Russian specialists have developed a material that can make batteries more powerful and increase their operating time without recharging. This refers to the technology for producing high-voltage lithium cobaltate – one of the key components of modern lithium-ion batteries. The development was reported by Rosatom's fuel division – TVEL.
Lithium cobaltate is currently used in most commercial lithium-ion batteries as the main material for the positive electrode – the cathode. It is valued for its high energy density, good conductivity, and resistance to multiple charge and discharge cycles.
The new technology was created by specialists from the scientific and technical center of JSC "Rosatom Chemistry". The company stated that the modified material retains the advantages of classic lithium cobaltate – stability, power, and high efficiency.
The main difference of the new development is the altered crystal shape and adjusted chemical composition. This allows increasing the battery charge voltage and increasing the energy capacity of batteries by more than 15%.
The material was created for high-power batteries used in portable electronics, power tools, and the aerospace industry. The developers note that such batteries will be able to operate longer without losing power and capacity.
Currently, prototypes of the new lithium cobaltate are undergoing qualification by potential customers as part of test battery cells.
Acting General Director of JSC "Rosatom Chemistry" Alexander Seleznev stated that Rosatom specialists are effectively creating a new sub-industry of Russian industry – the production of materials for battery chemistry. According to him, most of the cathode materials and electrolytes for Russian batteries were previously imported.