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Lithium-Ion, Lithium Metal and Alternative Rechargeable Battery Technologies: The Odyssey for High Energy Density

Authors:
Tobias Placke at Mercedes-Benz AG
Tobias Placke
  • Mercedes-Benz AG
Richard Schmuch at Fraunhofer FFB
Richard Schmuch
  • Fraunhofer FFB
Simon Dühnen at University of Münster
Simon Dühnen
Martin Winter
Martin Winter
Martin Winter
  • This person is not on ResearchGate, or hasn't claimed this research yet.
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Abstract and Figures

Since their market introduction in 1991, lithium ion batteries (LIBs) have developed evolutionary in terms of their specific energies (Wh/kg) and energy densities (Wh/L). Currently, they do not only dominate the small format battery market for portable electronic devices, but have also been successfully implemented as the technology of choice for electromobility as well as for stationary energy storage. Besides LIBs, a variety of different technologically promising battery concepts exists that, depending on the respective technology, might also be suitable for various application purposes. These systems of the “next generation,” the so-called post-lithium ion batteries (PLIBs), such as metal/sulfur, metal/air or metal/oxygen, or “post-lithium technologies” (systems without Li), which are based on alternative single (Na⁺, K⁺) or multivalent ions (Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺), are currently being studied intensively. From today’s point of view, it seems quite clear that there will not only be a single technology for all applications (technology monopoly), but different battery systems, which can be especially suitable or combined for a particular application (technology diversity). In this review, we place the lithium ion technology in a historical context and give insights into the battery technology diversity that evolved during the past decades and which will, in turn, influence future research and development.
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REVIEW
Lithium ion, lithium metal, and alternative rechargeable battery
technologies: the odyssey for high energy density
Tobias Placke
1
&Richard Kloepsch
1
&Simon Dühnen
1
&Martin Winter
1,2
Received: 20 March 2017 /Accepted: 17 April 2017 /Published online: 17 May 2017
#Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2017
Abstract Since their market introduction in 1991, lithium ion
batteries (LIBs) have developed evolutionary in terms of their
specific energies (Wh/kg) and energy densities (Wh/L).
Currently, they do not only dominate the small format battery
market for portable electronic devices, but have also been
successfully implemented as the technology of choice for
electromobility as well as for stationary energy storage.
Besides LIBs, a variety of different technologically promising
battery concepts exists that, depending on the respective tech-
nology, might also be suitable for various application pur-
poses. These systems of the Bnext generation,^the so-called
post-lithium ion batteries (PLIBs), such as metal/sulfur, metal/
air or metal/oxygen, or Bpost-lithium technologies^(systems
without Li), which are based on alternative single (Na
+
,K
+
)or
multivalent ions (Mg
2+
,Ca
2+
), are currently being studied
intensively. From today’s point of view, it seems quite clear
that there will not only be a single technology for all applica-
tions (technology monopoly), but different battery systems,
which can be especially suitable or combined for a particular
application (technology diversity). In this review, we place the
lithium ion technology in a historical context and give insights
into the battery technology diversity that evolved during the
past decades and which will, in turn, influence future research
and development.
Keywords Lithium ion batteries .Lithium metal batteries .
Post-lit hium ion batteries .Energydensity .History of batteries
Introduction
One of today’s most challenging issues of mankind is the
preservation of a consistent energy supply that is able to meet
the world’s increasing energy demands. The development of
novel technologies is of utmost importance to ensure sustain-
able long-term energy generation, conversion and storage.
The present Benergy economy^is considered to be at serious
risk as it is still and to a large extent depending on fossil fuels.
This risk concern gives rise to the development of renewable
energies such as wind or solar power. This trend is not only
due to the increasing shortages of non-renewable (fossil) re-
sources, but also related to the growing concerns about the
environmental impact of fossil fuel combustion products in-
cluding global warming and (air) pollution. Beijing has be-
come famous as just one representative for a vast number of
metropolitan cities where the people strongly suffer from the
high air pollution by smoke and fog, better known as smog. It
has been known for quite some time that air pollutants such as
ozone or fine dust particles are harmful to health. According to
the most recent estimates of the international energy agency
(IEA), more than six million people worldwide die from the
consequences of combustion exhaust gases per year [1].
One major strategy to tackle these immense problems lies
in the integration of clean and efficient energy storage from
renewables into different energy sectors such as transportation
and stationary storage. Electrochemical energy storage in the
form of rechargeable batteries is the most efficient and feasible
solution for various types of storage applications, for small-
scale as well as large-scale utilization. The lithium ion tech-
nology revolutionized energy storage since its market
*Tobias Placke
tobias.placke@uni-muenster.de
*Martin Winter
martin.winter@uni-muenster.de; m.winter@fz-juelich.de
1
MEET Battery Research Center, Institute of Physical Chemistry,
University of Münster, Corrensstr. 46, 48149 Münster, Germany
2
Helmholtz Institute Münster, IEK-12, Forschungszentrum Jülich
GmbH, Corrensstr. 46, 48149 Münster, Germany
J Solid State Electrochem (2017) 21:1939–1964
DOI 10.1007/s10008-017-3610-7
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
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