Showing papers by "Kensuke Takechi published in 2011"

Design of Non-aqueous Liquid Electrolytes for Rechargeable Li-O2 Batteries

Abstract: Liquid electrolytes for rechargeable Li-air batteries were chosen from viewpoints of the electrochemical stability against O2 radical, O2−. Mulliken atomic charges of electrolyte solvents and their reversibility of O2/O2− redox couple were first examined. In the carbonate-based electrolytes, the localization of positive charge in the molecules was confirmed, resulting in low reversibility of O2 radical. The electrolytes must be decomposed by the nucleophilic O2 radical. On the other hand, the nitrile-based and piperidinium-based electrolytes provided high O2 radical reversibility because all of the atomic charges in molecules and cations were either negative or almost zero. It was found that the electronic distribution of electrolyte solvents affected their electrochemical stability against O2 radical. Considering the electrochemical and chemical stability against Li metal, the piperidiniumbased ionic liquid was adopted as an electrolyte solvent in this study. The cell with piperidinium-based electrolyte achieved considerably low charging voltage of around 3.2 V and low voltage gap of about 0.75 V in the discharge-charge profiles, compared to conventional cells with carbonate-based electrolyte. It was, thus, concluded that the charging performances strongly influenced on the O2 radical stability of electrolyte solvent.

A Li—O2/CO2 Battery.

Abstract: A new gas-utilizing battery using mixed gas of O(2) and CO(2) was developed and proved its very high discharge capacity. The capacity reached three times as much as that of a non-aqueous Li-air (O(2)) battery. The unique point of the battery is expected to be the rapid consumption of superoxide anion radical by CO(2) as well as the slow filling property of the Li(2)CO(3) in the cathode.