Concha M. Reid

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Progress in Materials and Component Development 

for Advanced Lithium-ion Cells for NASA’s

Exploration Missions

NASA/TM—2011-217209

September 2011
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Concha M. Reid

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Progress in Materials and Component Development 

for Advanced Lithium-ion Cells for NASA’s

Exploration Missions

NASA/TM—2011-217209

September 2011

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Glenn Research Center

Cleveland, Ohio 44135
Acknowledgments

All of the work presented in this paper was funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Exploration Technology

Development Program, Energy Storage Project. Numerous people participated in the synthesis of materials, generation of data, 

and interpretation of results. Contributions from Dr. Richard Baldwin and Brianne Scheidegger, NASA Glenn Research Center; 

William Bennett and Eunice Wong, Arctic Slope Research Corporation at NASA Glenn Research Center; Dr. James Woodworth, 

NASA Postdoctoral Program/Oak Ridge Associated Universities; Dr. Judith Jeevarajan, NASA Johnson Space Center; and

Dr. William West, Dr. Marshall Smart, Dr. Kumar Bugga, and Jessica Soler, NASA Jet Propulsion Lab are gratefully acknowledged. 

Contributors via efforts funded through NASA Research Announcement NNC08ZP022N include the following: Dr. Nader Hagh 

and Dr. Ganesh Skandan; NEI Corporation; Dr. Arumugam Manthiram and students, University of Texas at Austin; Dr. Christopher 

Lang, Physical Sciences, Inc.; Dr. Justin Golightly, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company; Dr. Gleb Yushin and students, 

Georgia Institute of Technology; Dr. Boris Ravdel, Yardney Technical Products; Dr. Brett Lucht and students, University of Rhode 

Island; and Dr. Robert McDonald, Giner Corporation.

Available from

NASA Center for Aerospace Information

7115 Standard Drive

Hanover, MD 21076–1320

National Technical Information Service

5301 Shawnee Road

Alexandria, VA 22312

Available electronically at http://www.sti.nasa.gov

Trade names and trademarks are used in this report for identifi cation 

only. Their usage does not constitute an offi cial endorsement, 

either expressed or implied, by the National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration.

Level of Review: This material has been technically reviewed by technical management. 

This report contains preliminary fi ndings, 

subject to revision as analysis proceeds.
NASA/TM—2011-217209 1 

Progress in Materials and Component Development for Advanced 

Lithium-ion Cells for NASA’s Exploration Missions 

Concha M. Reid 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Glenn Research Center 

Cleveland, Ohio 44135 

Abstract

Vehicles and stand-alone power systems that enable the next generation of human missions to the 

Moon will require energy storage systems that are safer, lighter, and more compact than current state-ofthe-art (SOA) aerospace quality lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. NASA is developing advanced Li-ion cells 

to enable or enhance the power systems for the Altair Lunar Lander, Extravehicular Activities spacesuit, 

and rovers and portable utility pallets for Lunar Surface Systems. Advanced, high-performing materials 

are required to provide component-level performance that can offer the required gains at the integrated 

cell level. Although there is still a significant amount of work yet to be done, the present state of 

development activities has resulted in the synthesis of promising materials that approach the ultimate 

performance goals. This report on interim progress of the development efforts will elaborate on the 

challenges of the development activities, proposed strategies to overcome technical issues, and present 

performance of materials and cell components. 

1.0 Introduction 

NASA’s Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) Energy Storage Project, which 

existed from fiscal year 2006 (FY06) through FY10, was chartered with the development of advanced 

energy storage technologies to enable or enhance NASA’s Constellation missions. Developments were 

specifically targeted to the requirements of three customers: Altair Lunar Lander, Extravehicular 

Activities (EVA) spacesuit, and Lunar Surface Systems (LSS). In response to NASA’s changing 

direction, with potential human missions to Near Earth Objects (NEOs) that may include asteroids, 

planets, moons, libration points, and orbiting structures, ETDP concluded at the end of FY10. The 

beginning of FY11 marked its transition into the Enabling Technology Development and Demonstration 

Program (ETDD). The Battery Development Effort now resides under the High Efficiency Space Power 

Systems (HESPS) Project within ETDD. Although the vehicles that will enable missions to NEOs may 

change, it is a certainty that high specific energy, high energy density batteries will be required to provide 

new capabilities to enable or enhance these missions. Until specific future missions and requirements are 

known, the Battery Development Effort continues to pursue the goals that were previously established to 

address the needs of Altair, EVA, and LSS. 

Customer requirements and desires were distilled into practical performance metrics for advanced 

technology development. LSS customers require human-rated technologies that offer a higher degree of 

safety over SOA Li-ion battery systems, that are lightweight and compact, and that can sustain rovers, 

portable utility pallets (PUP), and other mobile systems over long duration stays on the Lunar surface. 

The Concept of Operations (ConOps) requires cycle lives up to 2000 deep-discharge cycles and calendar 

lives of up to 5 to 10 years. 

