STTR Phase I: Multifunctional Trilayer Membrane for a Stable, Scalable and Economical High Energy Capacity Li-S Battery with Long Cycle Life

随着电动汽车数量的增加，这个小型企业技术转移（STTR）项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力将解决锂离子电池材料短缺的问题。锂硫（Li-S）电池提供了一个机会，因为硫更容易获得，成本更低，而且环保。与铅酸电池不同，锂硫电池不需要使用硫酸或其他对环境有害的化学物质。未来10年，全球锂电池市场预计将以每年70%以上的速度增长，2018-2022年将增长近7亿美元。该项目将加速先进锂电池的开发。STTR一期项目拟解决锂金属阳极可逆性差、安全性（稳定性）差等重要技术难题。将开发等效电路网络（ECN）模型来模拟新型锂电池的性能。准确和合适的模型是锂电池应用的必要条件。通过实验、系统建模和仿真，将实现这些目标：1)通过使用先进膜的新型电池更好地了解锂- s电化学，2)研究不同操作参数（如充放电率）对电池性能的影响，3)对温度对锂- s电池性能的影响进行初步研究，4)展示和报道锂- s袋式电池的高能量和长周期性能。5)将制造锂电池（硬币电池和袋状电池），并使用精确的测试设备研究它们在不同充放电速率和温度水平下的性能。这些数据将用于ECN模型的开发和模拟研究。该项目的潜在成果包括开发一种新型Li-S袋式电池，该电池采用先进的复合膜，使电池的容量超过400 Wh/kg，循环寿命超过500次。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 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project will address concerns about the shortage of materials for Lithium-ion batteries as the number of electric vehicles increases. Lithium Sulfur (Li-S) batteries offer an opportunity because sulfur is more readily available, lower cost, and environmentally friendly. Unlike lead-acid batteries, Li-S batteries do not require use of sulfuric acid or other environmentally harmful chemicals. The global Li-S battery market will grow at an estimated annual rate of 70+% in the next 10 years, with a growth of nearly $700 M in 2018-2022. The proposed project will accelerate the development of advanced Li-S batteries. This STTR Phase I project proposes to address important technical challenges like inferior reversibility and poor safety (stability) of the Li metal anode. Equivalent circuit network (ECN) models will be developed for simulating the performance of the new Li-S cells. Accurate and appropriate models are necessary for applications of Li-S batteries. Through experiments, systems modeling, and simulation, these objectives will be accomplished: 1) Gain better understanding of Li-S electrochemistry with a new cell using an advanced membrane, 2) Study effects of different operating parameters, such as the charge and discharge rate on the cell performance, 3) Conduct preliminary studies on the effect of temperature on the Li-S cell performance, 4) Demonstrate and report high energy and long cycle performance in Li-S pouch cell, 5) Li-S cells (coin and pouch cells) will be fabricated and their performance studied at different charge/discharge rates and temperature levels using precise testing equipment. The data will be used for ECN model development and simulation studies. The potential outcome(s) of the project include development of a new Li-S pouch cell incorporating an advanced composite membrane to enable the cell to have a capacity of over 400 Wh/kg and demonstrated cycle life of over 500 cycles.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.