Lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) is one of the dominant cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries. Here a simple, efficient and scalable surface doping technique is successfully demonstrated, which can be readily used in mass production of cathode materials. For the first time neodymium oxide (Nd2O3) has been employed as the surface doping agent. The Nd-doped NMC shows greatly improved cycling and rate performance, and the enhanced cycling stability has been demonstrated in full pouch cells, with a 17.5% increase in capacity retention after 300 cycles. Fewer cracks have been observed in the doped NMC after cycling, andin situX-ray diffraction reveals the suppressed lattice collapse by Nd doping. Greatly suppressed surface phase change has been confirmed by HR-TEM and EELS. The result suggests great promise in using this dry doping technique to enhance the electrochemical performance of NMC cathodes.

Nickel-rich cathodes such as LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 (NCM622) have received considerable attention as a result of their high delivered capacity. However, owing to high nickel content, NCM622 cathodes suffer from reduced cycle life and thermal stability compared to lower nickel content NCM523 and NCM333 cathodes. (1) Traditional approaches to coating and doping, including exploration of various coating (Al2O3, AlF3, SiO2) and dopant (Al3+, Mg2+, F-) species which either act as a passivating layer between the cathode surface and reactive electrolyte or to stabilize the structure of the material, have been employed in the past to improve the performance of Ni-rich cathodes. (2-9) This presentation demonstrates the effectiveness of a large batch (i.e. 500 grams) coating process to deposit either AlF3 or ZnO on NCM622 cathode material. The process is a dry mixing technique wherein the coating is applied using powerful mechanical energy to induce mechano-chemical reactions between the surface of NCM622 and AlF3 or ZnO. SEM imaging and EDX mapping illustrate that the size or morphology of the secondary particles is not affected by the process and the coating species is well-distributed among the bulk. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and temperature-depending X-ray diffraction (XRD) were conducted to monitor the thermal stability of AlF3 and ZnO coated NCM622. Temperature-dependent XRD shows the structural degradation of the layered NCM622 structure to a non-layered rock-salt structure as a function of temperature. The peak positions in the DSC correspond directly to the c lattice parameter decreasing, which is caused by oxygen release, and the conversion to a rock-salt phase. These results indicate how AlF3 and ZnO coatings alter the collapse and phase transition of the delithiated NCM622 during heating. References (1) Liu, W.; Oh, P.; Liu, X.; Lee, M.-J.; Cho, W.; Chae, S.; Kim, Y.; Cho, J. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 4440-4457. (2) Mohanty, D.; Dahlberg, K.; King, D. M.; David, L. A.; Sefat, A. S.; Wood, D. L.; Daniel, C.; Dhar, S.; Mahajan, V.; Lee, M.; Albano, F. Reports 2016, 6, 26532. (3) Han, B.; Paulauskas, T.; Key, B.; Peebles, C.; Park, J. S.; Klie, R. F.; Vaughey, J. T.; Dogan, F. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2017, 9, 14769-14778. (4) Liao, J.-Y.; Manthiram, A. Power Sources 2015, 282, 429-436. (5) Du, K.; Xie, H.; Hu, G.; Peng, Z.; Cao, Y.; Yu, F. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2016, 8, 17713-17720. (6) Zhou, P.; Zhang, Z.; Meng, H.; Lu, Y.; Cao, J.; Cheng, F.; Tao, Z.; Chen, J. Nanoscale 2016, 8, 19263-19269. (7) Woo, S.-U.; Yoon, C. S.; Amine, K.; Belharouak, I.; Sun, Y.-K. Electrochem. Soc. 2007, 154, A1005-A1009. (8) Hu, G.; Zhang, M.; Liang, L.; Peng, Z.; Du, K.; Cao, Y. Electrochimica Acta 2016, 190, 264-275. (9) Krishna Kumar, S.; Ghosh, S.; Ghosal, P.; Martha, S. K. Power Sources 2017, 356, 115-123.

Yao Chen received her PhD degree in physical chemistry from Wuhan University in 2014 and now is a cathode manager at Wanxiang A123 Systems Asia. Lifeng Zheng is executive director of Wanxiang A123 Systems Asia and has more than 10 years of experience related to research and development (R&D) and Li-ion battery manufacturing. Derek C. Johnson received his PhD degree in chemical and biological engineering from Colorado State University in 2006 and now is vice president of global R&D at A123 Systems. Christopher L. Campion received his PhD degree in organic chemistry from the University of Rhode Island and now is a senior manager of global technology at A123 Systems.

