Lithium Titanate (Li₂TiO₃) — LTO

 

About:

Lithium-ion is named for its active materials; the words are either written in full or shortened by their chemical symbols. A series of letters and numbers strung together can be hard to remember and even harder to pronounce, and battery chemistries are also identified in abbreviated letters. 

For example, lithium cobalt oxide, one of the most common Li-ions, has the chemical symbols LiCoO₂ and the abbreviation LCO. For reasons of simplicity, the short form Li-cobalt can also be used for this battery. Cobalt is the main active material that gives this battery character. Other Li-ion chemistries are given similar short-form names.  

Technology Description:​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Batteries with lithium titanate anodes have been known since the 1980s. Li-titanate replaces the graphite in the anode of a typical lithium-ion battery and the material forms into a spinel structure. The cathode can be lithium manganese oxide or NMC. Li-titanate has a nominal cell voltage of 2.40V, can be fast charged and delivers a high discharge current of 10C, or 10 times the rated capacity. The cycle count is said to be higher than that of a regular Li-ion. Li-titanate is safe, has excellent low-temperature discharge characteristics and obtains a capacity of 80 percent at –30°C (–22°F). 

LTO (commonly Li₄Ti₅O₁₂) has advantages over the conventional cobalt-blended Li-ion with graphite anode by attaining zero-strain property, no SEI film formation and no lithium plating when fast charging and charging at low temperature. Thermal stability under high temperature is also better than other Li-ion systems; however, the battery is expensive. At only 65Wh/kg, the specific energy is low, rivalling that of NiCd. Li-titanate charges to 2.80V/cell, and the end of discharge is 1.80V/cell. Typical uses are electric powertrains, UPS and solar-powered street lighting. 

Voltages	2.40V nominal;  typical operating range 1.8–2.85V/cell
Specific energy (capacity)	50–80Wh/kg
Charge (C-rate)	1C typical; 5C maximum, charges to 2.85V
Discharge (C-rate)	10C possible, 30C 5s pulse; 1.80V cut-off  on LCO/LTO
Cycle life	3,000–7,000
Thermal runaway	One of safest Li-ion batteries
Cost	~$1,005 per kWh (Source: RWTH, Aachen)
Applications	UPS, electric powertrain (Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Honda Fit EV),  solar-powered street lighting
Comments      Latest update:	Long life, fast charge, wide temperature range but low specific energy and expensive. Among safest Li-ion batteries.    Ability to ultra-fast charge; high cost limits to special application.

References:

1. https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/types_of_lithium_ion#:~:text=Lithium%20Nickel%20Manganese%20Cobalt%20Oxide%20(LiNiMnCoO2)%20%E2%80%94%20NMC,Energy%20Cells%20or%20Power%20Cells.&text=The%20secret%20of%20NMC%20lies%20in%20combining%20nickel%20and%20manganese.