Nickel Nitride for Li-ion anode material with good reversible capacity
26 February 2011
Researchers in France and Spain have designed a nickel nitride material for use as an anode in Li-ion batteries that shows good reversible capacity. A paper on their work is published in the RSC Journal of Materials Chemistry.
Nickel nitride was prepared through different routes involving ammonolysis of different precursors (Ni(NH3)6Br2 or nickel nanoparticles obtained from the reduction of nickel nitrate with hydrazine) and thermal decomposition of nickel amide obtained by precipitation in liquid ammonia.
The electrochemical behavior against lithium was tested in all cases, the specific capacity being much larger for the latter (1200 mA h g-1 compared to 85 mA h g-1 and 125 mAh g-1 respectively). Ni3N ‘cast’ electrodes exhibited good rate capability, with 500 mAh g-1 reversible capacity maintained after 10 cycles at a rate of 1 Li per h.
—Gillot et al.
Resources
Frédéric Gillot, Judith Oró-Solé and M. Rosa Palacín (2011) Nickel nitride as negative electrode material for lithium ion batteries. J. Mater. Chem., Advance Article doi: 10.1039/C0JM04144K
This could eventually be part of much higher energy density batteries at a lower cost. The world need a few more developments like this one.
Posted by: HarveyD | 26 February 2011 at 08:48 AM
No doubt a 10-year venture in competition with dozens of others persuing the same outcome - large increase in capacity. Cycle life will be the key along with production cost.
Harvey D:
What is meant by "cycles at a rate of 1 Li per h"?
Posted by: TheOne | 26 February 2011 at 01:57 PM
Cycling rate of 1C = One Li per hour.
Posted by: HarveyD | 01 March 2011 at 08:32 AM