Chapter 3 - Intercalation compounds for advanced lithium batteries

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the properties of intercalation compounds currently in use, such as electrode materials in advanced secondary (rechargeable) lithium batteries—particularly those in which there is an appreciable amount of ionic transport within solid components. The low atomic mass of lithium results in a specific capacity of 3,800 mAh/g. The voltage of lithium batteries is significantly higher than that of the Pb-acid and Ni-metal hydride ones because lithium is the most electropositive element found in nature. Two approaches can be followed to employ intercalation compounds in lithium batteries. The first system utilizes an intercalation material as the positive electrode and lithium metal as the negative electrode—the so-called lithium-metal battery. The second system uses two spongy materials as electrodes, in which the lithium ions can be shuttled from one intercalation compound to another. This type of battery is commonly known as a “lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery.” A necessary condition in applying materials to batteries is their ability to display redox properties—that is, reduction-oxidation reaction, which is more or less the case of almost all inorganic materials in appropriate electrolytes.