Identification of critical moisture exposure for nickel-rich cathode active materials in lithium-ion battery production

Maximilian Lechner, Simon Wölfl, Elena Kurz, Rüdiger Daub

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Nickel-rich cathode materials are crucial for improving lithium-ion battery performance due to their potential for high energy densities. However, their sensitivity to humidity demands cost- and energy-intensive dry room production environments. This study examined the storage stability of a surface-treated nickel-rich cathode (≈ 91 mol% nickel) under industry-relevant scenarios to assess the required atmospheres and the impact of short moisture exposure on material and cell performance. Calendered and non-calendered cathodes were produced in a dry room with a dew point of −60 °C and then exposed to dew points of up to −20 °C and ambient atmosphere (dew point ≈ 5 °C). Analysis showed that calendered electrodes were more susceptible to carbonate formation at higher dew points. Cycling tests of single-layer full-pouch cells indicated that carbonate impurities, predominantly present on electrodes stored in ambient conditions, reduced energy efficiency during formation but did not significantly affect long-term performance. These findings suggest that less stringent dry room requirements could reduce production costs and energy consumption for high-performance lithium-ion battery cells.

Original languageEnglish
Article number235661
JournalJournal of Power Sources
Volume626
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Jan 2025

Keywords

  • Dry room operation
  • Lithium-ion battery production
  • Moisture sensitivity
  • Nickel-rich cathode active materials

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