Properties of large Li ion cells using a nickel based mixed oxide

The possible use of LiNiO2 similar to LiCoO2, as a positive material in rechargeable lithium batteries was recognized 20 years ago and starting 10 years later, many research studies led to material improvement through substitution of some of the nickel ions by other metallic ions. These modifications improve the thermal stability at high charge level or overcharge, as well as cycling and storage properties. Commercial material is now available at large industrial scale, which allows its use in big "industrial" Li ion batteries. Using low cost raw material (Ni), it is expected to be cost competitive with the manganese based systems usually mentioned as low cost on the total cell $/Wh basis. Providing higher energy density, and demonstrating excellent behavior on storage and extended cycle life, LiNiO2 has definite advantages over the manganese system. Thanks to their properties, these batteries have demonstrated their ability to be used in lot of applications, either for transportation or standby. Their light weight makes them attractive for powering satellites. Although safety improvements are always desirable for all non-aqueous batteries using flammable organic electrolytes, suitable battery designs allow the systems to reach the acceptable level of safety required by many users. Beside the largely distributed lead acid and nickel cadmium batteries, Li ion will found its place in the "industrial batteries" market, in a proportion directly linked to its future cost reduction. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.