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Enhancing Lithium-Ion Battery Longevity Through Chemical Modifications

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Lithium-ion battery technology

Lithium-ion Batteries: A Path to Extended Lifespan

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Recent studies suggest that the lifespan of lithium-ion batteries can be extended using standard, cost-effective chemicals.

Lithium-ion batteries feature a porous separator sandwiched between a negative electrode and a positive electrode, immersed in an electrolyte that facilitates the movement of lithium ions during charging and discharging.

At the negative electrode, the electrolyte decomposes to create a thin protective coating that enhances battery stability and longevity.

Wang Chunsheng explains that forming a similar protective layer on the cathode has traditionally been challenging due to differing electrical conditions, which create a reactive environment that causes conventional electrolytes to break down before a stable coating can form, according to researchers from the University of Maryland.

Wang and his team utilized a straightforward reaction from organic chemistry to tackle this issue. This reaction enhances the electrolyte’s electron acceptance, inducing a controlled decomposition process that forms a stable protective coating on the cathode.

“By meticulously controlling the molecular decomposition of the electrolyte, we can precisely dictate the protective layer that forms on the cathode,” states Zhang Xiyue, a postdoctoral researcher in Wang’s group.

This flexibility in chemical reactions allows the resulting cathode-electrolyte layer to be tailored for enhanced protection, which could either provide strong shielding or design for faster electrochemical reactions, optimizing batteries for maximum power or extended life.

“If we can guarantee the formation of the cathode-electrolyte layer, it represents a significant advancement toward achieving longer battery cycles,” asserts Michel Armand from the CIC energiGUNE research center in Spain. Given that Wang and his colleagues modified the battery design using established chemical techniques, this new battery should be both safe and easy to manufacture, according to Armand.

While it remains uncertain exactly how much this innovative approach can extend the lifespan of lithium-ion batteries, further clarity is anticipated as the technology develops.

“This is a relatively simple modification to existing battery technology,” Wang notes. “After thorough safety and long-cycle testing, this approach could indeed reach consumers.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Optimized Lithium-Ion Batteries: Capable of Penetration Without Ignition

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Nail penetration tests on standard batteries (top) and those with enhanced electrolytes (bottom)

Professor Yi-Chun Lu, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Altering just one material in lithium-ion batteries could mitigate the risk of uncontrollable fires resulting from punctures or bends, paving the way for safer battery production in the coming years.

Lithium-ion batteries found in smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles consist of graphite electrodes, metal oxide electrodes, and a lithium salt electrolyte in a solvent. This liquid electrolyte facilitates ion flow, enabling battery charging in one direction and energy release in the opposite direction to power devices.

However, if these batteries are punctured and a short circuit occurs, the stored chemical energy can be released rapidly, with the potential to ignite a fire or cause an explosion.

To combat these risks, researchers have proposed alternative battery designs that incorporate protective gels and solid substitutes for liquid electrolytes. For instance, Yue Sun and colleagues at the Chinese University of Hong Kong have engineered a safe design that merely involves changing the electrolyte material.

Fires often result when negatively charged anions sever their bond with lithium in the battery. Once these bonds break, excessive heat is produced, leading to a destructive cycle known as thermal runaway.

To address this issue, the researchers developed a secondary solvent called lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide, which only binds to the existing solvent’s lithium at elevated temperatures, where thermal runaway initiates. Unlike conventional solvents, this new material prevents the existence of anionic bonds, thus averting the dangerous heat release cycle. When subjected to a nail penetration test, the temperature in the battery only increased by 3.5°C, contrasting with the over 500°C generated by traditional batteries.

“The problematic element is anions. Anions possess significant bond energy, and it’s their bond disruption that triggers thermal runaway,” says Gary Leeke at the University of Birmingham, UK. “This isolates the harmful elements from the process. It represents a significant leap forward in battery safety.”

Testing revealed that batteries using the new solvent retained 82% of their capacity after 4,100 hours, showing competitiveness with existing technologies.

