Enhancing Next-Generation Lithium-Ion Battery Performance by Creating 'Nanotunnels'

KRISS-Konkuk University Joint Research Team

Cover of the paper on enhancing next-generation lithium-ion battery performance using nanotunnels. “Reversible Conversion Reactions of Mesoporous Iron Oxide with High Initial Coulombic Efficiency for Lithium-Ion Batteries,” ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (IF: 8.198)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) announced on the 28th that the EM Nanometrology Team at the Institute of Materials Convergence Measurement, in collaboration with Professor Kim Yeon-ho's research team at Konkuk University, has developed an iron oxide nanostructure that dramatically improves the initial Coulombic efficiency and capacity of next-generation lithium-ion batteries. Coulombic efficiency refers to the ratio of the recently completed charge capacity compared to the previously completed charge capacity.

The newly developed material is characterized by internally aligned pores forming nano-tunnel shapes. The initial Coulombic efficiency reaches approximately 85.4%, the highest reported among iron oxides to date. It is expected to be utilized as a next-generation anode material, significantly contributing to the enhancement of secondary battery performance.

Lithium-ion batteries are already widely used in various fields, from small home appliances and IT devices to electric vehicles. Currently, there is a rapidly growing demand for next-generation batteries that charge faster, last longer, are lighter in weight, and have higher power density. Future energy materials must consider not only improved characteristics but also environmental friendliness, necessitating research and development of secondary battery materials that meet these criteria.

Iron oxide is abundant on Earth, has low toxicity, and is chemically very stable, making it a subject of various studies as a lithium-ion battery material. Transition metal oxides, including iron oxide, can utilize a large number of lithium ions during charge and discharge, offering capacities three to four times greater than conventional graphite materials.

Despite these advantages, actual development has been very limited due to drawbacks such as low lithium mobility, significant volume changes, and low initial Coulombic efficiency. The joint research team from KRISS and Konkuk University succeeded in developing a method to overcome the low Coulombic efficiency, a major drawback of existing iron oxide lithium-ion batteries.

The joint research team fabricated the material in a mesoporous shape to enhance lithium-ion mobility within the iron oxide. They aligned the pores in a row inside the iron oxide to create nano tunnels, allowing lithium ions to move easily through these tunnels and numerous surface pores, resulting in electrochemical properties far superior to existing lithium-ion materials.

Using transmission electron microscopy and the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (1C PAL-KRISS beam line), the joint research team meticulously analyzed the microstructure of the material during charge and discharge of the lithium-ion battery and identified that specific structures formed during the initial charge-discharge process play a crucial role in the electrochemical reaction.

Senior Researcher Kwon Ji-hwan of KRISS’s Institute of Materials Convergence Measurement said, “The core of this research is not only improving the drawbacks of existing materials and enhancing battery capacity but also elucidating the reasons and evidence why the material structure developed by the joint research team exhibits excellent properties.” He added, “We hope that this achievement will be applied to develop various types of lithium-ion battery materials, further activating the next-generation battery market.”

This research, supported by KRISS’s major projects, was selected as the supplementary cover paper for the December issue of the world-renowned journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (IF: 8.198).

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