The concept of a High Energy (HE) flightweight cell was developed for LSS. The HE cell offers 

modest advancements in specific energy over SOA in an inherently safe cell system. A suite of 

components under development to enable the HE cell includes cathodes, electrolytes, and safety 

components. Advanced and developmental separator materials that can be obtained commercially are 

under investigation for their potential use in the cell, as well. A SOA anode will be utilized in the cell 

since performance projections indicate that when combined with the potential performance of the 
NASA/TM—2011-217209 2 

advanced cathode under development, a SOA carbonaceous anode possesses the specific energy and 

energy density required to meet the targeted cell-level performance goals. In addition, the cycle life of this 

class of Li-ion anodes is adequate to meet HE cycle life requirements. The use of an anode that has 

demonstrated performance heritage in Li-ion systems provides a level of risk reduction over developing a 

cell chemistry from entirely new components. 

The specific energy requirements for Altair and EVA far exceed the capabilities of SOA battery 

systems. These customers, too, have a need for technologies that offer a higher degree of safety over SOA 

Li-ion battery systems. These requirements could only be addressed with the additional development of 

an advanced anode. Cycle life requirements for these customers are relatively benign, thus allowing the 

opportunity to explore different classes of anode materials. Hence, an Ultra High Energy (UHE) cell 

chemistry is under development to address the specific requirements of Altair and EVA applications. The 

developmental chemistry was chosen based on extensive studies on the best chemistry that could address 

the performance requirements within the budget and schedule allotted (Ref. 1). The advanced anode, 

when combined with other Li-ion cell components that are being developed for the HE cell, will make-up 

the UHE chemistry. 

Once the chemistries for the HE and UHE cell were selected, Key Performance Parameters (KPPs) 

were developed for the HE and UHE cells with the goal of addressing Altair, EVA and LSS needs to the 

maximum extent possible within the constraints (budget and schedule). The KPPs are given in Table 1. 

These KPPs establish target criteria for the performance of cell components and integrated Li-ion cells, 

and project the performance that can be expected from the battery-level system that will be realized by the 

cells under development. 

TABLE 1.—KEY PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS FOR THE HE AND UHE FLIGHTWEIGHT CELLS 

Customer need Performance 

parameter 

State-of-the-Art Current value Threshold valuea Goala 

Safe, reliable 

operation 

No fire or flame Instrumentation/controllers used to 

prevent unsafe conditions. There is 

no non-flammable electrolyte in 

SOA 

Preliminary 

results indicate 

a small 

reduction in 

performance 

using safer 

electrolytes 

and cathode 

coatings 

Tolerant to 

electrical and 

thermal abuse such 

as overtemperature, overcharge, reversal, 

and short circuits 

with no fire or 

thermal runawayc 

Tolerant to 

electrical and 

thermal abuse such 

as overtemperature, overcharge, reversal, 

and short circuits 

with no fire or 

thermal runawayc 

Specific energy 

Lander: 

150–210 Wh/kg 

10 cycles 

Rover: 

160–200 Wh/kg 

2000 cycles 

EVA: 

270 Wh/kg 

100 cycles 

Battery-level 

specific energyb 

[Wh/kg] 

90 Wh/kg at C/10 & 30 °C 

83 Wh/kg at C/10 & 0 °C 

(MER rovers) 

160 at C/10 & 

30°C (HE) 

170 at C/10 & 

30°C (UHE) 

80 Wh/kg at 

C/10 & 0°C 

(predicted) 

135 Wh/kg at 

C/10 & 0 °C 

“High-Energy” 

150 Wh/kg at 

C/10 & 0 °C 

“Ultra-High 

Energy” 

150 Wh/kg at 

C/10 & 0 °C 

“High-Energy” 

220 Wh/kg at C/10 

& 0 °C “Ultra-High 

Energy” 

Cell-level specific 

energy 

[Wh/kg] 

130 Wh/kg at C/10 & 30 °C 

118 Wh/kg at C/10 & 0 °C 

199 at C/10 & 

23 °C (HE) 

213 at C/10 & 

23 °C (UHE) 

100 Wh/kg at 

C/10 & 0 °C 

(predicted) 

165 Wh/kg at C/10 

& 0 °C “HighEnergy” 

180 Wh/kg at C/10 

& 0 °C “Ultra-High 

Energy” 

180 Wh/kg at 

C/10 & 0 °C 

“High-Energy” 

260 Wh/kg at C/10 

& 0 °C “Ultra-High 

Energy” 

Cathode-level 

specific capacity 

[mAh/g]

180 mAh/g 252 mAh/g at 

C/10 & 25 °C 

190 mAh/g at 

C/10 & 0 °C 

260 mAh/g at 

C/10 & 0°C 

280 mAh/g at 

C/10 & 0 °C 

Anode-level 

specific capacity 

[mAh/g] 

280 mAh/g (MCMB) 330 at C/10 & 

0 °C (HE) 

1200 mAh/g at 

C/10 & 0 °C 

for 10 cycles 

(UHE) 

600 mAh/g at 

C/10 & 0 °C 

“Ultra-High 

Energy” 

1000 mAh/g at 

C/10 0 °C 

“Ultra-High 

Energy” 
NASA/TM—2011-217209 3 

TABLE 1.—Concluded. 

