Tin has also been found to dramatically increase the battery performance. Finally, a tin-aluminum alloy discovered in 2019 may potentially double the charge capacity of lithium ion batteries. Other potential benefits of tin for battery manufacturing includes reusability, reduced cost and durability.
By dropping tin into a battery’s carbonate-based electrolyte, the research team found that an artificial interface instantly forms on the alkali-metal anode, creating a nanometer-thick barrier that protects the anode like a shield while keeping it electrochemically active.
Stanley Whittingham, jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2019 as one of the founding fathers of lithium-ion batteries, has recently reviewed potential for tin in lithium-ion batteries and reported on his own team's tin R&D. In his paper published in...
Lithium may be the battery metal that has everyone's attention, but it's easy to forget that tin plays a part that’s also incredibly important. At one point used primarily for corrosion resistance on steel and iron, tin has also seen frequent use in the food and beverage sector.
Prolonged use tends to lead to the formation of metallic structures known as dendrites, which significantly shorten battery life. However, if tin is added to a carbonate-based electrolyte, it creates a barrier that protects the anode from reactivity, significantly increasing the battery's lifespan.
A research team at ARCI, Chennai, India have successfully used micron-sized tin as an anode for lithium-ion batteries to achieve cost-effective energy capacity, lifetime and power performance. They used the <10 micron tin powder without any of the typically complex...