energy density and low self-discharge, the lithium-ion battery has taken its part in the rechargeable energy storage market, and it is now found in most laptops, cameras and mobile phones. With the increasing demands for electrical vehicles and stationary energy storage systems, there is a necessity for improved lithium-ion battery materials. In this thesis several alternative electrode materials have been examined with a main focus on the electrochemical characterisation. As an alternative to the commercial cathode LiCoO2, the LiMn2O4 cathode has been suggested due to its reduced toxicity, material abundance, reduced costs and increased specific capacity. On the anode side, several Sn-containing anodes have been investigated and steps to overcome the main challenge, the great volume expansion upon cycling, have been taken. In addition, a novel anode material group was synthesised at the University of Marburg and two substances of the lithium chalcogenidometalate networks were successfully characterised. The cathode material, LiMn2O4, was synthesised via the sol-gel technique and several coating methods such as dip-coating, electrophoretics and infiltration were investigated. The LiMn2O4 material was initially coated on a porous metal foam as a current collector, thus providing new possibilities as the porosity of the substrate increased, mechanical stability and adhesion improved and a 3-dimensional network was obtained. In order to compare the results of the LiMn2O4 cathode material on the novel current collector, the material was also coated on a standard metallic foil and characterised. The analysis followed via X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, thermogravimetrical analysis and several electrochemical techniques. Tin containing anode materials were chosen due to the doubling of the theoretical capacity compared with the commercially used graphite. However, a great challenge lies with using tin or tin-containing anode materials. Upon lithiation of Sn, the material can expand up to 300 %, therefore a stabilising effect is necessary to avoid a collapse of the material. This work shows several new concepts and attempts to overcome this challenge, including SnO2 nanowires deposited via chemical vapour deposition on both metallic foam and standard current collectors. A new improvement consisted of the tin - carbon nanofibers where the nanofibers form a stabilising matrix that can partially buffer the volume change of the Sn particles. The synthesis of the Sn-containing anodes took place at the University of Cologne, while characterisation, cell preparation and optimising the electrode system were features of this thesis. In addition, a lithium chalcogenidometalate network proved to be an interesting, new anode material group. Both Li4MnSn2Se7 and Li4MnGe2S7 (synthesised at Philipps-Universität Marburg) were electrochemically examined to better understand the lithiation processes. Both materials obtained very high specific capacities and were found to be possible alternatives to the state-of-the art anodes. All the examined electrode materials were found to have some advantage over the commercially used LiCoO2 and graphite electrodes, and a thorough characterization of the materials was performed to understand the processes that took place. / Lithium-Ionen Batterien sind in den letzten Jahrzehnten immer wichtiger geworden und haben mittlerweile andere Energiespeichersysteme in weiten Bereichen ersetzt. Ihre hohe Energiedichte und niedrige Selbstentladung sind Gründe dafür, dass die Lithium-Ionen Batterie einen großen Teil des Marktes für wiederaufladbare Energiespeicher einnimmt und ist in Laptops, Kameras und Handys zu finden. Mit dem zunehmenden Interesse an Elektrofahrzeugen und stationären Energiespeichersystemen entstand der Bedarf an verbesserten Lithium-Ionen Batteriematerialien. Verschiedene alternative Elektrodenmaterialien mit einem Hauptfokus auf ihrer elektrochemischen Charakterisierung wurden in dieser Dissertation untersucht. Als eine Alternative zum kommerziellen LiCoO2 wurde LiMn2O4 als Kathode vorgeschlagen, hauptsächlich aufgrund der niedrigeren Toxizität, der Materialverfügbarkeit und der erhöhten spezifischen Ladung. Auf der Anodenseite wurden verschiedene Sn-haltige Anoden untersucht um das vorangige Problem der Volumenausdehnung beim Laden/Entladen zu lösen. Außerdem wurde mit den Lithium-Chalkogenidometallaten ein neuartiges Anodenmaterial synthetisiert und erfolgreich charakterisiert. Das LiMn2O4-Kathodenmaterial wurde mittels einer Sol-Gel-Methode hergestellt und verschiedene Beschichtungsmethoden wie, Tauchbeschichtung, Elektrophorese und Infiltration, untersucht. Zunächst wurde ein hochporöser metallischer Stromableiter mit dem LiMn2O4-Material beschichtet, was neue Elektrodenbauformen ermöglicht. Die Porosität des Substrats kann erhöht und die mechanische Stabilität und Haftung verbessert werden. Außerdem ist ein 3-D Netzwerk vorhanden. Ein Vergleich mit LiMn2O4 auf einer metallischen Standardfolie wurde durchgeführt und eine allgemeine Charakterisierung mittels Röntgenbeugungsanalyse, Elektronenmikroskopie, Thermogravimetrie und elektrochemischen Methoden folgte. Aufgrund ihrer im Vergleich zu kommerziellem Graphit verdoppelten theoretisch speicherbaren Ladung wurden zinnhaltige Anodenmaterialien gewählt. Es besteht jedoch eine große Herausforderung bei Sn-haltigen Anoden, da sich das Material bei Lithierung des Sn um bis zu 300 % ausdehnt. Ein stabilisierender Effekt ist nötig, um einen Zusammenbruch des Materials zu vermeiden. In dieser Arbeit werden neue Konzepte und Bestrebungen zur Lösung aufgezeigt. Dies umfasst die Abscheidung von SnO2-Nanodrähten auf metallische Schäume und auf glatte Stromableiter. Eine weitere Verbesserung besteht aus Sn-Kohlenstoffnanofasern, bei denen die Nanofasern ein stabilisierendes Gerüst darstellen, so dass die Volumenausdehnung der Sn-Partikel teilweise aufgenommen wird. Die Synthese der Sn-Anoden wurde an der Universität zu Köln durchgeführt, die weitere Charakterisierung, Zellpräperation und Optimierung des Elektrodensystems waren Schwerpunkte dieser Dissertation. Weiterhin hat sich das Lithium-Chalkogenidometallat Netzwerk als ein interessantes Anodenmaterial erwiesen. Beide Materialien, Li4MnSn2Se7 und Li4MnGe2S7 (hergestellt an der Philipps-Universität Marburg), wurden elektrochemisch analysiert, um die Lithierungsprozesse im Detail zu verstehen. Beide Materialien erreichen sehr hohe spezifische Ladungen und können als denkbare Alternativen zum Stand der Technik betrachten werden. Alle untersuchten neuen Elektrodenmaterialien zeigen Vorteile gegenüber der kommerziellen LiCoO2- und Graphit-Elektroden. Zum besseren Verständnis der grundlegenden Prozesse wurde eine umfassende Charakterisierung der Materialien durchgeführt.

