Thermal instabilities of organic carbonates with discharged cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries

Thermal instability of lithiated cathode materials with organic carbonate were investigated using DSC. Lithium transition metal oxides of LiFePO4, LiMn2O4, and LiCoO2 were mixed with diethyl carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, ethylene carbonate, ethyl methyl carbonate, and propylene carbonate then dynamically screened to about 500 A degrees C. Curves were acquired and analyzed to determine exothermic onset temperatures and reaction enthalpies. These data for assessing the thermal hazards of lithium-ion batteries under discharged conditions were compared to those data published in the literature.