Explore carbon morphology and high voltage stability. A high amount of amorphous carbon is used in our electrode making (unoptimized process). 

At high voltage, this is likely to assist in the catalytic decomposition of the electrolyte components and possible structural rearrangement of the active material surface.  We will attempt to use more graphitized carbons and/or novel carbon coatings of the cathode particles. 

Current electrolytes are not optimized for interaction with the DRX cathode surface and high voltage stability. Ethylene carbonate (EC) and hexafluorophosphate anion (PF6-) are likely culprits of the instability of the system when charged to high voltages. 

Use of EC-free (or low EC) electrolytes and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl) imide (LiFSI) salt will be evaluated.  

Perform differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiments (among other thermal tests) and in-situ characterization of cathodes at different states of charge to evaluate the thermal response at elevated temperatures. 

Our current Gen1-DRX has not gone through material optimization process with respect to particle size and morphology.

This effort aims to optimize the synthesis conditions to produce particles with improved Li transport and stability against damaging processes at high voltages (such as oxygen loss, Mn dissolution and electrolyte degradation etc.), as well as improved packing density in the composite electrode. Scale up synthesis effort aims to deliver a large quantity of materials to the researchers in the entire DRX program.