Redox shuttle additives for chemical overcharge protection in lithium ion batteries

We disclosed that a few kinds of aromatic compounds having thianthrene derivatives with acetyl or other functional groups were stable up to about 4.2-4.3 V against lithium. These materials, called redox shuttle, have lately been employed as a chemical overcharge protection agent that consumes the excess current during battery overcharge. They oxidized above 4 V and worked as redox shuttle when introduced into the electrolyte of a Carbon/LiCoO2 prismatic battery within less than one hour rate (1C). We also studied thermal properties of batteries containing the above-mentioned materials with ARC (Accelerating Rate Calorimeter). We ascertained that the current supplied over the full charge was not stored, but instantly and quite completely consumed in an oxidation-reduction reaction.