SBIR Phase II: Sulfur-infused carbon nanostructures for High Energy Density Secondary Batteries

这项拟议的小企业创新研究二期项目将开发一种新的纳米级合成注硫碳复合正极材料的工艺，以生产具有高充放电比和超长循环寿命的高能量密度锂硫(Li-S)二次电池。循环寿命长的锂硫电池在价值110亿至130亿美元的锂离子电池市场上是一项潜在的颠覆性技术，因为它们的能量密度比现有化学平台高出三到四倍。该第二阶段提案的技术目标包括优化硫-碳复合材料的电化学性能，以及为材料和电池制造开发和实施可扩展的单元工艺。该项目将组装和测试足够数量的储袋电池，以展示600Wh/kg的700个循环的运行，产品之间的差异最小，性能可靠。第二阶段的成功将为获得机构风险投资和建立联合开发伙伴关系提供重要途径，以成功地将NOHM独特的锂S电池技术转化为商业市场。这个项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是巨大的。二次锂硫电池采用硫作为正极，金属锂作为负极，在任何两种固体元素中都具有最高的储能潜力。它们提供的比能量是目前部署的锂离子电池技术的两倍多，重量只有一半。锂离子电池目前的市场规模为140亿美元，预计到2020年将达到440亿美元。它们占便携式电子产品中使用的所有二次(可充电)电池的近75%。如果这些电池的潜力能够被经济地利用和规模化，它们有望颠覆目前的锂离子电池技术，因为它们具有更高的能量密度，以及硫的低成本和广泛可获得性。锂S电池可以改变移动设备市场、电动汽车市场和储能市场，在所有这些领域实现更高的效率和功率。

This proposed Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will develop a novel nano- scale process for synthesizing sulfur-infused carbon composite cathode materials to produce high- energy density lithium-sulfur (Li-S) secondary batteries with a high rate of charge/discharge and extraordinarily long cycle life. Lithium-sulfur batteries with a long cycle-life are a potentially disruptive technology in the $11-$13 billion lithium-ion battery market because of their three to fourfold energy density advantage over existing chemistry platforms. The technical objectives of this Phase II proposal include the optimization of the electrochemical performance of Sulfur-Carbon composite materials as well developing and implementing scalable unit processes for materials and cell manufacturing. This project will assemble and test pouch cells in sufficient quantities to demonstrate 600Wh/kg operation for 700 cycles with minimal product-to-product variability and reliable performance. Success in Phase II will provide an important pathway to receiving institutional venture funding and building joint-development partnerships to successfully transition NOHMs unique Li-S battery technology to commercial markets. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is significant. Secondary lithium-sulfur batteries employing sulfur as the cathode and metallic lithium as the anode offers the highest energy storage potential of any two solid elements. They offer more than twice the specific energy of currently deployed lithium ion battery technology with half the weight. Li-ion batteries currently have a $14 billion market and are expected to reach $44 billion by 2020. They account for close to 75% of all secondary (rechargeable) batteries used in portable electronics. If the potential of these batteries can be harnessed and scaled economically, they are expected to disrupt current lithium ion cell technology because of their higher energy density and the low cost and wide-spread availability of sulfur. Li-S batteries could transform the mobile device market, the electric vehicle market, and energy storage market, enabling greater efficiency and power in all those sectors.