Manganese dissolution in lithium-ion positive electrode materials
Abstract Understanding the key factors that affects overall performances of a battery is crucial to the lithium-ion battery industry. To this end characterisation methods must be specific, reproducible and representative. As such, an interference free and reproducible analytical method with a low detection limit (50 ppb) to evaluate manganese dissolution from lithium-ion battery positive electrodes is presented. Two different electrolytes (1.0 M LiClO 4 and 1.0 M LiPF 6 in EC:DMC (1:1)), LiFePO 4 , two nominally similar LiFe 0.3 Mn 0.7 PO 4 samples and spinel LiMn 2 O 4 are used for proof of concept. Mn and Fe quantification is performed on material ageing in solely in electrolyte, as well as, in a battery system with and without forced oxidation. It is demonstrated that water and free acid content in the electrolyte, as well as, imposing an oxidative electrochemical potential has a profound effect on manganese based material dissolution and battery performance.