STTR Phase II: Using Nanoparticle Oxide Coatings to Extend Cycle Life of Cathode Materials in Lithium-Ion Batteries

这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目旨在通过应用保护性纳米多孔陶瓷涂层，将高温应用中锂离子电池正极材料的循环寿命提高十倍。SolRayo将研究改变控制陶瓷涂层纳米孔结构的几个变量对阴极材料循环寿命的影响。这些变量包括涂层的量或厚度、涂层材料悬浮液的pH值、在阴极上沉积不同陶瓷材料层以及在阴极上沉积涂层的不同方法。要研究的材料将包括TiO2， ZrO2和我们的工业合作伙伴提出的其他材料。这项研究的更广泛的影响是，如果成功，该项目将提高锂离子电池的循环寿命，并允许使用更安全、更便宜的材料。尽管锂离子电池在消费电子产品中得到了广泛的接受，但它们在其他市场的使用受到寿命和安全问题的限制，特别是在高温下的应用。提高这些电池所用材料的使用寿命和安全性将提高它们的市场渗透率。初步的成本估计表明，向工业界授权涂层材料每年可提供约1亿美元的销售特许权使用费。这项工作也将通过提高我们对适用于各种储能应用的纳米颗粒涂层技术的理解而使国家受益。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to increase the cycle life of cathode materials used in lithium-ion batteries by a factor of ten in high-temperature applications by applying protective nanoporous ceramic coatings. SolRayo will investigate the effects that changing several variables that control the nanoporous structure of ceramic coatings have on the cycle life of cathode materials. Such variables include the amount or thickness of the coating, the pH of the suspension of the coating material, the deposition of layers of different ceramic materials on the cathodes, and different methods for depositing the coatings on the cathodes. The materials to be investigated will include TiO2, ZrO2 and others proposed by our industrial partner.The broader impacts of this research are that, if successful, this project will improve the cycle life of lithium-ion batteries and allow inherently safer and less expensive materials to be employed. Although lithium-ion batteries have gained wide acceptance in consumer electronic products, their use in other markets has been limited by their lifetimes and safety concerns, particularly in applications at higher temperatures. Improving the lifetime and safety of the materials used in these batteries will enhance their market penetration. Preliminary cost estimates indicate that licensing the coated materials to industry could provide approximately $100 million annually in royalties on sales. This work will also benefit the nation by improving our understanding of nanoparticle coating techniques suitable for a variety of energy storage applications.