Are lithium-ion batteries the future of battery technology?

Conclusive summary and perspective Lithium-ion batteries are considered to remain the battery technology of choice for the near-to mid-term future and it is anticipated that significant to substantial further improvement is possible.

Should lithium-ion batteries be commercialized?

In fact, compared to other emerging battery technologies, lithium-ion batteries have the great advantage of being commercialized already, allowing for at least a rough estimation of what might be possible at the cell level when reporting the performance of new cell components in lab-scale devices.

Are graphite anodes the future of lithium-ion batteries?

Graphite anodes are the industrial standard for lithium-ion batteries, and it is anticipated that only minor improvements can be expected in the future. Similar fate awaits LTO anodes, as they occupy a niche market, where extreme safety is of utmost importance, such as medical devices and public transportation.

Can 3D printing be used to produce lithium micro-batteries?

At present, the most promising use of 3D printing is in the production of lithium micro-batteries. Laser cutting has been proposed as an alternative to the standard mechanical cutting approach used to prepare electrodes for stacked cells.

How did lithium ion battery technology start?

The breakthrough of the lithium-ion battery technology was triggered by the substitution of lithium metal as an anode active material by carbonaceous compounds, nowadays mostly graphite . Several comprehensive reviews partly or entirely focusing on graphite are available [28, , , , , ].

How many wt% of lithium-ion batteries are recycled?

Currently in the European Union, only 50 wt% of lithium-ion batteries is required to be recycled based on the directive 2006/66/EC . However, a future battery directive is expected to set much higher limits focused on particular battery components.