Stuttgart, Univ., Diss., 2006.

The implementation of a water-based cathode manufacturing process is attractive, given the prospect of improved sustainability of future lithium-ion batteries. However, the sensitivity of many cathode materials to water poses a huge challenge. Within the scope of this work, a correlation between the water sensitivity of cathode materials from the class of layered oxides and their elemental composition was identified. In particular for the cathode material LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA), the processes taking place in aqueous medium were clarified in detail. Based on this knowledge, the surface of NCA particles could be specifically modified, which led to a reduced water sensitivity. As a result, the electrochemical performance of cells with water-based NCA cathodes was significantly improved and a remarkable long-term cycling performance was achieved. The present work contributes to a deeper understanding of the water sensitivity of cathode materials and at the same time presents a promising approach to overcome this obstacle. Consequently, this work advances the successful widespread realization of water-based cathode manufacturing. / Die Nachhaltigkeit zukünftiger Lithium-Ionen-Batterien kann durch die Implementierung eines wasserbasierten Herstellungsverfahrens für Kathoden verbessert werden. Die Wasserempfindlichkeit vieler Kathodenmaterialien stellt hierbei jedoch eine große Herausforderung dar. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde ein Zusammenhang zwischen der Wasserempfindlichkeit von Kathodenmaterialien der Klasse der Schichtoxide und deren Elementzusammensetzung hergestellt. Insbesondere für das extrem wasserempfindliche Kathodenmaterial LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) wurden die im wässrigen Medium ablaufenden Prozesse detailliert aufgeklärt. Auf Basis dieser Erkenntnisse konnte die Oberfläche von NCA-Partikeln gezielt modifiziert und damit die Wasserempfindlichkeit reduziert werden. Infolgedessen konnte die elektrochemische Performance von Zellen mit wasserbasierten NCA-Kathoden signifikant verbessert und eine bemerkenswerte Langzeitperformance erzielt werden. Die vorliegende Arbeit trägt somit zu einem tieferen Verständnis der Wasserempfindlichkeit von Kathodenmaterialien bei und liefert zugleich einen vielversprechenden Ansatz, um diese zu minimieren. So wird die erfolgreiche Realisierung der wässrigen Kathodenherstellung vorangetrieben.

