Effects of Cryogenic Freezing Upon Lithium-Ion Battery Safety and Component Integrity

Sunderlin, Nathaniel; Colclasure, Andrew; Yang, Chuanbo; Major, Joshua; Fink, Kae; Saxon, Aron; Keyser, Matthew

doi:10.1016/j.est.2023.107046

Effects of Cryogenic Freezing Upon Lithium-Ion Battery Safety and Component Integrity

Journal Article · 13 March 2023 · Journal of Energy Storage

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2023.107046· OSTI ID:1969263

; ; ; ; ; ;

Recycling capacity for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has not kept pace with the increase in battery manufacturing throughout the early 21st century. Cost-effective recycling practices must be developed to accommodate the pending influx of battery waste over the coming decades as the first generation of LIBs reach their end-of-life (EOL). Cryogenically freezing LIBs can passivate them against abusive conditions, and may therefore enable LIBs to be granted exemptions for certain hazardous material transportation requirements, significantly reducing the cost of their transportation to recycling facilities. This work aims to identify potential risks of a cryogenic transportation scenario to inform the development of standards and practices thereof. Results are presented from freeze/thaw experiments using liquid nitrogen to freeze LIBs to -197 degrees C. Cells are opened after thawing to assess structural damage to the cell components inherent to the freezing process. Additionally, nail penetration tests are performed on cells as they thaw to room temperature. LIBs appear undamaged after cryogenic freezing. Nail penetration experiments indicate that thermal runaway is forestalled at low temperatures, but will ensue after sufficient thawing. No thermal response was detected in cells penetrated at or below -80 degrees C, which approximates the melting point of the electrolyte, suggesting that LIBs are inert while the electrolyte remains frozen.

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Transportation Office. Vehicle Technologies Office

DOE Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1969263

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5700-84209; MainId:84982; UUID:2286e61c-9d93-4dcc-99ad-e4d2685cd4d5; MainAdminID:69248

Journal Information:: Journal of Energy Storage, Vol. 63

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (24)

