SBIR Phase I: Safe Li-ion battery with low temperature molten salt electrolyte

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目旨在解决用于电网储能的锂离子电池的突出安全问题。锂离子电池经历了许多高调的失败，导致火灾。 尽管锂离子电池具有高倍率、长寿命和高效率的特点，但其过高的成本和不足的安全性将限制其在电网储能方面的广泛应用。安全问题与高度易燃、昂贵和有毒的标准有机碳酸盐密切相关。 在热失控时，电池变成了喷灯。熔融硝酸盐电解质（125-175摄氏度）的更换消除了电解质安全问题，使电池免受外部火灾的影响。它是一种低粘度液体，也可用于太阳能热传递。 使用熔融硝酸盐作为锂离子电解质的初步研究显示出令人鼓舞的储能性能和稳定性。 正在进行的研究已经确定了与熔融硝酸盐具有更大相容性和稳定性的电极。 概念验证演示为网格存储应用程序建立了周期寿命和效率。材料成本至少占储能系统成本的60%。 硝酸盐电解质的低成本加上从手机电池中回收的电极材料将有助于实现这种安全电池的100 -150美元/千瓦时的成本目标。 这种本质上安全的电解质具有在室温下诉诸非活性状态电池的另一个好处，用于安全的电池运输和安装。 选址和许可可能是电网储能的一项重大成本。该项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是电网储能的一种安全，具有成本效益的解决方案。电网储能正在寻找一个？一个尺寸适合所有人？标准化和降低安装成本的解决方案。锂离子电池的安全问题可以通过低温（125-175摄氏度）熔融硝酸盐（无机）的替代来解决，这也可以降低50%的成本，100 -150美元/千瓦时。随着对安全电解质/电极材料的根本性改变，这种锂离子电池将与液流电池、钠基电池和先进的铅/酸竞争。 这种具有成本效益的能源储存将提高可再生能源（风能和太阳能）的经济性，并减少对不太环保的电力生产模式的依赖。 美国经济依赖于廉价的电力。美国各州（加州是第一个）正在强制要求电池成为电网储能解决方案的重要组成部分。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to resolve a glaring safety issue of Li-ion battery for grid energy storage. Li-ion has experienced a number of high profile failures that lead to fires. In spite of its high-rate capability, long life and efficiency, the excessive cost and inadequate safety of Li-ion will limit its broader application for grid storage. The safety issue is closely tied to the standard organic carbonate that is highly flammable, costly and toxic. In thermal runaway, the cell becomes a blow-torch. A molten nitrate electrolyte (125-175 deg C) replacement removes the electrolyte safety problem and makes the battery safe from external fire. It is a low viscosity liquid that also has application to solar heat transfer. Initial research with molten nitrate as an electrolyte for Li-ion has shown encouraging performance and stability for energy storage. Ongoing research has identified electrodes with greater compatibility and stability with the molten nitrate. A proof of concept demonstration establishes cycle-life and efficiency for a grid storage application. The cost of materials accounts for at least 60% of the cost of energy storage system. The low cost of the nitrate electrolyte coupled with electrode materials reclaimed from cell phone batteries will help approach a $100-150/kWh cost target for this safe battery. This inherently safe electrolyte has a further benefit of resorting to an inactive-state battery at room temperature for safe battery transport and installation. Siting and permitting can be a significant cost for grid energy storage.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is a safe, cost-effective solution for grid energy storage. Grid energy storage is looking for a ?one size fits all? solution to standardize and reduce installed cost. The safety concerns of Li-ion are overcome with the substitution of a low temperature (125-175 deg C) molten nitrate (inorganic) that can also lead to 50% lowered cost, $100-150/kWh. With a fundamental change to safe electrolyte/electrode materials, this Li-ion battery will compete with flow batteries, sodium-based batteries and advanced lead/acid. This cost-effective energy storage will improve the economics of renewables (wind and solar) and reduce dependence on less environmentally-friendly modes of electricity production. The US economy depends on readily-available, low cost electricity. States (with California being the first) are mandating that batteries be a significant part of the grid energy storage solution.