Lithium-ion Battery Materials and Engineering

Gaining public attention due, in part,  to their potential application as energy storage devices in cars, Lithium-ion batteries have encountered widespread demand, however, the understanding of lithium-ion technology has often lagged behind production.

This book defines the most commonly encountered challenges from the perspective of a high-end lithium-ion manufacturer with two decades of experience with lithium-ion batteries and over six decades of experience with batteries of other chemistries.

Authors with years of experience in the applied science and engineering of lithium-ion batteries gather to share their view on where lithium-ion technology stands now, what are the main challenges, and their possible solutions. The book contains real-life examples of how a subtle change in cell components can have a considerable effect on cell’s performance. Examples are supported with approachable basic science commentaries.

Providing a unique combination of practical know-how with an in-depth perspective, this book will appeal to graduate students, young faculty members, or others interested in the current research and development trends in lithium-ion technology.

Malgorzata K. Gulbinska holds a Ph.D. degree in chemistry, with experience in inorganic syntheses methods (including solid state methods) and in materials science and a strong background in materials analyses methods (such as XRD, SEM, BET, etc.) and the assembly and testing of coin and pouch lithium-ion cells (both half and full cells).

Since February 2005 she has been working at Yardney Technical Products, Inc., located in Pawcatuck, CT, USA. Yardney is a manufacturer of the high-end lithium-ion batteries for space, military and medical (implanted hearing aid) applications who also sponsored a significant part of her graduate (Ph.D.) thesis work that was described silicon-based anode materials for LIB applications.

Within the past years, Malgorzata Gulbinska was a PI and Co-PI on several completed and current grants; totaling over $3,000,000.00. The sources were/are both Federal (Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, Naval Air Warfare Center) as well as Industrial (BASF Catalysts LLC, NJ, USA; HPL SA, Lausanne, Switzerland).

Recently (2007-2009) she has been awarded five Phase I research grants; three from the U.S. Department of Energy, one from National Science Foundation, and one from NASA.