Customer need Performance 

parameter 

State-of-the-Art Current value Threshold valuea Goala 

Energy density 

Lander: 311 Wh/l 

Rover: TBD 

EVA: 400 Wh/l 

Battery-level 

energy density 

250 Wh/l n/a 270 Wh/l “HighEnergy” 

360 Wh/l “UltraHigh” 

320 Wh/l “HighEnergy” 

420 Wh/l “UltraHigh” 

Cell-level energy 

density 

320 Wh/l n/a 385 Wh/l “HighEnergy” 

460 Wh/l “UltraHigh” 

390 Wh/l “HighEnergy” 

530 Wh/l “UltraHigh” 

Operating 

environment 

0 to 30 °C, 

Vacuum 

Operating 

Temperature 

–20 to 40 °C 0 to 30 °C 0 to 30 °C 0 to 30 °C 

Revised 9/20/10 

a

Assumes prismatic cell packaging for threshold values. Goal values include lightweight battery packaging. b

Battery values are assumed at 100 percent DOD, discharged at C/10 to 3.0 V/cell, and at 0 C operating conditions c

Over-temperature up to 110 C; reversal 150 percent excess discharge at 1C; pass external and simulated internal short tests; 

overcharge 100 percent at 1C for Goal and 80 percent at C/5 for threshold value. 

Components have been under development for the HE and UHE cells for well over a year now 

through the combination of in-house NASA and contractor efforts. Although there is still a significant 

amount of work yet to be done, the present state of development activities has resulted in the synthesis of 

promising materials that approach the ultimate goals. The following sections will elaborate on the 

performance of materials and cell components, the challenges of the development activities, and the 

proposed strategies to overcome technical issues. Data shown is preliminary data for materials that are 

relatively early in their development and may not yet have achieved their best performance potential. In 

addition, materials have not yet been optimized for performance in Li-ion cell systems. 

2.0 High Energy Cell 

The HE cell will consist of developmental cathode, electrolyte, safety components, and separator 

materials and a state-of-the-art carbonaceous anode that has demonstrated heritage in Li-ion cells. 

2.1 Cathodes 

Layered, transition metal oxide materials containing lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt 

(Li[LiNMC]O2) are being developed for use in the HE and UHE cells. These cathode materials have the 

potential to achieve higher specific capacity than conventional Li-ion cathode materials, such as lithium 

cobalt oxide (LiCoO2), and possess inherently higher thermal stability (Ref. 2). The goal is to achieve a 

specific capacity of 280 mAh/g at C/10 and 0 °C when discharged between 4.8 and 3.0 V. Cycle life goals 

for the HE cell are 2000 cycles to 80 percent of the initial capacity, hence the cathode material must be 

able to support such sustained cycling over  2000 cycles. 

Li[LiNMC]O2 cathode materials have demonstrated high specific capacity on the order of 280 mAh/g 

between 4.8 and 2.0 V at low discharge rates on the order of C/20 and 20 °C (room temperature). 

However, these operating conditions are quite benign. Discharge rates of between C/10 and C/2 are 

required by the target applications, but because the materials suffer from low power density, capacity 

delivered at practical rates is significantly lower than at C/20. Currently, representative developmental 

materials demonstrate approximately 96, 84, and 67 percent of their C/20 room temperature capacity 

when cycled between 4.8 and 3.0 V at C/10, C/5 and C/2, respectively. In addition, the occupation of 

Li+

 sites in the cathode by transition metal elements interferes with Li+ ion diffusion. 
NASA/TM—2011-217209 4 

Figure 1 shows the test results of a representative coin cell containing developmental cathodes 

designated “V2CA”, synthesized by NEI Corporation under contract with NASA (Refs. 3 to 8). Tests 

were performed in 2032-type coin cells with a Li metal counter electrode, an electrolyte formulation of 

1.0 M lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) in ethylene carbonate:diethyl carbonate:dimethyl carbonate 

(EC:DEC:DMC) in a 1:1:1 ratio by volume, and a Tonen Setela E20 separator. Ten cycles are shown at 

C/10 charge and C/10 discharge rates while cycling at 23 °C (these cycles were preceeded by formation 

cycling at C/20). On the first cycle following formation, 248 mAh/g was delivered between 4.8 and 2.0 V. 

206 mAh/g was delivered to 3.0 V, a difference of 42 mAh/g. Over ten cycles, this cell and other cells 

made from the same electrodes retained an average of 63 percent of their initial C/10 capacity when 

discharged to 3.0 V, which is the equivalent of about 4 percent loss per cycle. Since these cells were 

cycled versus a Li metal anode, an increased rate of capacity fade is likely to have occurred than would 

have occurred in a full-cell configuration versus a Li-ion intercalation-type anode. 

The Li[LiNMC]O2 cathode material that has demonstrated the highest initial specific capacity of the 

materials under development in the ETDP project to date is Li[Li0.2Mn0.54Ni0.13Co0.13]O2, developed by the 

University of Texas at Austin under contract with NASA (Refs. 9 to 18). It possesses a slightly different 

stoichiometry than the “V2CA” material discussed above. Representative voltage versus specific capacity 

curves for Li[Li0.2Mn0.54Ni0.13Co0.13]O2 materials synthesized by the University of Texas at Austin are 

shown in Figure 2. This material demonstrates 269 mAh/g at a C/10 discharge rate and 23 °C on its first 

cycle after formation when discharged from 4.8 to 2.0 V. A specific capacity of 252 mAh/g is delivered to 

a 3.0 V cut-off. 

 
NASA/TM—2011-217209 5 

The Li[LiNMC]O2 class of materials exhibits significant capacity below 3.0 V. The use of a DC-DC 

converter in the final battery system is a possible solution to make use of useable capacity below voltages 

that are acceptable for power quality. Mass and conversion efficiency penalties of the convertor must be 

traded against the specific energy benefits of the advanced cathode/cell/battery system, when limited to 

useable voltages without the use of a converter, to determine the net benefits and impacts on specific 

energy of the final system. 

