CAREER: Particle and Electrode Engineering of High Voltage Lithium-Ion Cathodes

为了提高电动汽车的性能和经济竞争力，为实现国家的长期能源目标做出贡献，需要新的高能量密度电池。该项目将研究通过控制电池中储存能量的电极材料的组成、大小、形状和组装来提高电池性能的新方法。本基础研究旨在设计电池芯内的活性材料结构，以提高电池的能量密度、功率密度和安全性。开发的工具将适用于许多不同的电池化学，从而将推进电池领域的知识状态。通过向电池研究界的传播，以及提高未来几代电动汽车候选材料性能的潜力，技术产生了更广泛的影响。通过从研究中获得的知识丰富研究生和本科工程课程，实现了更广泛的教育影响。其他拓展活动包括指导通过鼓励代表性不足的群体参与STEM项目招募的高中生和本科生研究人员，以帮助培养下一代能源工程师。该项目的目标是开发一种策略来控制高压电池正极材料电极内的成分，形态和颗粒组装。将采取一种方法，结合粒子合成和结构中的粒子组织的基本理解，在多个尺度上控制电池电极，从而确定形态和组织如何影响宏观电池性能和性能的关系。在这个项目中开发的工具将为生产电池电极材料提供一个平台，这些材料可翻译为许多当前和未来的电池化学。为了实现项目目标，研究将涉及前驱体活性颗粒材料的基本热力学、动力学和前驱体溶液化学成核和生长过程的研究。将详细确定表征，以便对前驱体和最终活性物质颗粒形态、化学计量和晶体结构进行可调控制。该项目还将制造由有序结构组成的电极。将测量颗粒之间的流变特性和相互作用势，以将颗粒之间的相互作用和浆液特性与复合电极内颗粒的最终顺序联系起来。对于项目的最终主题，将对有序电极进行宏观测量，以确定材料的电化学性能，热性能和离子传输。这些宏观性质将与初始前驱体粒子合成的调谐有关。这项研究的结果是一种系统的方法来设计和控制电池性能与热量和质量传输限制之间的权衡。

New high energy density batteries are needed to improve the performance and economic competitiveness of electric vehicles to contribute towards the achievement of the Nation's long-term energy goals. This project will investigate new methods to improve the performance of batteries by controlling the composition, size, shape, and assembly of the electrode materials that store energy within the battery. This fundamental research aims to design the active material structures within the battery cell to improve the energy density, power density, and safety of the battery. The tools developed will be applicable to many different battery chemistries and will thus advance the state of knowledge in the battery field. Technology broader impacts are achieved through dissemination to the battery research community and the potential to improve the performance of a candidate material for future generations of electric vehicles. Educational broader impacts are achieved through the enrichment of graduate and undergraduate engineering curriculum with knowledge gained from the research. Additional outreach activities include mentoring high school and undergraduate student researchers recruited through programs that encourage participation of underrepresented groups in STEM to help train the next generation of energy engineers. The goal of this project is to develop a strategy to control the composition, morphology, and particle assembly within the electrode of a high voltage battery cathode material. An approach will be taken that combines fundamental understanding in particle synthesis and particle organization in structures to control battery electrodes at multiple scales such that relationships can be determined on how morphology and organization impacts macroscopic battery properties and performance. The tools developed in this project will provide a platform for producing battery electrode materials that are translatable to many current and future battery chemistries. To achieve the project goals, the research will involve study of the fundamental thermodynamic, kinetic, and nucleation and growth processes of precursor solution chemistry for precursor active particle materials. Characterizations will be determined in detail such that tunable control over precursor and final active material particle morphology, stoichiometry, and crystal structure will be obtained. The project will also fabricate electrodes comprised of ordered architectures. The rheological properties and interaction potentials between the particles will be measured to relate interparticle interactions and slurry properties to the final ordering of the particles within the composite electrodes. For the final theme of the project, macroscopic measurements of the ordered electrodes will be conducted to determine electrochemical properties, thermal properties, and ionic transport of the materials. These macroscopic properties will be related back to the tuning of the synthesis of the initial precursor particles. The outcome of this research is a systematic approach to design and control the tradeoff of battery performance and heat and mass transport limitations.