Lithium Innovations for Future Electric vehicles (LIFE)

“采用高能量密度电池对于延长电动汽车的续航里程、减少里程焦虑、提高消费者接受度是必要的。使用锂金属作为负极材料的电池比传统锂离子电池具有更高的能量密度；与石墨阳极相比，使用锂金属可以实现两倍的重力能量增加。然而，由于锂的高反应性，它们的循环寿命很短。目前最先进的锂硫电池和锂金属阳极的锂离子电池的循环寿命约为100次。为了解决这个问题，OXIS在实验室规模上开发了锂金属箔的保护涂层，从而延长了锂硫电池的循环寿命。为了提高汽车市场所需的锂金属电池的循环寿命，高通量锂涂层工艺是必要的。未来电动汽车的锂创新（LIFE）项目将评估在锂金属箔上扩大这些涂层的可行性。在下一代锂硫电池开发领导者OXIS能源公司的领导下，涂层技术专家过程创新中心（CPI）将参与这项研究，研究锂金属涂层扩大的四个关键领域：从供应商那里获得的锂箔的材料特性；涂覆前对锂箔进行预处理；在锂箔上沉积保护涂层；以及后处理和整合涂层锂到锂硫电池中。将探讨多种预处理、涂层和后处理技术，以评估将每种技术整合到单一中试生产线中的可行性。在该项目的每个阶段，重点将放在确定锂金属保护规模的潜在挑战上，以减轻建设大批量涂层线所涉及的风险。一种可扩展的锂箔涂层工艺对于制造下一代电动汽车用锂金属电池至关重要。在这项研究完成后，将制作一份详细的客户需求文件，用于高通量锂箔涂层中试生产线。然后可以将其带到大批量加工设备制造商，用于建设锂箔涂层生产线，这将允许快速扩大受保护的锂阳极，目标是在该项目完成后安装和调试一条中试生产线。”

"The adoption of high energy density batteries is necessary to extend the range of electric vehicles, reduce range anxiety, and increase consumer acceptance. Batteries using lithium-metal as the anode material have significantly higher energy densities than conventional Li-ion batteries; a two fold increase in gravimetric energy can be achieved using lithium metal as opposed to graphite anodes. However, they suffer from short cycle lives due to the high reactivity of lithium. Current state-of-the-art lithium-sulfur and lithium-ion cells with lithium-metal anodes have cycle lives of approximately 100 cycles. To address this problem, OXIS have developed protective coatings on lithium metal foil at the lab scale, which lead to extended cycle life of lithium-sulfur cells. A high-throughput lithium-coating process is necessary to improve the cycle life of lithium-metal batteries at the volumes required for the automotive market. The Lithium Innovations for Future Electric vehicles (LIFE) project will assess the feasibility of scaling up these coatings on lithium metal foil. Led by OXIS Energy, leaders in the development of next-generation lithium-sulfur batteries, and joined by the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), experts in coating technologies, this study will investigate four key areas in the scale-up of lithium-metal coatings: the materials properties of lithium foils received from suppliers; pre-processing lithium foils prior to coating; depositing protective coatings onto lithium foil; and post-processing and integration of coated lithium into lithium-sulfur cells. Multiple pre-processing, coating, and post-processing techniques will be explored to assess the feasibility of integrating each into a single pilot line. And at each stage of this project, the focus will be on identifying potential challenges with the scaling of lithium-metal protection in order to mitigate the risks involved in building a high-volume coating line. A scalable process for coating lithium foil is essential for manufacturing next-generation lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles. Upon completion of this study, a detailed customer requirement document for a high-throughput pilot line for coating lithium foil will be produced. This can then be taken to manufacturers of high-volume processing equipment for the construction of a lithium foil coating line, which will allow for the rapid scale-up of protected lithium anodes, with the goal of having a pilot line installed and commissioned after completion of this project."