SBIR Phase I: Rechargeable Hybrid Aqueous Battery with Novel Freeze Tape Cast 3-D Zinc Electrode

该项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是可充电混合水电池（ReHAB）的进步，该电池包含一种新型冷冻带铸造锌电极，将有助于满足全球电池需求。主导电气化市场的两种化学物质是锂离子和铅酸。然而，这两种化学物质都有缺点，包括铅酸电池的低循环寿命和低能量，以及锂离子电池的高价格和安全风险。这些缺点为ReHAB化学电池成为铅酸电池和锂离子电池的替代品打开了大门，如固定设备、重型卡车、数据中心备份和工业动机。康复电池的主要目标是进入这些成熟的市场，作为现有技术的低成本和更安全的替代品。这些目标市场的年销售额总计超过500亿美元，而且还在继续增长。这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）一期项目将通过使用冷冻带铸造（FTC）锌电极来推进康复电池。ReHAB是一种新兴的、高效率的可充电电池技术，它利用了锂嵌入电极的高比能量密度和价格合理、无毒的锌电极。电解质是水基的，比非水电解质更具导电性，这使得ReHAB电池成为一种安全的、高倍率应用的替代电池。尽管ReHAB技术具有巨大的潜力，但市面上可用的锌箔电极性能不佳，而且镀锌电极的制造困难，阻碍了ReHAB电池的实际实施。第一阶段项目将包括三个主要任务，以推进新兴技术和建立新的FTC阳极，包括FTC锌电极的初步表征，FTC电极的康复袋电池的制造，以及在不同操作条件下的化学初步性能。FTC新型电极有望提供定向排列的活性金属支柱，这将允许有序的锌镀，有助于控制形状变化，并且由于更均匀分布的电流而大大减少枝晶的形成，这将提供更长的循环寿命。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the advancement of a Rechargeable Hybrid Aqueous Battery (ReHAB) containing a novel freeze tape cast zinc electrode that will contribute to meeting global battery demands. The two chemistries dominating the majority of electrification markets are lithium-ion and lead-acid. However, both of these chemistries have drawbacks, which include the low cycle life and energy associated with lead-acid batteries, and the high price and safety risks associated with lithium-ion batteries. These drawbacks open the door for the ReHAB battery chemistry to become a drop-in replacement to the lead-acid and lithium-ion markets such as stationary, heavy trucking, data center backup, and industrial motive. The primary goal of the ReHAB battery will be to step into these established markets as a lower cost and safer replacement to current technologies. These target markets total more than $50 billion in annual sales and continue to grow. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will advance the ReHAB battery by utilizing freeze tape cast (FTC) zinc electrodes. The ReHAB is an emerging, high efficiency rechargeable battery technology that utilizes the high specific energy density of lithium intercalation electrodes with affordable, nontoxic zinc electrodes. The electrolyte is water-based and is more conductive than non-aqueous electrolytes, which makes ReHAB cells a safe, alternative battery for high rate applications. Despite the enormous potential of the ReHAB technology, poor performance of commercially available zinc foil electrodes and difficulties with fabricating zinc plated electrodes have prevented practical implementation of the ReHAB battery. The Phase 1 project will be comprised of three major tasks to advance the emerging technology and establish the novel FTC anode, including initial characterization of the FTC zinc electrode, fabrication of ReHAB pouch cells with the FTC electrode, and the initial performance of the chemistry under varying operating conditions. The FTC novel electrode is anticipated to provide directionally aligned active metallic struts that will allow for ordered zinc plating, help control shape change, and dramatically reduce dendrite formation due to a more homogeneously distributed current, which will provide much longer cycle life.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.