Li[LiNMC]O2 cathodes suffer from poor kinetics at low temperatures, which results in a loss of 30 to 

50 percent of room temperature capacity when the materials are operated at 0 °C. Figure 3 shows 

representative results of coin cell testing of a developmental cathode versus a Li metal counter electrode 

while discharging at a C/10 rate and 23 °C for 9 cycles. Testing was conducted on the same electrode 

material (but in different cells constructed in the same manner) as the cell in Figure 1. On the tenth cycle, 

the cell was charged at 23 °C and discharged at 0 °C. On the ninth cycle of operation at 23 °C, the 

cathode delivered 167 mAh/g to 3.0 V. On the tenth cycle (at 0 °C), only 101 mAh/g was delivered to the 

same voltage, a loss of 40 percent. Capacity loss at 0 °C is reversible and fully-recoverable when cells are 

returned to operation at higher temperatures (23 to 30 °C). While there is still development work to be 

done to ensure these classes of cathode materials can practically operate under the desired conditions, 

these materials have the promise to be an enabling cathode chemistry for the HE and UHE cell if these 

challenges can be overcome. 

Technology challenges that are being addressed through cathode development include high specific 

capacity at practical discharge rates and voltages and at low temperatures, high tap density (high mass per 

unit volume), low first-cycle irreversible capacity loss, and low irreversible oxygen loss. 

 
NASA/TM—2011-217209 6 

High specific capacity at practical discharge rates is being addressed by varying the stoichiometry of 

the cathode constituent materials to determine the optimum chemical formulation and by reducing the 

particle sizes of the materials. Experimentation with different synthesis methods is being pursued in order 

to produce materials with physical properties such that specific capacity is retained on the production 

scale. Synthesis methods that facilitate the incorporation of inert oxide and phosphate coatings, such as 

aluminum oxide (Al2O3), ruthenium oxide (RuO2), aluminum phosphate (AlPO4), and lithium metal 

phosphate, that have the potential to enhance rate capability, improve capacity retention, and increase 

discharge capacity, are also being explored (Refs. 15 and 16). Coating cathode particles with lithium 

metal phosphate can also lead to improvements in the thermal stability of the cathode, as discussed in 

Section 2.3 Safety Components. 

Trials with different synthesis methods can also reveal avenues to yield higher tap density (Ref. 14). 

The tap density of developmental materials shown in Figures 1 and 3 is currently in the range of 

approximately 0.9 to 1.1 g/cc. This value must be approximately double in order to facilitate their 

formation into electrodes of practical thicknesses. Cathode synthesis methods are being varied to optimize 

the properties that can improve specific energy and the ability of the cathode powders to be cast into 

electrodes. Experimentation with techniques such as carbonate precipitation synthesis and non-destructive 

mixing has resulted in higher tap densities on the order of 1.7 g/cc for the materials shown in Figure 2. 

This new synthesis method allows for good control of the morphology of the materials, resulting in better 

electrochemical performance. 

All of the cathode materials discussed thus far have pristine uncoated surfaces. Surface modification of 

the cathode powder particles through the use of coatings to improve cathode-electrolyte interfacial 

properties is being pursued for the next generation of materials we are developing. These techniques have 

the potential to reduce first-cycle irreversible capacity loss, enhance rate capability, improve capacity 

retention, and increase discharge capacity (Refs. 17, 19, and 20). Irreversible capacity losses of between 40 

and 100 mAh/g have been observed on the first cycle among variants of the development cathode materials 

and are attributed to the evolution of oxygen gas at about 4.5 to 4.6 V on the first charge. Evidence of gas 

evolution is seen in materials from both the University of Texas at Austin and NEI Corporation, as indicated 

in Figure 2 and 4, respectively. Figure 4 shows five formation cycles (C/20 charge, C/20 discharge) for a 

representative sample cathode developed by NEI Corporation, (tested in coin cells versus Li metal). A 

73 mAh/g difference is observed between the first and second charge capacity. 
NASA/TM—2011-217209 7 

In summary, we have achieved a specific capacity of 252 mAh/g to a 3.0 V cut-off at room 

temperature with our developmental cathodes. Higher specific capacity, better performance at low 

temperatures, and lower first cycle irreversible capacity are needed to achieve the project’s goals. 

Additionally, improvements in tap density are required so that the cathode powders are suitable for 

manufacturing into practical electrodes. 

2.2 Electrolytes 

The objective of the electrolyte component development effort is to develop non-flammable or flameretardant electrolytes that are stable up to 5 V while maintaining electrochemical performance (Refs. 21 to 

29). Typical Li-ion cell electrolytes consist of a Li salt contained in organic carbonate solvents and are 

highly flammable. Under nominal operation, traditional Li-ion cells operate no higher than 4.2 V. 

Electrolyte systems for these cells are typically designed to be stable up to about 4.5 V (Ref. 29). Above 

this voltage, the electrolyte can begin to decompose and oxidize. Viability of the developmental 

electrolyte over a wider voltage window is essential, since the developmental cathodes will operate up to 

about 4.8 V to yield higher specific energy. The electrolytes are also required to offer good cycle life 

characteristics and enable good rate capability between 0 and 30 °C. 

