Keywords Li-ion battery · Polymer nanocomposites · Electrical properties · Ion
transport mechanism
8.1 Introduction
In the world, most of the energy demand (~75%) of human beings is till now fulfilled
by nonrenewable energy resources that include oils, coal, natural gas, etc. They are
sufficient to provide us energy for a long period, but two major drawbacks associated
with them are lack of time and pollution. The combustion of these nonrenewable
sources of energy has fired much increase in the CO 2 emission (32,190 metric ton
per year), and one day, that will cross above the global point in which it would
become difficult to sustain life on earth. Further, natural disasters such as storms and
floods lead to collapsing of buildings and public as well as government properties,
and it leads to energy blackout. So it becomes important to resolve this issue and
focus on the best alternative. It can be summarized in one line that environmental
change is affecting our lives, and it becomes a necessity to look at some other
efficient alternative energy resources. The best appropriate alternative which seems
to be feasible is the use of renewable energy such as solar energy, wind energy,
hydroenergy, electrochemical energy, and nuclear energy. In the last three decades,
since Sony commercialized its Li–ion battery in 1991, and a lot of research is being
done till 2016 (25th anniversary of LIB introduction) to replace these nonrenewable
sources with a renewable one. First-time Prof. Michel Armand in 1970 formulated
the idea of the intercalation compounds and highlighted the ion migration in between
electrodes (rocking chair battery). The battery is now the crucial part of portable
consumer electronics, and its demand is supposed to rise in the coming future.
Besides these lithium–ion batteries, electric vehicles will replace cars, buses, and
trains to fight against pollution. So, many companies are now front-runners in
boosting the e-mobility and plug-in vehicles (Fig. 8.1a). This is an environmentally
friendly and safe source that can be used for a longer period (Li et al. 2016; Armand
and Tarascon 2008; Lin et al. 2016; Yang et al. 2011; Arya and Sharma 2016).
Figure 8.1b shows the growth of the commercial secondary batteries from 1950 to
2010 by about 3 Wh kg
À1 per year on average (shown in the dashed line). Dash line
shows the progress of the last 80 years, and the solid line represents the development
of Li–ion batteries in the last 20 years. This demonstrates that the present energy
density (210 Wh kg
À1 ) will reach the target energy densities 500 Wh kg
À1 and
700 Wh kg
À1 , which will be realized in years 2110 and 2177, respectively. Further,
another step has been taken to enhance the utilization of the Li–ion battery by
lowering the prices of the LIB (Fig. 8.1c).
So, to fulfill the demand for renewable source of energy, in 2015, for the first
time, Tesla disclosed the stationary storage products for homes that boosted the
demand for the batteries. The first step toward the renewable energy source is
completed in November 2017; Tesla has completed the construction of the world’s
biggest Li–ion battery (LIB) with 100 MW capacity just outside the South Australian
city of Jamestown (Fig. 8.1d). It will deliver power to 30,000 homes for about an
266
A. Arya and A. L. Sharma
transport mechanism
8.1 Introduction
In the world, most of the energy demand (~75%) of human beings is till now fulfilled
by nonrenewable energy resources that include oils, coal, natural gas, etc. They are
sufficient to provide us energy for a long period, but two major drawbacks associated
with them are lack of time and pollution. The combustion of these nonrenewable
sources of energy has fired much increase in the CO 2 emission (32,190 metric ton
per year), and one day, that will cross above the global point in which it would
become difficult to sustain life on earth. Further, natural disasters such as storms and
floods lead to collapsing of buildings and public as well as government properties,
and it leads to energy blackout. So it becomes important to resolve this issue and
focus on the best alternative. It can be summarized in one line that environmental
change is affecting our lives, and it becomes a necessity to look at some other
efficient alternative energy resources. The best appropriate alternative which seems
to be feasible is the use of renewable energy such as solar energy, wind energy,
hydroenergy, electrochemical energy, and nuclear energy. In the last three decades,
since Sony commercialized its Li–ion battery in 1991, and a lot of research is being
done till 2016 (25th anniversary of LIB introduction) to replace these nonrenewable
sources with a renewable one. First-time Prof. Michel Armand in 1970 formulated
the idea of the intercalation compounds and highlighted the ion migration in between
electrodes (rocking chair battery). The battery is now the crucial part of portable
consumer electronics, and its demand is supposed to rise in the coming future.
Besides these lithium–ion batteries, electric vehicles will replace cars, buses, and
trains to fight against pollution. So, many companies are now front-runners in
boosting the e-mobility and plug-in vehicles (Fig. 8.1a). This is an environmentally
friendly and safe source that can be used for a longer period (Li et al. 2016; Armand
and Tarascon 2008; Lin et al. 2016; Yang et al. 2011; Arya and Sharma 2016).
Figure 8.1b shows the growth of the commercial secondary batteries from 1950 to
2010 by about 3 Wh kg
À1 per year on average (shown in the dashed line). Dash line
shows the progress of the last 80 years, and the solid line represents the development
of Li–ion batteries in the last 20 years. This demonstrates that the present energy
density (210 Wh kg
À1 ) will reach the target energy densities 500 Wh kg
À1 and
700 Wh kg
À1 , which will be realized in years 2110 and 2177, respectively. Further,
another step has been taken to enhance the utilization of the Li–ion battery by
lowering the prices of the LIB (Fig. 8.1c).
So, to fulfill the demand for renewable source of energy, in 2015, for the first
time, Tesla disclosed the stationary storage products for homes that boosted the
demand for the batteries. The first step toward the renewable energy source is
completed in November 2017; Tesla has completed the construction of the world’s
biggest Li–ion battery (LIB) with 100 MW capacity just outside the South Australian
city of Jamestown (Fig. 8.1d). It will deliver power to 30,000 homes for about an
266
A. Arya and A. L. Sharma