Darmstadt, Techn. Universiẗat, Diss., 2007. / Dateien im PDF-Format.

Stuttgart, Univ., Diss., 2008.

Li-O2 batteries have attracted world-wide research interest as an appealing candidate for future energy supplies because they possess the highest energy density of any battery technology. However, such system still face some challenges for the practical application. One of the key issues is exploring highly efficient cathode materials for Li-O2 batteries. Here, a rolled-up technology associated with other physical or chemical methods are applied to prepare architectural nanomembranes for the cathode materials in Li-O2 batteries. The strain-release technology has recently proven to be an efficient approach on the micro/nanoscale to fabricate composite nanomembranes with controlled thickness, versatile chemical composition and stacking sequence. This dissertation first focuses on the synthesis of trilayered Pd/MnOx/Pd nanomembranes. The incorporation of active Pd layers on both sides of the poor conductive MnOx layer commonly used in energy storage systems greatly enhances the conductivity and catalytic activity. Encouraged by this design, Pd nanoparticles functionalized MnOx-GeOy nanomembranes are also fabricated, which not only improve the conductivity but also facilitate the transport of Li+ and oxygen-containing species, thus greatly enhancing the performance of Li-O2 batteries. Similarly, Au and Pd arrays decorated MnOx nanomembranes act as bifunctional catalysts for both oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction in Li-O2 batteries. Moreover, by introducing hierarchical pores on the nanomembranes, the performance of Li-O2 batteries is further promoted by porous Pd/NiO nanomembranes. The macropores created by standard photolithography facilitate the rolling process and the nanopores in the nanomembranes induced by a novel template-free method supply fast channels for the reactants diffusion. In addition, a facile thermal treatment method is developed to fabricate Ag/NiO-Fe2O3/Ag hybrid nanomembranes as carbon-free cathode materials in Li-O2 batteries. A competing scheme between the intrinsic strain built in the oxide nanomembranes and an external driving force provided by the metal nanoparticles is introduced to tune the morphology of the 3D tubular architectures which greatly improve the performance by providing continuous tunnels for O2 and electrolyte diffusion and mitigating the side reactions produced by carbonaceous materials.

Li-O2 batteries have attracted world-wide research interest as an appealing candidate for future energy supplies because they possess the highest energy density of any battery technology. However, such system still face some challenges for the practical application. One of the key issues is exploring highly efficient cathode materials for Li-O2 batteries. Here, a rolled-up technology associated with other physical or chemical methods are applied to prepare architectural nanomembranes for the cathode materials in Li-O2 batteries. The strain-release technology has recently proven to be an efficient approach on the micro/nanoscale to fabricate composite nanomembranes with controlled thickness, versatile chemical composition and stacking sequence. This dissertation first focuses on the synthesis of trilayered Pd/MnOx/Pd nanomembranes. The incorporation of active Pd layers on both sides of the poor conductive MnOx layer commonly used in energy storage systems greatly enhances the conductivity and catalytic activity. Encouraged by this design, Pd nanoparticles functionalized MnOx-GeOy nanomembranes are also fabricated, which not only improve the conductivity but also facilitate the transport of Li+ and oxygen-containing species, thus greatly enhancing the performance of Li-O2 batteries. Similarly, Au and Pd arrays decorated MnOx nanomembranes act as bifunctional catalysts for both oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction in Li-O2 batteries. Moreover, by introducing hierarchical pores on the nanomembranes, the performance of Li-O2 batteries is further promoted by porous Pd/NiO nanomembranes. The macropores created by standard photolithography facilitate the rolling process and the nanopores in the nanomembranes induced by a novel template-free method supply fast channels for the reactants diffusion. In addition, a facile thermal treatment method is developed to fabricate Ag/NiO-Fe2O3/Ag hybrid nanomembranes as carbon-free cathode materials in Li-O2 batteries. A competing scheme between the intrinsic strain built in the oxide nanomembranes and an external driving force provided by the metal nanoparticles is introduced to tune the morphology of the 3D tubular architectures which greatly improve the performance by providing continuous tunnels for O2 and electrolyte diffusion and mitigating the side reactions produced by carbonaceous materials.

Zugl.: Dresden, Techn. Univ., Diss., 2009

Zugl.: Stuttgart, Univ., Diss., 2007

Zugl.: Karlsruhe, Univ., Diss., 2008 / Hergestellt on demand