A123 has traditionally been a lithium-ion phosphate (LFP) focused company, providing state-of-the-art, high power solutions with excellent safety for low voltage automotive applications. This focus continues to result in the development of unique LFP synthesis and crystal structure doping processes to further enhance low temperature performance. In an effort to produce safe, high-energy density cells utilizing nickel-rich NCM cathodes and large capacity anode materials, A123 is implementing the same crystal level doping and surface coating approach that has been effective for low voltage material development. This presentation topic is therefore focused on the high power cathode material development that has resulted in Lithium Ion Starter Batteries (LiSBs) with cold crank capabilities that surpass lead acid batteries and high energy advancements at the material and cell levels in order to achieve energy densities approaching 300 Wh/kg and 600 Wh/L for EV applications.

The growing need for scalable systems that can inactivate microbiological contaminants and recycle water in industrial operations has led to the development of a variety of new advanced oxidation process (AOP) technologies. In this paper, we report on the capability and techno-economics of a new AOP method to generate aqueous plasma species for inhibition of microbiological contaminants. The test microorganisms in this work were Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (a motile, Gram-negative bacterium that oxidizes sulfides to sulfates and ferrous iron to ferric iron, used as a model biofouling organism) and Legionella gratiana (a Gram-negative bacteria used as a surrogate of the human pathogen Legionella pneumophila, which can be a dangerous contaminant in cooling water systems). The cultured bacteria were dispersed in water and treated within a non-thermal plasma treatment system for varied exposure times, and then the bactericidal effects were measured. The results demonstrated plasma inhibition of A. ferrooxidans, with an approximate 6 log decrease in viability (assayed as most probable number) with 40s of aqueous plasma treatment in the plasma treatment system. Likewise, L. gratiana viability was decreased, with an approximate 6 log decrease in viability with 20s of aqueous plasma treatment (assayed as colony-forming units). Modeling the techno-economic aspects of these disinfection reactions in the treatment system indicated the potential for the technology to be competitive with existing AOP and aqueous chemical-based disinfection methods.

Plasma pharmacy is a subset of the broader field of plasma medicine. Although not strictly defined, the term aqueous plasma pharmacy (APP) is used to refer to the generation and distribution of reactive plasma-generated species in an aqueous solution followed by subsequent administration for therapeutic benefits. APP attempts to harness the therapeutic effects of plasma-generated oxidant species within aqueous solution in various applications, such as disinfectant solutions, cell proliferation related to wound healing, and cancer treatment. The subsequent use of plasma-generated solutions in the APP approach facilitates the delivery of reactive plasma species to internal locations within the body. Although significant efforts in the field of plasma medicine have concentrated on employing direct plasma plume exposure to cells or tissues, here we focus specifically on plasma discharge in aqueous solution to render the solution biologically active for subsequent application. Methods of plasma discharge in solution are reviewed, along with aqueous plasma chemistry and the applications for APP. The future of the field also is discussed regarding necessary research efforts that will enable commercialization for clinical deployment.

High energy cells with SiO/graphite composite anode tend to demonstrate fast capacity fade and gas generation during long term cycling test, due primarily to large volume expansion of Si particles and continuous SEI formation which consumes electrolyte components quickly. As a result, loss of accessible anode material and depletion of electrolyte are common failure mechanisms. Overcoming those challenges requires careful electrolyte formulation to create a stable anode SEI layer with the goal of extending cycle life and reducing cell gas generation. In this study, a commercial grade small-format pouch cell with SiO/graphite and NCM 523 was selected as an electrochemical test vehicle to screen various electrolyte formulations. A baseline was obtained with commercial electrolytes, which revealed fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) as a key enabling additive for cycle life. Unfortunately severe cell gassing is often observed with cells that exhibited superior cycle life. A rigorous electrolyte formation matrix was then constructed by varying FEC content, solvent type and ratio, introducing anti-gassing additives and mixed salts. Subsequent testing of these formulations demonstrated that up to 2% 1,3-propane sultone (PS) could effectively reduce cell gassing, but the associated higher cell impedance also adversely impacted cycle life. Formulations with lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB) as a secondary salt had little influence on cell cyclability but significantly increased cell gassing. The culpability of the additive was confirmed via gas composition analysis. Other variables such as solvent ratio and additives commonly used in graphite based cells appeared to be much less effective for Si containing anodes. Through composition modification, an optimal electrolyte formulation was identified with long cycle life and low gas generation.

