On the Oxidation State of Manganese Ions in Li-Ion Battery Electrolyte Solutions

J Am Chem Soc. 2017 Feb 8;139(5):1738-1741. doi: 10.1021/jacs.6b10781. Epub 2017 Jan 30.

Abstract

We demonstrate herein that Mn3+ and not Mn2+, as commonly accepted, is the dominant dissolved manganese cation in LiPF6-based electrolyte solutions of Li-ion batteries with lithium manganate spinel positive and graphite negative electrodes chemistry. The Mn3+ fractions in solution, derived from a combined analysis of electron paramagnetic resonance and inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy data, are ∼80% for either fully discharged (3.0 V hold) or fully charged (4.2 V hold) cells, and ∼60% for galvanostatically cycled cells. These findings agree with the average oxidation state of dissolved Mn ions determined from X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy data, as verified through a speciation diagram analysis. We also show that the fractions of Mn3+ in the aprotic nonaqueous electrolyte solution are constant over the duration of our experiments and that disproportionation of Mn3+ occurs at a very slow rate.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.