A roadmap for rapid decarbonization Rockström, Johan; Gaffney, Owen; Rogelj, Joeri Science, Vol. 355, Issue 6331 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aah3443	journal	March 2017
Global energy growth is outpacing decarbonization Jackson, R. B.; Le Quéré, C.; Andrew, R. M. Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 13, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aaf303	journal	December 2018
An overview of key evolutions in the light-duty vehicle sector and their impact on oil demand Albrahim, Mohammed; Zahrani, Ahmed Al; Arora, Anvita Energy Transitions, Vol. 3, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1007/s41825-019-00017-7	journal	September 2019
Li-ion battery recycling challenges Ma, Xiaotu; Azhari, Luqman; Wang, Yan Chem, Vol. 7, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chempr.2021.09.013	journal	November 2021
A review on the growing concern and potential management strategies of waste lithium-ion batteries Winslow, Kevin M.; Laux, Steven J.; Townsend, Timothy G. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Vol. 129 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.11.001	journal	February 2018
Recycling lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles Harper, Gavin; Sommerville, Roberto; Kendrick, Emma Nature, Vol. 575, Issue 7781 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1682-5	journal	November 2019
A Critical Review of Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Processes from a Circular Economy Perspective Velázquez-Martínez, Omar; Valio, Johanna; Santasalo-Aarnio, Annukka Batteries, Vol. 5, Issue 4, p. 68 https://doi.org/10.3390/batteries5040068	journal	November 2019
Lithium-ion batteries towards circular economy: A literature review of opportunities and issues of recycling treatments Mossali, Elena; Picone, Nicoletta; Gentilini, Luca Journal of Environmental Management, Vol. 264 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110500	journal	June 2020
Transportation of electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries at end-of-life: A literature review Slattery, Margaret; Dunn, Jessica; Kendall, Alissa Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Vol. 174 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105755	journal	November 2021
Life Cycle Analysis of Lithium-Ion Batteries for Automotive Applications Dai, Qiang; Kelly, Jarod C.; Gaines, Linda Batteries, Vol. 5, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.3390/batteries5020048	journal	June 2019
Recycling chains for lithium-ion batteries: A critical examination of current challenges, opportunities and process dependencies Windisch-Kern, Stefan; Gerold, Eva; Nigl, Thomas Waste Management, Vol. 138 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2021.11.038	journal	February 2022
Safety Requirements for Transportation of Lithium Batteries Huo, Haibo; Xing, Yinjiao; Pecht, Michael Energies, Vol. 10, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.3390/en10060793	journal	June 2017
Study on survivability of 18650 Lithium-ion cells at cryogenic temperatures Nandini, K.; Usha, K.; Srinivasan, M. S. Journal of Energy Storage, Vol. 17 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2018.03.018	journal	June 2018
The experimental evaluation of lithium ion batteries after flash cryogenic freezing Grandjean, Thomas R. B.; Groenewald, Jakobus; Marco, James Journal of Energy Storage, Vol. 21 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2018.11.027	journal	February 2019
Cycle life of lithium ion batteries after flash cryogenic freezing Grandjean, Thomas R. B.; Groenewald, Jakobus; McGordon, Andrew Journal of Energy Storage, Vol. 24 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2019.100804	journal	August 2019
Characterization of Aged Li-Ion Battery Components for Direct Recycling Process Design Fink, Kae; Santhanagopalan, Shriram; Hartig, Julia Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Vol. 166, Issue 15 https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0781915jes	journal	January 2019
Investigating the thermal runaway mechanisms of lithium-ion batteries based on thermal analysis database Feng, Xuning; Zheng, Siqi; Ren, Dongsheng Applied Energy, Vol. 246 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.04.009	journal	July 2019
Liquid/Solid Phase Diagrams of Binary Carbonates for Lithium Batteries Part II Ding, Michael S.; Xu, Kang; Zhang, Shengshui Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Vol. 148, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1149/1.1353568	journal	January 2001
Liquid-Solid Phase Diagrams of Binary Carbonates for Lithium Batteries Ding, Michael S.; Xu, Kang; Jow, T. Richard Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Vol. 147, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1149/1.1393419	journal	January 2000
Differential Thermal Analysis of Li-Ion Cells as an Effective Probe of Liquid Electrolyte Evolution during Aging Day, R. P.; Xia, J.; Petibon, R. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Vol. 162, Issue 14 https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0181514jes	journal	January 2015
Understanding Electrolyte Degradation Mechanisms over the Lifespan of Li-Ion Cells Using Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) and High Precision Coulometry (HPC) Nelson, Kathlyne J.; Sarkar, Tim; Fielden, Ryan I. ECS Meeting Abstracts, Vol. MA2019-02, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1149/MA2019-02/5/233	journal	September 2019
Study of Electrolyte Components in Li Ion Cells Using Liquid-Liquid Extraction and Gas Chromatography Coupled with Mass Spectrometry Petibon, R.; Rotermund, L.; Nelson, K. J. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Vol. 161, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1149/2.117406jes	journal	January 2014
Phase transition of carbonate solvent mixture solutions at low temperatures Okumura, Takefumi; Horiba, Tatsuo Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 301 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.09.115	journal	January 2016
Experimental study of internal and external short circuits of commercial automotive pouch lithium-ion cells Abaza, Ahmed; Ferrari, Stefania; Wong, Hin Kwan Journal of Energy Storage, Vol. 16 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2018.01.015	journal	April 2018

Similar Records

Mitigating thermal runaway of lithium-ion battery through electrolyte displacement

Journal Article · 2017 · Applied Physics Letters · OSTI ID:1985531

Shi, Yang; Noelle, Daniel J.; Wang, Meng; +7 more

Roadmap for a sustainable circular economy in lithium-ion and future battery technologies

Journal Article · 2023 · JPhys Energy · OSTI ID:1957867

Harper, Gavin J.; Kendrick, Emma; Anderson, Paul A.; +62 more

Related Subjects

ENERGY STORAGE
battery recycling
battery safety
freezing batteries
lithium-ion batteries
thermal runaway

Effects of Cryogenic Freezing Upon Lithium-Ion Battery Safety and Component Integrity

Citation Formats

References (24)

Similar Records

Related Subjects