Grant: Automotive Partnership Canada Project

Lithium-ion batteries for automotive applications must meet more stringent requirements thau those forportable electronics. In particular, they must last for 10 years, sustain over 3000 charge discharge cycles andwithstand extremes of temperature. Automotive applications demand Li-ion batteries of low cost and highenergy density.Grid and off-grid energy storage applications for Li-ion batteries have similar requirements. Long lifetimesand cycle lives, in this case 30 years and 10,000 cycles are required. Cost reduction is again a prime concern,while energy density is less of a factor.Li-ion batteries for medical applications have long lifetime, high energy density and elevated temperaturerequirements, not unlike those for automotive, although they are not as cost sensitive.Li-ion battely requirements for automotive, electric utility and medical applications overlap significantly andadvances in batteries targeted for one application can be shared across the other application areas. Therefore,we have included non-competing partners from automotive (GM), automotive battely (Magna), electric utility(NSP), medical (Medtronic) and battely materials (3M) in this proposal.The cycle and calendar life of Li-ion batteries destined for long-lifetime applications will be characterizedusing advanced diagnostic methods, including high precision coulometry, differential capacity analysis andautomated cell storage. The impact of electrode material coatings, electrolyte additives, electrolyte solvents,new electrode materials, temperature, potential range, etc. on cell lifetime will be explored with the palmers onproduction and on prototype cells which incorporate a wide range of experimental materials, some of whichwill be provided by 3M Co. One goal will be to rapidly identify those cell chemistries and operating rangesthat give optimum cycle and calendar life. Another will be to transfer the advanced diagnostic methods to thepartner labs through scientific and technical exchange.