Secondary lithium-ion batteries have found multiple applications in portable electronics where high charge and discharge rates are not required to improve performance. However, lithium-ion batteries are currently being sought for high power applications that require long cycle life, such as those encountered in the transportation sector. To meet these performance requirements, the shortcomings that have relegated the use of conventional lithium-ion batteries to low-power applications need to be addressed. In an attempt to fabricate batteries with high power densities, current technology is moving toward electrode materials with irregular surfaces resulting in high interfacial surface areas and short characteristic lithium-ion diffusion lengths. The use of three-dimensional (3D) architectures with interdigitated electrodes with the above described electrode characteristics have been proposed to alleviate these shortcomings because it allows a significant decoupling of the inversely proportional relationship between energy and power density. This conference proceeding manuscript is focused on the idealized calculations of both nanowire and foam 3D architectures utilizing electrode and electrolyte components that are currently being developed. A brief discussion of the use of electrodeposition as the main synthetic technique towards realizing a truly 3D solid-state lithium-ion cell is also presented.

Strontium titanate nanoparticles have been synthesized using a combination of sol-precipitation and hydrothermal techniques for subsequent testing as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The potentials associated with lithiation are 0.105 V and 0.070 V vs. Li/Li+ and 0.095 V and 0.142 V vs. Li/Li+ during de-lithiation. These potentials are significantly lower than the 1.0 V to 1.5 V vs. Li/Li+ typically reported in the literature for titanates. In an attempt to improve the lithiation and de-lithiation kinetics, as well as capacity retention, SrTiO3 nanoparticles were platinized using a photoinduced reduction of chloroplatinic acid. No significant changes in the morphology or crystal structure of the platinized nanoparticles were observed as a result of the reduction reaction. The voltage profile, charge and discharge kinetics, and cyclability of the platinized SrTiO3 nanoparticles are compared to that of the non-platinized SrTiO3 nanoparticles.

Stoichiometric copper(I) selenide nanoparticles have been synthesized using the hot injection method. The effects of air exposure on the surface composition, crystal structure, and electronic properties were monitored using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and conductivity measurements. The current-voltage response changes from semiconducting to ohmic, and within a week a 3000-fold increase in conductivity is observed under ambient conditions. The enhanced electronic properties can be explained by the oxidation of Cu(+) and Se(2-) on the nanoparticle surface, ultimately leading to a solid-state conversion of the core from monoclinic Cu(2)Se to cubic Cu(1.8)Se. This behavior is a result of the facile solid-state ionic conductivity of cationic Cu within the crystal and the high susceptibility of the nanoparticle surface to oxidation. This regulated transformation is appealing as one could envision using layers of Cu(2)Se nanoparticles as both semiconducting and conducting domains in optoelectronic devices simply by tuning the electronic properties for each layer through controlled oxidation.

Strontium titanate nanoparticles have been synthesized using a combination of sol-precipitation and hydrothermal techniques for subsequent testing as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The potentials associated with lithiation are 0.105V and 0.070V vs. Li/Li+ and 0.095V and 0.142V vs. Li/Li+ during de-lithiation. These potentials are significantly lower than the 1.0V to 1.5V vs. Li/Li+ typically reported in the literature for titanates. In an attempt to improve the lithiation and de-lithiation kinetics, as well as capacity retention, SrTiO3 nanoparticles were platinized using a photoinduced reduction of chloroplatinic acid. No significant changes in the morphology or crystal structure of the platinized nanoparticles were observed as a result of the reduction reaction. The voltage profile, charge and discharge kinetics, and cyclability of the platinized SrTiO3 nanoparticles are compared to that of the non-platinized SrTiO3 nanoparticles.

Three-dimensional (3D) battery architectures have emerged as a new direction for powering microelectromechanical systems and other small autonomous devices. Although there are few examples to date of fully functioning 3D batteries, these power sources have the potential to achieve high power density and high energy density in a small footprint. This overview highlights the various architectures proposed for 3D batteries, the advances made in the fabrication of components designed for these devices, and the remaining technical challenges. Efforts directed at establishing design rules for 3D architectures and modeling are providing insight concerning the energy density and current uniformity achievable with these architectures. The significant progress made on the fabrication of electrodes and electrolytes designed for 3D batteries is an indication that a number of these battery architectures will be successfully demonstrated within the next few years.