Technology challenges include the development of an electrolyte that is stable up to 5.0 V. To 

achieve this, different electrolyte formulations are combined with additives that have the capability to 

improve high voltage stability. Electrolyte additives that have properties known to improve interfacial 

characteristics at the electrolyte/electrode interface (solid-electrolyte-interface, or SEI) are also being 

explored to improve the electrolyte compatibility with the electrodes. Electrochemical interactions 

between the electrolyte and both electrode interfaces are investigated to assess this compatibility. 

An additional challenge is to develop electrolytes that are non-flammable or flame retardant. 

Additives that possess known flame-retardant properties are combined with traditional Li-ion cell organic 

electrolytes. Flame retardant assessments are then performed on electrolytes that exhibited suitable 

electrochemical performance. Since the combination of both high-voltage stability and flame-retardance 

is required in one electrolyte system, successful flame retardant additives are combined with electrolytes 

that demonstrated high voltage stability. 

 
NASA/TM—2011-217209 8 

Table 2 shows the results of flammability tests performed at the University of Rhode Island on six 

electrolytes. The self-extinguishing time (SET) for each electrolyte is shown. SET is defined as the time it 

takes for a cotton ball wick soaked with a fixed mass of electrolyte and ignited to burn itself out (Ref. 30). 

An organic electrolyte, 1.0M LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate:ethyl methyl carbonate (EC:EMC) 30:70 by 

volume, was used as a baseline electrolyte for this set of tests to serve as a control. The control 

electrolyte, which contains no flame-retardant additives, burned for 33.4 s. The other five electrolytes, 

which were developed by Yardney Technical Products or NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, contain 5 to 

20 percent flame-retardant additive content. Electrolytes containing flame-retardant additives exhibited 

SETs of between 0.4 to 22.45 s. These test results are not necessarily representative of the burn-time of a 

larger quantity of electrolyte in an actual cell, however they provide an indication of the relative burn time 

of one electrolyte formulation as compared to another. It should also be noted that since the mass of each 

electrolyte sample tested was fixed, the samples did not all contain the same amount of flammable 

components. 

TABLE 2.—SELF-EXTINGUISHING TIMES OF DEVELOPMENTAL ELECTROLYTES 

[Data was generated by the University of Rhode Island.] 

Description Electrolyte Percentage 

flame retardant 

additive 

SET/

s 

Standard 

deviation 

“Baseline” 

Electrolyte 

1.0M LiPF6 in EC/EMC 

(3:7) 

None 33.4 3.4 

JPL GEN #1 

Electrolyte 

1.0M LiPF6 in EC/EMC/TPP 

(2:7.5:0.5) + 2% VC 

5% TPP 22.45 2.3 

JPL Electrolyte 1.0M LiPF6 in EC/EMC/TPP 

(2:7:1) + 2% VC 

10% TPP 9.57 0.9 

JPL Electrolyte Salt and carbonate blend 15% TPP 3.78 1.2 

Yardney/URI GEN 

#2 Electrolyte 

1.0M (95% LiPF6 + 5% 

LiBOB) in EC/EMC/DMMP 

(3/5.5/1.5) 

15% DMMP 1.8 1.5 

Yardney/URI GEN 

#1 Electrolyte 

1.0M (95% LiPF6 + 5% 

LiBOB) in EC/EMC/DMMP 

(3/5/2) 

20% DMMP 0.4 0.4 

A final challenge is to produce electrolytes that possess the physical properties to ensure adequate 

conductivity and compatibility with the other cell components, including the electrodes and the separator. 

In addition to observing the results from the investigations above, care is taken to ensure that the 

electrolytes are not excessively viscous so that they can offer high ionic conductivity over the desired 

temperature range (high viscosity inhibits ion mobility). The ability of the electrolyte to effectively wet 

the separator is also tested to ensure its adequacy. 

The experimental electrolytes are incorporated into electrochemical cells and cycled to an upper 

voltage cut-off of 4.8 V to investigate the impacts on rate capability, specific energy, energy density, and 

cycle-life. The experimental electrolytes should provide comparable life characteristics to a standard Liion cell electrolyte. It is expected that there will be some performance impact resulting from the use of an 

electrolyte system containing additives to improve the high-voltage stability and provide flame-retardant 

properties of the electrolyte. The benefits the advanced electrolyte offers must be balanced with any 

performance impacts that may result. Some results are discussed in Smart, et al. (Ref. 24). 

2.3 Safety Components 

Components are under development to enhance the inherent cell-level safety of the HE and UHE 

systems. Safe electrolytes and Li[LiNMC]O2 cathodes, which have inherently higher thermal stability 

than SOA cathodes, were discussed above. Through contracts with independent research companies, 

NASA is also pursuing two approaches that are integrated within the electrodes in order to enhance the 

cell-level safety. SOA Li-ion battery systems rely on instrumentation and controllers to prevent unsafe 
NASA/TM—2011-217209 9 

conditions that can be caused by improper operation or abuse of the battery. NASA’s safety goals for the 

advanced HE and UHE cells dictate a need for cell-level technologies that are tolerant to electrical and 

thermal abuse such as over-temperature, overcharge, reversal, external short-circuit, and internal-shorts 

(meaning the cells pass simulated internal short circuit tests) with no fire or thermal runaway. 

