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Overview

The Faraday Institution’s Battery Degradation project is led by the University of Cambridge, along with nine other universities and numerous industry partners. This project aims to study the mechanisms of degradation of lithium ion battery cells containing high Ni-content NMC and graphite. A suite of characterisation techniques are used to elucidate the causes of degradation, where possible studying the synergistic effects of full cells, with in situ and operando techniques. Phase 2 (2021-2023) covers:

Positive Electrodes This work package examines the physicochemical mechanisms of degradation in high-nickel positive electrode materials.

Negative Electrodes This work package examines the physicochemical mechanisms of degradation of graphite electrode materials. Emphasis will be placed on the interaction, or ‘cross-talk’, effects of high-nickel positive electrode materials on causing or accelerating these pathways at the electrode-electrolyte interfacial region.

Phase 1 of the project (2018-2021) covered:

• Chemically driven degradation: the cause and effect of oxygen release, TM dissolution, SEI and CEI formation/breakdown, electrolyte reactions.
• Materials driven degradation: particle fracturing, morphology changes, crystallographic changes at high voltage, electrode homogeneity.
• Electrochemical signatures of degradation: EIS, cycling programmes, predicting and mitigating degradation.
• Synthesis of materials: owning materials supply for bespoke experiments, novel coating and doping strategies.