Leeke stated that the outcomes of this research could be integrated into next-generation batteries that could be mass-produced within three to five years.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Can Your Power Bank Ignite a Fire on a Plane? Understanding the Rules and Risks of Lithium-Ion Batteries

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Virgin Australia is contemplating a revision of its rules regarding lithium batteries following a fire incident on a flight from Sydney, which was reportedly triggered by a power bank found in passenger carry-on luggage.

Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) reports that the average traveler carries at least four rechargeable lithium battery devices, which may include smartphones, laptops, and portable power banks.

If you’re curious about the regulations and the reasons lithium-ion batteries are viewed as potential flight hazards, here’s a brief summary.

Can I bring a power bank on a plane?

Yes, but the rules vary, so you should check the airline’s restrictions before your flight.

Generally, according to CASA, laptops and cameras may be included in checked luggage as long as they are completely powered off.

However, spare batteries and power banks must be carried in carry-on baggage due to risks of short-circuiting, overheating, and fires during flight.

Lithium-ion batteries exceeding 160WH are not allowed under any circumstances unless they are used as medical aids.

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Smart bags containing power banks or lithium-ion batteries are allowed, provided the battery can be removed and carried in the cabin before checking in.


Virgin Australia states that spare or loose batteries, including power banks, must solely be part of carry-on baggage and need to be kept in their original retail packaging; individual batteries should be placed in separate plastic bags, protective pouches, or have their terminals covered with tape.

Qantas advises that passengers with Apple AirPod cases and power banks containing spare or loose batteries should only store them in carry-on baggage.

The airline does not advise using or charging power banks on board for safety reasons.

Can I take a power bank on an overseas flight?

Numerous international airlines, including Thai Airways, Korean Airlines, Eva Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, and Singapore Airlines and its budget arm Scoot, have imposed bans regarding their use on board.

If you plan to fly with an international airline, it is essential to verify their specific rules prior to traveling.

Generally, travelers are expected to keep power banks in their carry-on luggage. However, whether or not you can use them in-flight depends on the particular airline.

Is the risk of lithium battery fires significant on airplanes?

Not necessarily. Professor Neeraj Sharma, a battery specialist at the University of New South Wales, states that lithium-ion batteries contain 20 different components, some of which are liquid, making them more volatile than solid elements like electrodes and casings.

Applying pressure to a lithium-ion battery can spark “thermal runaway” (an uncontrollable temperature increase); however, battery explosions are exceedingly rare.

Sharma notes that airlines still recommend carrying batteries in baggage to minimize the risk.

He also mentions that power banks and other lithium-ion battery devices, which are less regulated than mobile phones and laptops (like electric scooters and steam devices), could pose more risks and may be made from inferior quality batteries.

Professor Amanda Ellis, head of the Department of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Melbourne, agrees that lithium battery fires are not particularly likely to happen on flights.


She explains that the pressure within an airplane cabin is supported by “multiple layers of casings,” preventing batteries from reaching a critical failure. However, enclosed environments can make fires particularly hazardous, especially since it’s not possible to escape the situation while in flight.

“Fires release highly toxic gases, especially in limited spaces that are far from ideal,” she remarks.

Ellis adds that lithium-ion battery fires can be challenging to extinguish, as lithium can ignite and ignite surrounding materials—high-energy substances that can sustain burning for extended periods.

“Using water to douse a lithium fire is not advisable, which could be the first instinct of someone on a plane,” she notes.

What causes lithium-ion batteries to ignite?

Lithium-ion batteries comprise ions suspended within an electrolyte solution. During charging and discharging, these ions travel back and forth across the two electrodes.

Ellis states that a common cause of battery fires is overcharging, which can lead to overheating. If a battery becomes excessively charged, it can crack, causing the highly flammable electrolyte to ignite when it contacts air.

More sophisticated lithium-battery-powered devices, like smartphones, typically include a built-in “trickle system” that prevents overcharging by incrementally adding current to the battery.

