GOALI/Collaborative Research: Additive Manufacturing of Mechanically Strong and Electrochemically Robust Porous Electrodes for Ultra-High Energy Density Batteries

这一学术与工业联系机会(GOALI)奖支持基础研究，以实现通过低成本制造方法实现可靠的超高能量密度电池。研究结果有助于使电动汽车与汽油动力汽车相比具有成本竞争力。这项研究还将使物联网、医疗保健和消费电子行业受益，因为许多应用都需要坚固耐用的高容量电池。此外，该项目将通过为不同青年开发跨学科课程和各种科学活动，帮助培训能源、先进材料和先进制造等跨学科领域的美国劳动力。本研究的重点是利用气雾剂喷射法和纳米颗粒烧结法制作3D电极。第一个研究目标是建立工艺参数与工艺所产生的3D电极结构质量之间的关系。气溶胶喷射添加剂制备的工艺参数包括载气压力、纳米颗粒的大小和分散度；烧结工艺参数包括烧结能量和时间。3D电极结构的质量将通过孔隙度水平、孔几何形状、比容量和抗容量衰减来衡量。这一目标将通过在理论模型指导下进行实验研究来实现。纳米颗粒溶液在分配和连续烧结过程中的凝固过程将用离散的颗粒模型和扩散模型来模拟。此外，还将使用多尺度建模方法建立一个求解锂扩散方程的模型，该方程耦合了多孔电极中的应力演化和裂纹。这些模型将指导使用高比容量材料(如硅和二氧化硅)的添加剂制造实验。第二个目标是确定电极上人造涂层的特性与电极容量衰减阻力之间的关系。涂层的特性包括涂层的厚度和均匀性。为了实现这一目标，将使用原子层沉积在3D多孔电极上创建电极-电解质界面层。几种微观分析，如原子力显微镜、扫描电子显微镜和透射电子显微镜将被用来测量涂层的厚度和均匀性。然后将进行电池的电化学实验，并将使用循环伏安法和阻抗谱来测量容量衰减的阻力。

This Grant Opportunity for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) award supports fundamental research to enable the realization of reliable and ultra-high energy density batteries by low cost manufacturing methods. Research results can help in making electric vehicles cost-competitive with gasoline powered vehicles. The research will also benefit the Internet of Things, the healthcare, and the consumer electronics industry, because many applications need robust and high capacity batteries. In addition, this project will help train US workforce in the interdisciplinary areas of energy, advanced materials, and advanced manufacturing through the development of interdisciplinary curricula and various science activities for diverse youth. This research focuses on making 3D electrodes using an aerosol jet-based additive manufacturing method along with nanoparticle sintering. The first research objective is to establish relationships between process parameters and the quality of 3D electrode architecture produced by the processes. Process parameters of aerosol jet-based additive manufacturing include carrier gas pressure, and nanoparticle size and dispersion; and sintering process parameters include sintering energy and time. The quality of 3D electrode architecture will be measured in terms of porosity level, pore geometry, specific capacity, and resistance to capacity fade. This objective will be achieved by carrying out experimental research guided by theoretical models. The solidification of nanoparticle solutions upon dispense and the consecutive sintering process will be modelled by using a discretized particle model and a diffusive model. Further, a model that solves the Li diffusion equation coupled with stress evolution and the cracking in the porous electrode will be developed using a multi-scale modeling approach. These models will guide the additive fabrication experiments using high specific capacity materials such as silicon and silicon dioxide. The second objective is to identify relationships between the characteristics of an artificial coating on the electrode and the resistance to electrode capacity fade. The characteristics of the coating include the thickness and uniformity of the coated layer. To achieve this objective, atomic layer deposition will be used to create an electrode-electrolyte interface layer over the 3D porous electrodes. Several microscopic analyses such as atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy will be used to measure the coating thickness and uniformity. Battery electrochemical experiments will then be carried out and the resistance to capacity fade will be measured using cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy.