PFI:AIR - TT: Demonstration and Device Level Characterization of Lithium-Ion Batteries with Graphene and Graphene-Silicon Based Anodes in Pouch and Cylindrical Cell Form Factors

这项PFI: AIR技术转化项目将促进下一代锂离子电池中石墨烯和石墨烯-硅复合阳极的开发和商业化，与目前的同类产品相比，其能量密度显着更高。这项技术非常重要，因为锂离子电池需要进行重大改进，才能满足客户对高比能量、长使用寿命、高需求功率和快速充电的需求。如果可扩展，提出的石墨烯技术可以帮助满足这些要求，并可以广泛应用于各种应用，如可穿戴设备（智能手表和谷歌玻璃），便携式电子产品（手机，笔记本电脑），无人驾驶飞行器以及电动汽车和电网存储。该项目将导致最小可行产品（MVP）的放大演示。根据初步测试，该MVP有望分别提供高达~1000瓦时/升和~650瓦时/千克的体积和重力能量密度。这些性能指标是目前锂离子电池中广泛使用的石墨阳极技术的2-3倍。该项目解决了从研究发现到商业应用的以下技术差距：(1)实现锂电池石墨烯电极可扩展（卷对卷）制造的方法；(2)将电极组装成更大尺寸的袋状/圆柱形电池，可以提供各种最终用途应用的电压和容量额定值。为了解决制造问题，该团队将开发新型水电极浆料，该浆料可以使用最先进的医生刀片和槽模涂层方法以可扩展的方式沉积。该项目的交付产品将是一种最低限度可行的产品（袋式和圆柱形电池），可以接受第三方验证，也可以由潜在客户进行现场测试。这将促进与客户和私人投资者的联合开发协议，以开始工业相关规模的生产。参与该项目的学生（1名研究生和2名本科生）将发展重要的技能，包括可扩展电极制造，袋形/圆柱形电池组装和原型的系统级测试。在纯粹的实验室环境中，这样的研究往往被排除在外，从而使学生无法体验到行业的严格标准和严谨。此外，学生将积极参加会议和其他社交活动，在那里他们将有广泛的社交机会，并有可能结识志同道合的创业学生和行业专家。

This PFI: AIR technology translation project will facilitate the development and commercialization of graphene and graphene-silicon composite anodes in next-generation Lithium-ion batteries, with significantly higher energy density as compared to their present-day counterparts. The proposed technology is important because Lithium-ion batteries need significant improvement to keep pace with the needs of customers who are demanding high specific energy, long service life, high power on demand and quick charging. If scalable, the proposed graphene technology could help satisfy these requirements and could find widespread use in various applications such as wearables (smart watches and google glass), portable electronics (cell phones, laptops), unmanned aerial vehicles as well as electric vehicles and grid storage. This project will result in a scaled-up demonstration of a minimally viable product (MVP). Based on preliminary testing, this MVP is expected to deliver volumetric and gravimetric energy densities of up to ~1000 Watt-hour/liter and ~650 Watt-hour/kilogram respectively. These performance metrics are 2-3 fold superior to the incumbent graphite anode technology which is extensively used in today's Lithium-ion batteries.This project addresses the following technology gap(s) as it translates from research discovery toward commercial application: (1) Methods to achieve scalable (roll-to-roll) manufacturing of graphene electrodes for Lithium batteries and (2) Assembly of the electrodes into larger format pouch/cylindrical cells that can deliver the voltage and capacity-ratings of various end-use applications. To address manufacturing, the team will develop novel aqueous electrode slurries that can be deposited in a scalable manner using state-of-art doctor blade and slot-die coating methods. The deliverable for this project will be a minimally viable product (pouch and cylindrical cell batteries) that can be subjected to third-party validation and also field-tested by potential customers. This will facilitate joint development agreements with customers and private investors to begin production at industrially relevant scales. The students (1 graduate and 2 undergraduates) involved in the project will develop important skill-sets including scalable electrode manufacturing, pouch/cylindrical cell assembly and system level testing of the prototypes. In a pure laboratory environment, such studies are often excluded, thereby preventing the students from experiencing the stringent standards and rigors of the industry. Additionally, the students will actively participate in conferences and other networking events where they will have extensive networking opportunities and the potential to meet like-minded entrepreneurial students and industry experts.