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Updated: Dec 29, 2025
Preparation of Graphene Liquid Cells for the Observation of Lithium-ion Battery Material
Published on: February 5, 2019
Graphene foil as a current collector for NCM material-based cathodes
Huailiang Xu1, Hongchang Jin1, Zhikai Qi2
1Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Department of Applied Chemistry, CAS Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion, iChEM (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials), University of Science and Technology of China. Hefei 230026, People's Republic of China.
Graphene foil (GF) offers superior corrosion resistance and higher capacity in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) compared to aluminum foil (AF). This lightweight GF current collector is a promising alternative for advanced LIBs.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Aluminum foil (AF) current collectors in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are prone to anodic corrosion during cycling.
- This corrosion can degrade battery performance and lifespan.
- Developing corrosion-resistant and lightweight current collectors is crucial for enhancing LIBs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and evaluate graphene foil (GF) as a novel current collector for LIBs.
- To assess the corrosion resistance and electrochemical performance of GF compared to AF.
- To demonstrate the potential of GF for high energy-density LIB applications.
Main Methods:
- Graphene oxide foil was reduced via ultra-high temperature annealing (2800 °C) to produce GF.
- GF was tested as a current collector for LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 (NCM523) cathodes.
- Electrochemical performance, including gravimetric capacity and rate capability, was compared between NCM523/GF and NCM523/AF electrodes.
Main Results:
- GF exhibited excellent anodic corrosion resistance.
- The NCM523/GF electrode showed a 44.5% higher gravimetric capacity (137.3 mAh g-1 at 0.5 C) than the NCM523/AF electrode.
- NCM523/GF maintained higher capacity at faster charge/discharge rates (0.1 C to 5.0 C).
Conclusions:
- Graphene foil is a highly effective, lightweight, and corrosion-resistant current collector for LIBs.
- GF significantly enhances the energy density and rate performance of LIBs.
- GF is a viable alternative to conventional metal current collectors, paving the way for next-generation batteries.
