Life Cycle Analysis of Lithium–Air Batteries Designed with TEGDME-LiPF6/PVDF Aprotic Electrolytes

Abstract

In this study, possible environmental effects of lithium−air battery production and use in electric vehicles are studied using life cycle assessment (LCA). TEGDME + LiPF 6 /1% wt PVDF electrolyte is selected, and 0.5% wt Al 2 O 3 and 0.5% wt SiO 2 nanoparticles are added separately to this electrolyte. The batteries are produced and tested under laboratory conditions, and 25 kW h power packs are modeled with different electrolytes. A functional unit "environmental impact per 1 km" is chosen. The battery modeled with 0.5% wt SiO 2 added electrolyte has a low global warming potential (GWP) of 83.5 g CO 2 -eq/km. Because of the low energy potential, the 0.5% wt Al 2 O 3 added battery exhibits the highest GWP at 158 g CO 2 -eq/km. It is determined that the environmental effects of batteries are largely due to the high electrical energy needed during the cathode production for the battery cell. While the GWP of a 1% wt poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF) battery is caused by 68.4% of the battery production process, this ratio is 93.3% for 0.5% wt Al 2 O 3 added battery. It is determined that the lithium−air battery technology has lower emission values than internal combustion engines operating with fossil fuels.