TECH BEAT
Dr. Neil Canter / Contributing Editor
Safer lithium-ion batteries
A gummy electrolyte forms a non-conductive wax layer at
high temperatures to minimize the risk of thermal runaway.
THE DEMAND FOR BATTERIES that exhibit
better performance and are more du-
rable is ongoing as they are being used
and under development in a number
of applications such as automobiles
and electronics. With the need to
boost fuel economy, battery-powered
vehicles are in greater demand, but
weight and performance issues need to
be addressed.
Lithium-ion batteries have been fo-
cused on because they have the poten-
tial to deliver higher energy density
compared to most other battery types
without the need for a high degree of
maintenance. One area where there
has been much interest in upgrading
lithium-ion batteries is the develop-
10
ment of improved battery anodes. In a
previous TLT article, researchers de-
veloped a lithium-ion battery using
the readily available byproduct of pa-
per manufacturing, lignin.1 This natu-
ral material was converted through a
series of process steps into a lignin-
based carbon ber that displays very
promising performance as an anode
material. Better performance was de-
termined as compared to the incum-
bent anode material, graphite.
But one of the biggest problems in
using lithium-ion batteries is the po-
tential safety concerns that can occa-
sionally occur, leading to smoke and
res. Katie Zhong, Westinghouse Dis-
tinguished Professor in the school of
mechanical and materials engineering
at Washington State University in
Pullman, Wa., says, The root of the
safety problem with lithium-ion bat-
teries is the electrolyte used as a me-
dium through which ions can move
between the anode and the cathode to
create electricity. Leakage of the elec-
trolyte or gas-generating reactions can
lead to the remote possibility of ther-
mal runaway, resulting potentially in
smoke or re.
Two approaches have been tried to
eliminate the safety problems with
lithium-ion batteries. Zhong says,
Temperature sensors and ame-retar-
dant additives have been introduced
into lithium-ion batteries but with
limited success.
The other idea has been to replace
liquid electrolyte commonly used with
solid polymer electrolytes. Zhong says,
Solid electrolytes offer better safety
because leakage is eliminated as a
problem, but they also exhibit inferior
performance. Two areas where they are
Performance Additives for Lubricating Greases, an STLE University Webinar by
The root of the safety
problem with lithium-ion
batteries is the electrolyte
used as a medium
through which ions can
move between the anode
and the cathode to
create electricity.
decient are poor ionic conductivity
and very poor contact with the elec-
trode where there are lots of gaps and
adhesion is inadequate.
Gel electrolytes have been evalu-
ated but also suffer from safety con-
cerns due to a high level of liquid
electrolyte and unstable retention of
the liquid during deformation. There
is a need for a more stable electrolyte
that will combine the features of good
mechanical properties so that it can
handle deformation and a more effec-
tive interface with electrodes. Such an
electrolyte has been developed.
GUMMY ELECTROLYTE
Zhong and her associates have devel-
oped a new type of lithium-ion battery
electrolyte that combines good perfor-
mance comparable to a liquid electro-
lyte, better adhesive properties to elec-
trodes and enhanced safety. She says,
The origin of the idea for a gummy
electrolyte came at a conference I was
attending on battery performance
where adhesion properties were a big
issue. I noted the presence of chewing
 gum on the bottom of a shoe and g-
ured this might solve the problem.
The gummy electrolyte is a hybrid-
containing liquid and solid electro-
lytes. A wax emulsion method was
used to prepare this electrolyte. The
liquid electrolyte is lithium chlorate in
propylene carbonate and the solid
electrolyte consisting of high molecu-
lar weight polyethylene oxide. To im-
prove the safety properties of the elec-
trolyte, a core shell structure was
developed using wax particles.
In effect, the liquid electrolyte fa-
cilitates the migration of ions, while
the solid is present to ensure that no
leakage occurs. Zhong says, The wax
particles act to shut down ion ow
through the electrolyte by melting at a
sufciently high temperature to form a
non-conductive layer on the electrode.
This step blocks the ions from reach- +
ing the electrodes and shuts down the
battery before a safety problem can be
reached.
Figure 1 shows an image of the
Figure 1 | At high temperatures, the solid component in the gummy electrolyte will melt
waxy layer formed between a thermal- and form a non-conductive layer on the electrode preventing the battery from continuing
ly destroyed gummy electrolyte and an to operate and minimizing the occurrence of a safety problem. (Courtesy of Washington
electrode. The researchers assessed the State University)
ionic conductivity of the gummy elec-
trolyte as the temperature increased
and noted a signicant reduction in
conductivity once the wax melted.
Zhong indicates that the type of wax
found to be twice as sticky as real gum.
Good adhesion to electrodes was seen REFERENCES
with no evidence of any gaps. 1. Canter, N. (2013), Preparation
of Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes
The wax particles act to shut Mechanical properties for the gum-
using Lignin, TLT, 69 (12), pp.
my electrolyte proved that no leakage
down ion ow through the will occur during twisting and com-
16-17.
2. Wang, Y., Li, B., Ji, J., Eyler, A.
electrolyte by melting at a pression tests. Zhong says, We be-
and Zhong, W. (2013), A
lieve that the gummy electrolyte shows
sufciently high temperature good durability based on the mechani- Gum-Like Electrolyte: Safety of a
Solid, Performance of a Liquid,
cal testing, but well initiate work
to form a non-conductive shortly to evaluate the performance of
Advanced Energy Materials, 3
(12), pp. 1557-1562.
layer on the electrode. the gummy electrolyte in batteries to
prove that this concept will work over
a long operating period.
The researchers are looking for In the April Tech Beat article, Modeling of sudden
can be changed so that the gummy commercial partners to evaluate bat- uid thickening, on page 10, it should have men-
electrolyte can be tailored to the con- tery performance with the gummy tioned that Dr. Jeffrey Morris, along with Drs. Mor-
ton Denn, Ryohei Seto and Romain Mari at The City
ditions encountered in a specic appli- electrolyte. Additional information
College of New York in New York, N.Y., have devel-
cation. about this technology can be found in oped a new model to explain discontinuous shear
The adhesive properties of the a recent paper2 or by contacting Zhong thickening that focuses on the frictional contact
gummy properties were evaluated and at katie_zhong@wsu.edu. between particles. TLT regrets the error.

Gareth Fish (The Lubrizol Corp.), May 7, noon-1 p.m. CDT. Register at www.stle.org. 11
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