PFI-TT: Rechargeable Batteries with Ultrafast Charging Capability and Long Usage Time per Charge

这项创新技术转化伙伴关系（PFI-TT）项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是开发基于硅的可充电电池，这种电池可以快速充电，并且可以保持更长时间的充电。这种电池将允许手机在20分钟内充满电，而目前的标准是2小时；并且在需要充电之前，将使用时间延长至3天，而不是2天。超快充电电池和高能电池将影响其他重要产品，从相机和笔记本电脑到无人机、电动工具、电动叉车、军事设备等。硅基高能电池可以将电动汽车电池组的成本和重量降低60%。从这个项目中获得的科学理解将使硅基电池技术在短期内转化为消费电子应用，从长远来看，转化为电动汽车应用。本课题采用一种新颖、简单、低成本的制造方法，可以合成一种新型的硅基阳极粉，同时具有超快充电能力、高比容量和长循环寿命的非凡性能。这项研究的目标是克服技术挑战，将这种新的半电池技术转化为具有前所未有的超快充电能力、高比能量和长循环寿命的全电池可充电电池。研究课题包括：全电池第一次形成周期的低库仑效率和不可逆锂损失；阴极材料设计；高比能的正极和负极容量的正确匹配；合理选择全电池的截止电压以减少循环过程中的容量衰减；设计不镀锂的超快充电全电池。将对具有不同单位面积活性物质负荷量和不同循环后充放电速率的三电极袋电池进行研究，并对完整电池进行死后分析，以加深对上述挑战的基本认识，并为解决上述挑战和实现研究目标提供指导。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 Partnerships for Innovation-Technology Translation (PFI-TT) project is to develop silicon-based rechargeable batteries that can charge fast and can maintain a charge longer. Such batteries will allow cell phones to be charged to their full capacity in 20 minutes, compared with current standards of 2 hours; and will extend usage time to 3 days, rather than 2, prior to needing recharging. The ultrafast charging batteries and high energy batteries would impact other important products, ranging from cameras and laptops to drones, power tools, electric forklifts, military devices, and others. Silicon-based high-energy batteries could reduce the cost and weight of the battery pack by 60% in electric vehicles. The scientific understanding derived from this project would enable translation of silicon-based battery technology into consumer electronics applications in the near term and electric vehicle applications in the longer term. The proposed project employs a novel, simple and low cost manufacturing method that can synthesize a new type of Si-based anode powder that exhibits unusual properties with ultrafast charging capability, high specific capacity and long cycle life simultaneously. The objective of this research is to overcome technical challenges in translating this new half-cell technology into full cell rechargeable batteries with unprecedented ultrafast charging capability, high specific energy and long cycle life. Six research tasks will be performed to address the challenges of low Coulombic efficiency and irreversible Li loss in the first formation cycle of full cells, cathode material design, correct matching of anode and cathode capacities for high specific energy, proper selection of cutoff voltages of full cells to minimize capacity decay during cycles, and design of full cells capable of ultrafast charging without Li plating. Three-electrode pouch cell investigation and post-mortem analysis of full cells with different active material loadings per unit area and charge/discharge rates after different cycles will be conducted to develop fundamental understanding and provide guidance to address the aforementioned challenges and achieve the research objective.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.