Electrical Energy Storage: Batteries

Abstract Secondary batteries have become the dominant source of energy for personal electronics and are the most promising technology for widespread implementation of electric vehicles. Much of the innovations that have taken place in the last 20 years in the field of Li‐ion batteries (and other battery technologies) relate to the design of new materials allowing for greater energy density without compromising long‐term performance. This chapter is devoted to components of modern batteries where solid‐state chemistry has played and will continue to play a significant role. The batteries of particular interest will be Li‐ion (nearing maturity) and all solid‐state batteries (currently used for niche applications only). In metal–ion battery systems, the stoichiometry and synthesis conditions of the electrode materials have dramatic effects on the battery properties and solid‐state chemistry has therefore played a vital role in developing these technologies. Here, the topics covered will be the operation of state‐of‐the‐art batteries, the structures of typical materials used in batteries as well as their synthesis, and finally an overview of ways in which solid‐state chemistry has contributed to battery research, including a discussion of combinatorial chemistry. The prospects for all solid batteries will also be critically examined.