Summary
- Charging lithium-ion batteries at high currents before leaving the factory is 30 times faster and increases battery lifespans by 50%
- Factory-charging a new lithium-ion battery with high currents depletes lithium supply but prolongs the battery’s life
- Machine learning was used to pinpoint specific changes in battery electrodes to increase lifespan and performance
- The study was led by a SLAC/Stanford team in collaboration with researchers from TRI, MIT, and the University of Washington
- Battery manufacturing is capital, energy, and time-intensive, making optimization of the process challenging.
Article
A study conducted at the SLAC-Stanford Battery Center in California found that charging lithium-ion batteries at high currents just before they leave the factory can increase battery lifespans by 50%. The researchers reported that giving batteries their first charge at unusually high currents can extend their average lifespan by 50% and reduce the initial charging time from 10 hours to just 20 minutes. This initial charge determines how well and how long the battery will work, affecting its performance and longevity in terms of the number of charge-discharge cycles it can handle before deteriorating.
The researchers discovered that factory-charging a new lithium-ion battery with high currents depletes its lithium supply but ultimately prolongs its life. The lost lithium is typically used to form a protective layer called solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on the surface of the negative electrode during the first charge. However, under fast charging conditions, lithium ions are also consumed during side reactions at the negative electrode, creating additional headspace in both electrodes and improving battery performance and lifespan.
Utilizing machine learning techniques, the researchers were able to pinpoint specific changes in the battery electrodes that contribute to the increase in lifespan and performance resulting from high-current factory charging. This insight can be valuable for electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturers seeking to optimize their processes and enhance the quality of their products. By understanding the underlying mechanisms that lead to improved battery performance, manufacturers may be able to streamline their manufacturing processes and produce more efficient and longer-lasting batteries.
The study was a collaborative effort between a team at SLAC/Stanford led by Professor Will Chueh and researchers from the Toyota Research Institute (TRI), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Washington. Steven Torrisi, a senior research scientist at TRI who participated in the research, highlighted the challenges of battery manufacturing, emphasizing the capital, energy, and time-intensive nature of the process. Optimizing the manufacturing process is difficult due to the multitude of factors involved, making research findings like those from the study valuable for battery manufacturers looking to improve their efficiency and product quality.
The findings of the study have significant implications for the battery industry, particularly for EV manufacturers striving to produce high-performance batteries with extended lifespans. By implementing high-current factory charging, manufacturers can potentially enhance the performance and longevity of lithium-ion batteries, offering consumers more reliable and durable energy storage solutions for various applications. Moving forward, continued research and collaboration within the industry can further advance battery technology and drive innovation in the development of more efficient and sustainable energy storage solutions.
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