Unlocking the self-supported thermal runaway of high-energy lithium-ion batteries
Abstract
Layered Ni-rich LiNixMnyCo1-x-yO2 (NMC) materials are the most promising cathode materials for Li-ion batteries due to their favorable energy densities. However, the low thermal stability typically caused by detrimental oxygen release leads to significant safety concerns. Determining the pathways of oxygen evolution reaction is essential, as the ideal safety countermeasure is to break the reaction chain of thermal runaway. In this study, we demonstrate that two endogenous pathways of oxygen involved in strong exothermic reactions lead the NMC811|graphite pouch cell to an uncontrollable state, and we quantify the individual contribution of the pathways to thermal runaway. Approximately 41% of thermal-induced oxygen reacts aggressively with ethylene carbonate (EC) at the cathode/electrolyte interface with 16% heat generation, accelerating the self-heating rate and thereby further triggering thermal runaway. The residual oxygen that survives the reaction with carbonate spreads to the lithiated anode with major heat generation (65%), bringing the battery to the maximum destructive temperature during thermal runaway. By confirming the significant roles of EC and anode, a deeper understanding on battery fire was achieved. Finally, the revealed mechanism can help guide studies on stopping the two reaction pathways, allowing for the safer use of high-energy lithium-ion batteries in the future.
- Authors:
-
- Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China)
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Yokosuka (Japan)
- R&D China, Électricité de France, Beijing (China)
- Think Energy Co., Ltd., Beijing (China)
- Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China); Think Energy Co., Ltd., Beijing (China)
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Transportation Office. Vehicle Technologies Office; Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of China (MOST); National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC); China Postdoctoral Science Foundation; Tsinghua University; U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center (CERC)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1820567
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-06CH11357; 2019YFE0100200; 52006115; 52076121; BX20190162; 2019M660631; 2019Z02UTY06
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Energy Storage Materials
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 39; Journal ID: ISSN 2405-8297
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 25 ENERGY STORAGE
Citation Formats
Hou, Junxian, Feng, Xuning, Wang, Li, Liu, Xiang, Ohma, Atsushi, Lu, Languang, Ren, Dongsheng, Huang, Wensheng, Li, Yan, Yi, Mengchao, Wang, Yu, Ren, Jianqiao, Meng, Zihan, Chu, Zhengyu, Xu, Gui-Liang, Amine, Khalil, He, Xiangming, Wang, Hewu, Nitta, Yoshiaki, and Ouyang, Minggao. Unlocking the self-supported thermal runaway of high-energy lithium-ion batteries. United States: N. p., 2021.
Web. doi:10.1016/j.ensm.2021.04.035.
Hou, Junxian, Feng, Xuning, Wang, Li, Liu, Xiang, Ohma, Atsushi, Lu, Languang, Ren, Dongsheng, Huang, Wensheng, Li, Yan, Yi, Mengchao, Wang, Yu, Ren, Jianqiao, Meng, Zihan, Chu, Zhengyu, Xu, Gui-Liang, Amine, Khalil, He, Xiangming, Wang, Hewu, Nitta, Yoshiaki, & Ouyang, Minggao. Unlocking the self-supported thermal runaway of high-energy lithium-ion batteries. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensm.2021.04.035
Hou, Junxian, Feng, Xuning, Wang, Li, Liu, Xiang, Ohma, Atsushi, Lu, Languang, Ren, Dongsheng, Huang, Wensheng, Li, Yan, Yi, Mengchao, Wang, Yu, Ren, Jianqiao, Meng, Zihan, Chu, Zhengyu, Xu, Gui-Liang, Amine, Khalil, He, Xiangming, Wang, Hewu, Nitta, Yoshiaki, and Ouyang, Minggao. Fri .
"Unlocking the self-supported thermal runaway of high-energy lithium-ion batteries". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensm.2021.04.035. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1820567.
@article{osti_1820567,
title = {Unlocking the self-supported thermal runaway of high-energy lithium-ion batteries},
author = {Hou, Junxian and Feng, Xuning and Wang, Li and Liu, Xiang and Ohma, Atsushi and Lu, Languang and Ren, Dongsheng and Huang, Wensheng and Li, Yan and Yi, Mengchao and Wang, Yu and Ren, Jianqiao and Meng, Zihan and Chu, Zhengyu and Xu, Gui-Liang and Amine, Khalil and He, Xiangming and Wang, Hewu and Nitta, Yoshiaki and Ouyang, Minggao},
abstractNote = {Layered Ni-rich LiNixMnyCo1-x-yO2 (NMC) materials are the most promising cathode materials for Li-ion batteries due to their favorable energy densities. However, the low thermal stability typically caused by detrimental oxygen release leads to significant safety concerns. Determining the pathways of oxygen evolution reaction is essential, as the ideal safety countermeasure is to break the reaction chain of thermal runaway. In this study, we demonstrate that two endogenous pathways of oxygen involved in strong exothermic reactions lead the NMC811|graphite pouch cell to an uncontrollable state, and we quantify the individual contribution of the pathways to thermal runaway. Approximately 41% of thermal-induced oxygen reacts aggressively with ethylene carbonate (EC) at the cathode/electrolyte interface with 16% heat generation, accelerating the self-heating rate and thereby further triggering thermal runaway. The residual oxygen that survives the reaction with carbonate spreads to the lithiated anode with major heat generation (65%), bringing the battery to the maximum destructive temperature during thermal runaway. By confirming the significant roles of EC and anode, a deeper understanding on battery fire was achieved. Finally, the revealed mechanism can help guide studies on stopping the two reaction pathways, allowing for the safer use of high-energy lithium-ion batteries in the future.},
doi = {10.1016/j.ensm.2021.04.035},
journal = {Energy Storage Materials},
number = ,
volume = 39,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Apr 30 00:00:00 EDT 2021},
month = {Fri Apr 30 00:00:00 EDT 2021}
}
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