One approach to produce safer electrodes utilizes a cathode coating. Cobalt phosphate nanoparticles 

are prepared and are applied to the surface of metal oxide cathode particles using a thermal treatment 

(Refs. 31 to 33). This results in the formation of a lithium cobalt phosphate (LiCoPO4) layer that 

encapsulates the cathode particles. Since LiCoPO4 coating is a Li+

 ion conductor, the contact between the 

LiCoPO4 and the cathode particle allows for rapid electron and Li+

 ion diffusion. 

Metal phosphate cathodes are more thermally stable than metal oxide cathodes. As such, this 

approach has the potential to shift the cathode’s exothermic peak to a higher temperature, and hence, 

greatly reduce or eliminate the potential for thermal runaway associated with the cathode component. The 

coating has successfully been demonstrated to eliminate the exothermic peak on SOA LiCoO2 cathode 

materials (Ref. 32). Work is underway to incorporate the coating with different variants of Li[LiNMC]O2

cathode materials to determine its applicability to these materials as well. 

Another approach to producing safer electrodes involves a concept that can potentially shut-down 

reactions at the electrode surface. A coating consisting of a “composite thermal switch” is applied to 

either current collector, which is then coated with electrode material (Ref. 34). The goal is for the 

“switch” to increase the resistance of the electrode upon an increase in temperature above about 110 °C, 

such that the flow of current is terminated. This switch would conceivably be resettable for a limited 

amount of cycles, so that if the fault condition no longer exists, the switch would reverse and the cell 

could still function. The number of resettable cycles will be engineered to only a few, to mitigate any 

issues that a recurring unsafe condition might propagate. 

As with the electrolytes, one of the keys to the successful implementation of a safety component into 

a cell is measured by its ability to reside within the cell with minimal impact on the overall cell 

performance. In the case of safety components, they may not necessarily be electrochemically active 

devices, they may occupy mass or volume in the system, and they may adversely impact conductivity or 

other cell electrical or electrochemical dynamics. The extent of which these components may impact 

practical performance must be evaluated in a full-cell configuration. 

2.4 Separators 

Commercial and developmental separators are being assessed to identify materials that are compatible 

with the cell chemistries that are under development and that provide an increased level of safety over SOA 

Li-ion cell separators. While the separator does not actively participate in the cell reaction, its function and 

reliability are critical to ensure the optimal electrochemical operation of the cell and its safety. 

The separator acts as a physical barrier to prevent internal short-circuits between the anode and the 

cathode, however, its presence adds resistance to the cell. The design of separator materials must be 

optimized for low ionic resistance. High porosity generally facilitates high ionic conductivity. 

Simultaneously, the degree of porosity must be controlled to maintain mechanical strength. 

Candidate separators should ideally also have the ability to shut-down cell reactions, and thus, the 

flow of current, above a specified temperature ( ~ 130 °C) if overheating in the cell occurs. They should 

also retain their mechanical integrity at elevated temperatures to prevent a thermal runaway situation. 

Material assessments include the observation and measurement of physical, thermal, electrical, and 

mechanical properties. Desirable characteristic and properties for candidate separator materials are 

discussed in Reference 35 and procedures for characterizing and evaluating these materials are discussed 

in Reference 36. Assessment results of some of the materials under consideration are discussed in 

Reference 37. 
NASA/TM—2011-217209 10 

3.0 Ultra High Energy Cell 

The UHE cell will consist of components under development for the HE cell plus an advanced anode 

chemistry. Components used in the HE cell will continue to be developed for an additional year to 

maximize specific energy and other performance parameters before integration into the UHE flightweight 

cell. Potential issues with integration or compatibility of components will also be addressed during this 

timeframe. 

3.1 Anodes 

The component-level goal for the specific capacity of the advanced anodes is 1000 mAh/g when 

measured at C/10 and 0 °C. SOA carbonaceous anodes deliver about 320 to 350 mAh/g at C/10 and room 

temperature. Approximately a three-fold increase in specific capacity over SOA is required for the anode 

operating at like conditions. Silicon (Si) has a theoretical capacity of 4200 mAh/g, (~3600 mAh/g in the 

amorphous phase), however, practical attempts to create anodes from Si have led to the development of 

Si-composite materials that incorporate conductive carbons. The theoretical capacity of these composite 

materials is somewhat less than pure Si, but well above the stated capacity requirements. Technology 

development is being pursued to create practical anode materials that meet or exceed the specific capacity 

goals, and to achieve this sustainably (Refs. 38 to 40). 

Current technology challenges associated with Si-based anode materials include accommodation or 

minimization of volume expansion during cycling and minimization of irreversible capacity loss. As a 

Li-ion cell containing a Si anode is cycled, Si particles expand by up to 400 percent as Li is alloyed. This 

results in isolation of the active material via particle detachment or fracture of the electrode, which leads 

to rapid capacity fade and poor coulombic efficiency (Ref. 41). An example of the irreversible capacity 

losses associated with these materials is shown in Figure 5. It shows a plot of the formation cycles for a 
NASA/TM—2011-217209 11 

half-cell with a Georgia Tech Research Corporation (GTRC) Si-C composite anode developed under 

contract with NASA versus a Li counter electrode at a C/20 rate. Twenty-six percent irreversible capacity 

is seen in the first cycle. Through 5 cycles, a cumulative 34.8 percent irreversible capacity is observed. 

