Advances in Electrochemical Energy Materials and Technologies

摘要

2.1 INTRODUCTION Greenhouse gas emissions from consumption of fossil fuels by traditional vehicles are major causes of global warming and worldwide climate change. Rechargeable batteries are widely considered as the promising power source for the next generation of electric vehicles in order to relieve our reliance on fossil fuels. The lithium-ion battery is well recognized as the best choice among all different electrochemical power sources, such as fuel cells, solar cells, lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, and nickel metal hydride batteries. The research and development on the lithium-ion batteries has progressed rapidly since it was first commercialized in the 1990s. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries have revolutionized portable electronic devices and have become the dominant power source for mobile phones, laptop computers, and digital cameras because of their high energy density [1,2]. However, the charge-discharge process in lithium-ion batteries at high current rates can cause a high level of polarization for bulk materials and degrade the electrochemical properties of the batteries. The development of electric vehicles or hybrid electric vehicles demands high-power batteries that can operate under high current conditions. In the following sections, we will briefly introduce advances in materials and technologies for lithium-ion batteries and lithium oxygen batteries.