A comparison of the electrode/electrolyte reaction at elevated temperatures for various Li-ion battery cathodes

Abstract Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to compare the thermal stability of charged cathodes in 1 M LiPF 6 EC/DEC electrolyte. Seven possible cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LiCoO 2 , LiNiO 2 , LiNi 0.8 Co 0.2 O 2 , Li 1+ x Mn 2− x O 4 , LiNi 0.7 Co 0.2 Ti 0.05 Mg 0.05 O 2 , Li[Ni 3/8 Co 1/4 Mn 3/8 ]O 2 , and LiFePO 4 ) were tested under the same conditions. Welded stainless steel DSC sample tubes, that ensured no weight loss during analysis, were used for these measurements, making them reliable. A consideration of these DSC results and the known electrochemical properties of the cathodes may assist the selection of the most suitable lithium-ion cathode material for use in a particular application.