Approaches to address volume expansion of the silicon that are being pursued include optimization of 

the anode structure to accommodate the increase in volume. To achieve this, nano-structured Si-graphite 

and Si-carbon (Si-C) matrices, Si-C gel microspheres, and Si-C nanofoam anode materials coupled with 

elastomeric binders are being formulated with the aim of absorbing mechanical strain. The structure of the 

material is engineered to allow for elastic deformation and, hence, improve mechanical integrity. The 

binder type and concentration are varied to optimize the microstructure of the resultant materials. The 

porous electrodes that are formed afford a higher degree of utilization of the ionic pathways to facilitate 

better electrical conductivity within the electrode. 

For the UHE cell, at least 200 cycles at 100 percent DOD are required on the cell-level before the 

capacity degrades to 80 percent of the initial C/2 capacity. In order to enable the cell-level goals, the cycle 

life goal for anodes is 250 cycles. While this is a moderate amount of cycles when compared to that of SOA 

carbonaceous anode materials, this is a challenge for silicon-composite materials. The loss of contact with 

active particles that occurs as a result of volume expansion reduces the cycle life dramatically. Addressing 

the volume changes adequately and the improvement in mechanical integrity that will result will improve 

the cycle life of these materials. In addition, cycling parameters for the materials are being optimized to 

determine the ideal operational parameters in order to maximize cycle life. 

Preliminary results of on-going NASA and partner efforts to develop anode materials are shown 

below (Refs. 38 to 40). Most of the materials exhibit initial specific capacity at C/10 that exceeds the 

goals. When charged at 23 °C and discharged at 0 °C, all of the material samples tested have excellent 

capacity retention, delivering between 94 to 98 percent of their 23 °C capacity. While results to date are 

promising, significant capacity fade is observed upon cycling, the materials display high irreversible 

capacity, and their coulombic efficiency is poor, ranging from 95 to 98.5 percent, as compared to 

99.9 percent for typical Li-ion systems. 

Figure 6 shows specific capacity at 23 °C for two different materials developed for NASA at varying 

rates. Tests were performed in 2325-type coin cells with a Li-metal counter electrode, an electrolyte 

formulation of 1.0M LiPF6 in EC:DEC:DMC in a 1:1:1 ratio by volume, and a Tonen Setela E20 

separator. Each graph contains test results of replicate cells containing samples from the same electrode. 

The variability in capacity from cell-to-cell is attributed to variation in consistency in the handmade 

electrodes and to errors in precision when measuring the relatively small contribution of mass of the 

active material as compared to the mass of the current collector. 
NASA/TM—2011-217209 12 

Formation procedures and voltage limits for cycling were established individually for each material 

formulation based upon experimentation, due to their varied compositions and differing percentages of 

electrochemically active materials. Formation for materials synthesized by GTRC consists of one cycle at 

C/20 followed by four cycles at C/10. For all cycling, cells containing these materials were cycled 

between 1.0 V and 10 mV, with a C/50 taper charge. Formation for materials synthesized by Lockheed 

Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC) under contract with NASA consists of five cycles at C/20. On 

the first formation cycle, cells were charged from 0.9 V versus Li to 25 mV, with a C/50 taper. For all 

subsequent cycling, the cut-off voltage on charge was limited to 170 mV with a C/50 taper. Formation 

and cycling procedures for LMSSC materials were largely based on work by Obravac (Ref. 42). 

The highest specific capacity cell containing GTRC materials delivered an average of 1456 mAh/g 

over three cycles at C/10 (Cell A). The lowest specific capacity cell containing the same materials 

delivered an average of 1186 mAh/g (Cell B). The average C/10 capacity for all four cells was 

1320 mAh/g. The rate of capacity fade increased slightly with increasing discharge rate. These materials 

retained an average of 97.6 and 92.5 percent of their C/10 capacity at C/5 and C/2, respectively. Empirical 

results are given in Table 3. 

TABLE 3.—SPECIFIC CAPACITY OF SI-C COMPOSITE ANODES AT C/10 AND PERCENT OF 

C/10 CAPACITY DELIVERED AT DIFFERENT RATES: A) GTRC, AND B) LMSSC

C/10 C/5 C/2 Final C/10 

Cell Specific 

capacity 

(mAh/g of Si 

plus C) 

Specific 

capacity 

(mAh/g of Si 

plus C) 

Percent of 

C/10 

capacity 

Specific 

capacity 

(mAh/g of Si 

plus C) 

Percent of 

C/10 

capacity 

Specific 

capacity 

(mAh/g of Si 

plus C) 

Percent of 

initial C/10 

capacity 

A 1456 1418 97.4% 1332 91.5% 1336 91.8 

B 1186 1157 97.6% 1107 93.4% 1095 92.3 

C 1290 1260 97.6% 1190 92.2% 1190 92.2 

D 1349 1317 97.6% 1253 92.9% 1246 92.3 

Average 1320 1288 97.6% 1221 92.5% 1217 92.2 

a) GTRC 

C/10 C/5 C/2 Final C/10 

Cell Specific 

capacity 

(mAh/g of Si) 

Specific 

capacity 

(mAh/g of Si) 

Percent 

of C/10 

capacity 

Specific capacity 

(mAh/g of Si) 

Percent of 

C/10 

capacity 

Specific 

capacity 

(mAh/g of Si) 

Percent of 

initial 

C/10 

capacity 

A 1428 1367 95.7% 1268 88.8% 1404 98.3% 

B 1268 1214 95.7% 1134 89.4% 1248 98.4% 

Average 1348 1290 95.7% 1201 89.1% 1326 98.3% 

b) LMSSC 

Over three cycles at C/10, LMSSC materials delivered an average of 1428 mAh/g in Cell A and an 

average of 1268 mAh/g in Cell B. The average C/10 capacity for the two cells was 1348 mAh/g. These 

materials did not exhibit any appreciable increased rate of fade with increasing discharge rate, however, 

when cycled at different rates, the LMSSC material retained less of its C/10 capacity than the GTRC 

material. When returned to C/10 cycling on the tenth cycle after cycling at higher rates, the average C/10 

capacity was greater than 98 percent of the initial C/10 capacity for both cells containing the LMSSC 

materials (see Table 3). 

