News

25-07-16

"ESCML member Ayeong Lee Awarded at the 3rd LG Energy Solution Academic-Industry Conference!"

Ayeong Lee, in collaboration with LG Energy Solution, Awarded at the 3rd LG Energy Solution Academic-Industry Conference for Research on
"Effect of Co and Al in single particle co-less NCM".

25-04-22

"Must-have perspective for all ESCML members!" 

Recently, we have engaged in serious reflection and discussion on our rights, responsibilities, and aspirations as members of the lab community.

As a result, we have identified a must-have perspective that we believe is essential for all of us in our research lives. 

This perspective will serve as a core principle and indispensable value throughout our journey in the lab. 

25-02-20

"Our recent study, which elucidates oxygen redox reactions in Ni-rich NCM cathodes, is featured in Berkeley Lab's Science Briefs!" 

As electric vehicles (EVs) become more widespread, the demand for lithium-ion batteries with higher capacity, longer lifespan, and improved safety continues to grow. However, a critical challenge lies in the instability of oxide-based cathodes when charged to high voltages. Among them, LiNixCoyMn1-x-yO2 (NCM) is widely used in commercial EV batteries due to its high energy density, yet it suffers from structural degradation over time.  

A recent study published in Energy & Environmental Science explores this issue by investigating the effects of aluminum doping on NCM stability. Researchers compared NCM materials from LG Energy Solution, analyzing how aluminum influences oxygen redox reactions, a key factor in improving energy density but often linked to material degradation. 

Using soft X-ray resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) at Berkeley Lab’s Advanced Light Source (ALS) and operando electrochemical mass spectrometry (OEMS) at UC Berkeley, the team tracked oxygen activity in the cathode. Surprisingly, aluminum-doped NCM exhibited higher oxygen redox activity but lower oxygen loss, challenging the conventional belief that stronger oxidation leads to increased instability. Neutron diffraction experiments further revealed how managing oxygen reactions could prevent irreversible structural changes. 

By clarifying the role of oxygen redox in high-voltage cycling, this research provides valuable insights into stabilizing commercial NCM cathodes-bringing the industry one step closer to next-generation, high-energy-density batteries. 

LINK

25-02-25

   "ESCML members Suwon Lee, JaeBeum Kim, Seonyong Cho have received the BK21 Outstanding Paper Award!"

Suwon Lee, as a participating graduate students in the BK21 program, received the Best Paper Award in recognition of his contribution as the first author published in 2024, in one of the most impactful journals including Nature, Science, Cell, or a Nature Research Journals. 

JaeBeum Kim and Seonyong Cho, as a participating graduate students in the BK21 program, received the Excellent Paper Award in recognition of his contribution as the first author published in 2024, in the in the journals with an Impact Factor above 20.