Scientists in Moscow have developed a titanium based electrode material for metal ion batteries. They say it challenges the perception wisdom of the cathode potential of this element, which may provide researchers with a site for sustainable design, cost-effective titanium based electrodes.

 

Breakthrough of titanium cathode battery to promote the sustainable design of battery in the future

 

For a long time, there have been some disputes about the exploitation of lithium and cobalt, the production materials of lithium-ion batteries. Alternative chemical materials are the focus of many institutions engaged in energy storage research. Both sodium ion and potassium ion batteries have the potential to replace lithium, and titanium is one of the materials to replace cobalt in the cathode. However, people's interest in titanium research is actually limited, because the potential of titanium is very low, which limits the capacity of batteries. Although there are lithium titanate batteries on the market, they always occupy a small market share because of low energy density.

 

Recently, scientists from the skoltech Energy Technology Center (CEST) in Russia said that they had overcome difficulties and made a breakthrough in designing cathode materials for metal ion batteries based on titanium.

 

It is reported that the material titanium fluoride phosphate (ktipo4f) developed by the team has been tested in potassium ion batteries, and its electrode potential is 3.6 V, which means that the battery combined with it can work at this voltage, and when the charging rate is 5C, there will be no capacity degradation after 100 charges. (5 times the current relative to the battery capacity).

 

Breakthrough of titanium cathode battery to promote the sustainable design of battery in the future

 

The head of skoltech Energy Technology Center said, "this is an unusual result, which breaks the long-standing stereotype of the battery circle, that is, because of the low potential of titanium, titanium based materials can only be used as anodes." Scientists believe that the unexpected high performance of cathode materials may be due to the cumulative induction effect of two anions and the synergistic effect of charge / vacancy order. Scientists believe that the discovery of high-pressure ktipo4f can provide new impetus for the search and development of new titanium containing cathode materials.

 

From the perspective of inorganic chemistry and solid-state chemistry, the use of titanium based materials as cathode is a good case, which proves to us that we should not blindly follow the generally accepted dogma, but should open our eyes to see the problem. If you choose the right chemical composition, crystal structure and synthesis method, the impossible will become possible, and you may find new materials with new properties and new opportunities for practical application.

 

The science and Technology Center said that this discovery provides a case for future battery design and promotes the industry to actively invest in the design of low-cost and sustainable new materials.

Article source: First lithium power grid