After rate capability testing, cycling continued on the GTRC and LMSSC materials to observe 

capacity retention during continuous cycling. As shown in Figure 7, the GTRC materials delivered 

17 cycles and the LMSSC materials delivered 32 cycles to 80 percent of their initial C/10 capacities. 

Future anode development efforts for the UHE cell will continue to focus on improving capacity fade, 

irreversible capacity loss, and coulombic efficiency. Consideration of a new anode material for the UHE 

cell presents a different set of challenges for the development of a new cell chemistry than for the HE cell, 

in which a new cathode is combined with a traditional anode. Alternative cathodes for Li-ion cells have 

been commercialized and materials suppliers and battery companies have a wide array of experience with 
NASA/TM—2011-217209 13 

the manufacture and processing of different cathode materials. However, the vast majority of commercial 

Li-ion cells, including those used for aerospace and military applications, utilize a carbonaceous anode, 

such as graphite, hard carbon, or meso-carbon microbeads (MCMB). Utilizing a radically different anode 

material can pose unexpected component integration issues, scale-up issues, and may possibly require the 

development of new manufacturing processes. The steps NASA is taking to address scalability and 

manufacturability of advanced materials, including the anodes, integration of components, cell-level 

safety, cell-matching, and any other issues that may arise early in the development process are discussed 

in References 43 and 44.

4.0 Summary 

As this report describes, components for the HE and UHE cells are in various stages of development 

and have challenges that must be successfully addressed before the components are mature enough to be 

integrated into practical cells. In parallel with the individual component development efforts, components 

are matched up with other components for integration in laboratory cells to study their interactions and 

compatibility with one another. Also in parallel, components are being evaluated for their manufacturability and their ability to adapt to use in a production-scale environment. Once components are mature 

enough for integration into production-level cells, evaluation cells of a nominal 10 Ah capacity will be 

fabricated using combinations of developmental materials to study their performance and safety in a 

higher capacity, production format cell. The best combination of materials will be determined based on 

the performance of the evaluation cells. These materials will then be downselected for integration into 

flightweight cells. 
 
NASA/TM—2011-217209 15 

Appendix—Abbreviations 

Al2O3 aluminum oxide 

AlPO4 aluminum phosphate 

°C degrees Celsius 

C carbon 

ConOps Concept of Operations 

DC direct current 

DEC diethyl carbonate 

DMC dimethyl carbonate 

DOD depth-of-discharge 

EC ethylene carbonate 

EMC ethyl methyl carbonate 

ETDD Enabling Technology Development and Demonstration 

ETDP Exploration Technology and Development Program 

EVA extravehicular activities 

FY fiscal year 

g/cc grams per cubic centimeter 

GTRC Georgia Tech Research Corporation 

HE High Energy 

HESPS High Efficiency Space Power Systems 

KPP Key Performance Parameters 

LiCoO2 lithium cobalt oxide 

LiCoPO4 lithium cobalt phosphate 

Li-ion lithium-ion 

LiPF6 lithium hexafluorophosphate 

LMSSC Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company 

LNMCO2 lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide 

LSS Lunar Surface Systems 

M molar 

mAh/g milliampere-hours per gram 

MCMB meso-carbon microbeads 

mV millivolts 

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

NEO Near Earth Object 

PUP portable utility pallet 

RuO2 ruthenium oxide 

SEI solid electrolyte interface 

SET self-extinguishing time 

Si silicon 

Si-C silicon-carbon 

SOA state-of-the-art 

UHE Ultra High Energy 

V volts 

 
NASA/TM—2011-217209 16 

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18. Wang, Q.Y., Liu, Jun, Murugan, A. Vidivel, and Manthiram, Arumugam, “High capacity double 

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Progress in Materials and Component Development for Advanced Lithium-ion Cells for 

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14. ABSTRACT

Vehicles and stand-alone power systems that enable the next generation of human missions to the Moon will require energy storage systems 

that are safer, lighter, and more compact than current state-of-the-art (SOA) aerospace quality lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. NASA is 

developing advanced Li-ion cells to enable or enhance the power systems for the Altair Lunar Lander, Extravehicular Activities spacesuit, 

and rovers and portable utility pallets for Lunar Surface Systems. Advanced, high-performing materials are required to provide componentlevel performance that can offer the required gains at the integrated cell level. Although there is still a significant amount of work yet to be 

done, the present state of development activities has resulted in the synthesis of promising materials that approach the ultimate performance 

goals. This report on interim progress of the development efforts will elaborate on the challenges of the development activities, proposed 

strategies to overcome technical issues, and present performance of materials and cell components.

15. SUBJECT TERMS

Lithium batteries; Storage batteries; Electric batteries; Electrochemical cells; Energy storage; Space missions; Spacecraft power 

supplies; Electric power supplies 

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