However, Ellis explains that cheaper power banks often lack this safety feature.

“Avoid charging a power bank overnight,” she advises. “Only charge it for as long as necessary. Monitor the power bank until the indicator light switches from red to green.”

Overall, Ellis reassures that if lithium batteries are used correctly and under suitable conditions, they are generally safe, and passengers need not be overly concerned while flying.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Dangers Associated with Lithium-Ion Batteries

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summary

  • One of the biggest cleanup issues due to the fire in Southern California is lithium -ion batteries, which can explode after damage or heat.
  • The battery is located in electric vehicles and is overflowing in some burning nearby, including the Pacific Parisard.
  • The process of neutralizing the battery is complicated and requires high -level technical sophistication.

When a clean -up approach in the Los Angeles area begins, one of the largest tasks in areas that are suffering from mountain fire are many lithium -ion batteries involved in flames.

The battery supplies power to most plug -in hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles, and is used in golf carts, E -bikes, laptops, mobile phones, and wireless earphones. They can also be found in power banks that provide backup energy during the stop. More and more popular at home。

If damaged or overheated, lithium -ion batteries may ignite or explode. The remaining fever causes a chain reaction to burn the remaining fever in order to burn processes that can occur over a few days, weeks, or months in an incapacitated and natural process.

Officials have stated that Pacific Parisseed and Altadena facilities, which collectively destroyed at least 12,000 structures of Parisard and Eaton, had more electric vehicles than average.

“This is … from our estimation, it is probably the largest lithium -ion battery pickup and clean -up, and it has happened in the world history,” said the Case Commander of the Environmental Protection Agency's Parisado and Eaton Fire Cleanup. Steve Karanog said.

However, the clean -up process is complicated and consolidated.

The California Emergency Service Bureau has already dispatched a dangerous product team to find out where lithium -ion batteries and flags are posted. The EPA is referred to as a battery recovery team that supervises the efforts to collect them. CHRIS MYERS, a technical specialist in the lithium -ion battery involved in the EPA cleanup, said the collection process can be started early on Monday.

“It's dangerous because all of these batteries are not consumed by fire, so it's all dangerous now because it's damaged,” he said. Myers explained that the battery system for hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles is well protected, so even a vehicle damaged by a fire may have charged batteries.

Calanog said, “a lot of technical sophistication and care are needed,” to handle the battery. The EPA team needs to wear a flame -resistant clothing under a disposable protective suit. The mask covers the face, comes with an inserted cartridge, excludes chemical substances, or attached to the air tank. The crew blocks the operating area and stores water on the premises in case of flame.

Before you can send them to waste or recycled facilities, the collected batteries must be eliminated so that they are not kept in charge or very small. Therefore, according to Myers, the EPA may use the process developed after the 2023 Maui Wildfire. If the battery loses the charge, you can crush it with a steam roller or ship it to a special packaging facility.

Especially in California, lithium -ion batteries have been piled up after the wilderness, given the rise in the sale of hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles. In the state, 35 % of the new vehicles sold in the state will be excreted by 2026, and all new vehicles will be excreted by 2035.

In Los Angeles CountyAccording to the California Energy Committee, at least 581,000 vehicles, including plug -in hybrids and complete electric vehicles, were sold in the past 15 years. Even in Pacific Parisade alone, more than 5,500 zero emission vehicles were sold from 2010 to 2024.

“There are so many electric vehicles in this area. There are probably much more electric vehicles than in other areas,” said Adam Vangelpen, a spokeswoman at the Los Angeles Fire Department. “Many of these people also had solar roofs and solar batteries for wall power banks.”

YUZHANG LI, a professor of UCLA's chemistry and bio molecular engineering, stated that the most dangerous battery was not completely destroyed, but a partially burned car battery.

“If the electric vehicle is already burning out, I think the risk is relatively minimal because all fires have destroyed the battery,” he said.

