Next Generation Li-Ion Rechargeable Batteries Featuring Nano-Engineered Anode Architectures

下一代锂离子可充电电池， 纳米工程阳极架构Nikhil Koratkar，Catalin Picu和Toh-Ming LuRensselaer Polytechnic Institutes硅是锂离子可充电电池最有前途的阳极材料之一，因为它具有最高的理论充电容量，并且是地球上第二丰富的元素。然而，硅阳极由于与锂的插入和提取相关的巨大体积变化而具有有限的应用。这会导致阳极的破裂和粉碎，从而导致电接触的损失和最终的容量衰减。本项目的目标是开发具有高容量和长寿命的新型耐应力纳米结构硅阳极架构。我们将系统地研究各种阳极结构，以了解和控制纳米结构锂离子电池阳极的故障。更具体地说，我们建议研究三类纳米结构阳极：（1）硅和其他有前途的材料，如铝和锡的纳米棒/纳米弹簧阵列，（2）传统硅膜阳极的纳米顺应性支撑结构和（3）沉积在由电化学惰性材料组成的纳米棒上的硅勺。除了实验，原子尺度的模拟，提出了调查的物理锂扩散和应力积聚在纳米结构。这些信息将用于开发连续模型，以确定纳米图案化电极的最佳结构。可充电锂离子电池是当今信息丰富的移动的社会不可或缺的组成部分。拟议的工作将提供必要的基本理解，以开发和完善纳米结构阳极的设计，使数量级的增强充电容量，充电/放电速率能力和锂离子电池的循环寿命。这可能会导致革命性的新的高性能电池技术，除了便携式电子产品外，还可能在下一代无线通信设备，固定蓄电池，微芯片，国防应用，甚至混合动力和全电动汽车中发挥核心作用。

Next Generation Lithium-Ion Rechargeable Batteries Featuring Nano-Engineered Anode ArchitecturesNikhil Koratkar, Catalin Picu and Toh-Ming LuRensselaer Polytechnic InstituteSilicon is one of the most promising anode materials for Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries because it has the highest known theoretical charge capacity and is the second most abundant element on earth. However Silicon anodes have limited applications because of the huge volume change associated with the insertion and extraction of Lithium. This causes cracking and pulverization of the anode, which leads to a loss of electrical contact and eventual fading of capacity. The objective of this project is to develop novel stress-resistant nanostructured Silicon anode architectures with a high capacity and long life. We will systematically study various anode architectures with a view to understanding and controlling failure in nanostructured Lithium-ion battery anodes. More specifically, we propose to study three categories of nanostructured anodes: (1) Nano-rod/nano-spring arrays of Silicon and other promising materials such as Aluminum and Tin, (2) nano-compliant support structures for conventional Silicon film anodes and (3) Silicon scoops deposited on nanorods composed of an electrochemically inert material. In addition to the experiments, atomic scale simulations are proposed to investigate the physics of Lithium diffusion and stress build-up in nanostructures. This information will be used to develop continuum models in order to determine the optimal structure of the nanopatterned electrode.Rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries are integral to today's information-rich, mobile society. The proposed work will provide the fundamental understanding necessary to develop and refine the design of nanostructured anodes to enable order of magnitude enhancements in charge capacity, charge/discharge rate capability and cycle life of Lithium-ion batteries. This can lead to revolutionary new high performance battery technologies which in addition to portable electronics could also play a central role in next generation wireless communication devices, stationary storage batteries, microchips, defense applications, and even in hybrid and all electric vehicles.