Engineering Electrolyte Materials in Energy Storage Devices

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NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTIONThe global annual energy consumption is increasing at an unprecedented rate, yet the conventional energy sources are becoming more limited and the general energy use is getting more expensive. Therefore, creative solutions in more efficient energy conversion, storage, and saving become much more critical in the coming decades. In addition, to exploit alternative energy sources, new energy-saving technologies using renewable power sources and more efficient energy storage systems are emerging. Solid oxide fuel cells are regarded as the highest in efficiency amongst all fuel cells and have the promise of low cost in numerous applications. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which have dominated the market in portable electronic industry, are viable candidates for powering an increasingly diverse range of devices. In this proposal, we aim to synthesize and optimize a critical and active component in these energy storage devices at miniaturized scales, the electrolyte, to further improve the energy storage density and improve the device performance. The proposed research will serve as a training platform for future generations of engineers, who are not only experienced with cutting-edge research techniques, but are also creative, conscientious and committed to solving the global energy crisis. TECHNICAL DETAILS The objective of this research is to synthesize metal oxide based electrolyte materials in miniaturized energy storage devices and investigate their structural properties and ionic conductivity to understand the microscopic pathways governing their performance as an electrolyte, thereby controlling and improving its efficiency. To rationally design an effective electrolyte material with a large contact area with the electrodes, this work will elucidate the growth mechanism of these materials by atomic layer deposition and its effect on controlling the electrolyte?s composition and microstructure and integrate these thin film materials conformally over miniaturized three-dimensional complex structures and assess their ionic conductivity and efficiency. As these metal oxide materials find broader applications in areas including electronics, optics, sensors, and energy storage, this research is transformational in realizing design and optimization of materials with multiple functionalities. This research has a broader impact through the education and training of the future generations of engineers who are skilled with state-of-the-art research techniques and are conscientious, creative, and committed to solve the global energy crisis.