When the authorities start a huge amount of cleaning from the fire in Southern California, the top priority that the EPA calls “phase 1” is to remove harmful waste such as asbestos, batteries, oil, paint, etc. because the material can be released. That is. Toxic smoke.

According to Calanog, it can take about six months for the entire process.

Meyers said that the battery recovery process would not slow down the timeline, but said, “The scale here is certainly a big challenge.”

Regarding the place to dispose of harmful waste, Calanog stated that EPA has not yet been determined and many sites are available.

However, Vangelpen said that many facilities that receive harmful waste are outside California, and that the amount of waste they want to accept may be limited.

You need to clear waste before the authorities clean up, that is, before debris removes. VANGERPEN has urged residents to avoid sifting the roof Rub until the property is considered safe.

“Residents should not try to remove dangerous debris,” he said. “Normal household supplies are dangerous and may bring risks.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Study Shows Environmental Threat Posed by ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Lithium-Ion Batteries

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Toxic PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ used in lithium-ion batteries that are essential to the clean energy transition New research findings As the emerging industry expands, it will pose threats to the environment and human health.

The multifaceted, peer-reviewed study focused on a little-studied and unregulated subclass of PFAS called bis-FASIs, which are used in lithium-ion batteries.

Researchers have found alarming levels of chemicals in the environment near manufacturing plants and in remote locations around the world, found that they can be toxic to living organisms, and found that battery waste in landfills is a major source of contamination.

“The nation faces two important challenges — minimizing water pollution and increasing access to clean, sustainable energy — and both are worthwhile,” said Jennifer Gelfo, a researcher at Texas Tech University and co-author of the study.


“But there is a bit of a tug-of-war between the two, and this study highlights that there is now an opportunity to better incorporate environmental risk assessments as we expand our energy infrastructure,” she added.

PFAS are a group of about 16,000 man-made compounds that are most commonly used to make products that are resistant to water, stains, and heat. PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because they do not break down naturally and are known to accumulate in the human body. PFAS have been linked to cancer, birth defects, liver disease, thyroid disease, a dramatic drop in sperm count, and a variety of other serious health problems.

As the transition unfolds, public health advocates have begun sounding the alarm about the need to find alternatives to toxic chemicals used in clean energy technologies like batteries and wind turbines.

The paper notes that few end-of-life standards exist for PFAS battery waste, and most ends up in municipal waste sites, where it can leach into waterways, accumulate locally or be transported long distances.

When historical leachate samples were examined for the presence of the chemical, no detections were found in samples taken before the mid-1990s, when the chemical was commercialized.

The study points out that while BisFASI can be reused, previous research has shown that only 5% of lithium batteries are recycled. Unless battery recycling is dramatically scaled up to keep up with demand, it is predicted that 8 million tonnes of battery waste will be generated by 2040.

“This shows we need to look more closely at this class of PFAS,” Guelfo said.

Little toxicity data exists on bis-FASI, so the study also looked at its effects on invertebrates and zebrafish. Effects were seen even at low levels of exposure, suggesting it may be as toxic as other PFAS compounds known to be dangerous.

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Researchers also took water, soil and air samples around a 3M plant in Minnesota and other large facilities known to make the chemical. Guelfo said the levels in the soil and water are of concern, and that detection of the chemical in the snow suggests it could easily travel through the air.

This could help explain why the chemicals have been found in China’s seawater and other remote locations not close to production plants.

The most commonly used definition of PFAS worldwide includes bis-FASIs, but one division of the EPA considers them to not belong to a chemical class, and therefore they are not included in the list of compounds monitored in U.S. waters. The EPA’s narrow definition of PFAS has been criticized by public health advocacy groups for excluding some chemicals at the urging of industry.

But the new study, combined with previous evidence, shows that bisFASI, like most other PFAS, is persistent, mobile and toxic, said co-author Lee Ferguson, a researcher at Duke University.

“This classification, coupled with the massive increase in clean energy storage that we’re seeing, should at the very least sound alarm bells,” he said.

Source: www.theguardian.com