Fabrication and Investigation of MCMB–LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4Pouch Cells for High Energy Density Lithium-Ion Batteries: Indigenous Efforts and Challenges for Realization

In the present work, we have fabricated indigenous 300 mAh lithium-ion rechargeable pouch cells using laboratory made LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 cathode and commercial meso carbon micro-beads anode. Required mass balancing was performed to yield pouch cell of 300 mAh capacity at C/4 rate. When charged and discharged at C/4 and C/3 rates the fabricated pouch cells retained ~ 79% of their capacities after 50 cycles. Post-mortem analysis of the cycled pouch cell indicated the dissolution of Mn and Ni from cathode and deposition of the same at anode and separator. The observed bulging of the cycled pouch cell could be due to evolution of gases through chemical decomposition of conventional organic electrolyte. Though active material dissolution and gas evolution might reduce deliverable capacity and operating voltage of the fabricated pouch cells, yet the reported electrochemical characteristics were far superior to many of the existing literature reports.