Nanotechnology used in Li-ion Battery for Electric Vehicles

Abstract

In recent years, environmental issues have been given increasing attention, and electric vehicles have replaced conventional combustion engined vehicles as a critical focus for development. In order to win the market, electric vehicles (EVs) must have sufficiently good performance, such as a longer mileage range, long cycling life, and time-saving charging, and the performance of the battery is one of the essential factors determining the performance of the EVs. In order to make more environmentally friendly electric vehicles available, the performance of lithium-ion batteries, which are the mainstream EV batteries, must be improved, and nanotechnology can facilitate this process. This report summarizes four promising materials for the cathodes and anodes of lithium batteries for electric vehicles and how nanotechnology can improve them. For LiMn2O4 (LMO), LiNi1-x-yMnxCoyO2 (NMC), and LiNiCoAlO2 (NCA) as cathode materials and Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) as anode material, nano-doping, nano-structuring, and surface coating are effective techniques to enhance the stability and rate capacity, and cycle performance of the battery. In the case of LMC, nanotechnology can help solve the Jahn-Teller distortions and stabilize the structure; for NMC, nanotechnology can suppress ion dissolution and chemical reactivity. For NCA, it can strengthen conductivity and capacity. And finally, for LTO, nanotechnology can faster charge/discharge rate. This paper looks forward to the maturation of these nanotechnologies and their practical application, and the identification of more nanotechnologies that can enhance the performance of Li-ion batteries to help make electric vehicles more usable and contribute to environmental development.