Investigation of the Thermal Stability of Li-Ion Battery Materials 
by Means of DSC and TGA

Here are some of the most important applications:

• Consumer electronics like smartphones, laptops or tablets
• Electric Vehicles (EVs) such as electric cars, bicycles and scooters
• Renewable energy storage and industrial applications, for example uninterruptible power supplies or medical devices, such as defibrillators and infusion pumps
• Aerospace and defense: satellites and drones

One key point is the Thermal StabilityA material is thermally stable if it does not decompose under the influence of temperature. One way to determine the thermal stability of a substance is to use a TGA (thermogravimetric analyzer). thermal stability of the batteries used in these devices regarding their safety. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Simultaneous Thermal Analysis (STA) are ideal methods for investigating the thermal properties of differently charged electrode materials without the safety issues associated with Thermal runawayA thermal runaway is the situation where a chemical reactor is out of control with respect to temperature and/or pressure production caused by the chemical reaction itself. Simulation of a thermal runaway is usually carried out using a calorimeter device according to accelerated rate calorimetry (ARC).thermal runaway testing of the entire cell.

The study, recently published in the WILEY Online Library, describes a significant relationship between the state of charge (SOC) and the power released by the electrode material during the heating process. For the utilized cathode material, Li_xCoO₂, a relationship is apparent between the Decomposition reactionA decomposition reaction is a thermally induced reaction of a chemical compound forming solid and/or gaseous products. decomposition temperature and the Decomposition reactionA decomposition reaction is a thermally induced reaction of a chemical compound forming solid and/or gaseous products. decomposition energy, enabling estimation of the SOC. The Decomposition reactionA decomposition reaction is a thermally induced reaction of a chemical compound forming solid and/or gaseous products. decomposition temperature of differently charged anode material is strongly correlated with the heating rate selected. This study reveals substantial dependencies of the measured power on the utilized crucibles, providing a systematic approach to benchmark the impact of crucible type on DSC signals observed during battery component analysis. 

^{(Source: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ente.202400365)}

NETZSCH DSC and STA instruments were used to investigate the thermal properties of electrode materials at different SOCs.

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