PFI-TT: Storing energy in the electric vehicle’s automotive body

该创新技术转化合作伙伴关系（PFI-TT）项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是开发电动汽车（EV）的车身外壳，以解决里程焦虑，即，司机关心的是每次充电的里程数。该项目旨在通过开发用于汽车车身的双功能碳纤维复合材料来增加每次充电的里程数。碳纤维复合材料除了提供作为结构部件所需的机械强度外，还将储存电能。存储的能量可以提高每次充电的里程数，从而更好地吸引电动汽车。电动汽车使用量的增加对环境产生了积极的影响。除了电动汽车之外，储能碳复合材料还具有作为太空飞行器结构部件的潜在应用。能量存储能力也可以用在可穿戴电子设备中。最后，该项目将培养参与项目的本科生和研究生的创业和领导能力。该项目通过将能量储存在现有电池之外的汽车车身外壳中，提高电动汽车（EV）的每次充电里程。目前，美国正在努力生产更多的电动汽车，以减少全球变暖，减少对外国燃料的依赖。实现电动汽车广泛使用的一个主要限制是每次充电的里程数较低。本研究的目标是制备0.5 m2的双功能碳复合材料。碳复合材料的高度增强的能量储存能力通过明智地工程化碳纤维获得。 该项目提供了用含水半固体凝胶电解质制造储能复合材料的能力。与有机电解质锂离子电池不同，这种结构复合材料在发生事故时不会发生火灾。由于碳复合材料已经作为轻量化结构部件应用于汽车，汽车制造商可以很容易地采用双功能碳复合材料作为车身外壳。该奖项反映了NSF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 the development of a body shell for electric vehicles (EVs) that addresses the range anxiety, i.e., drivers concern about the miles per charge. The proposed project seeks to increase the miles per charge by developing a dual-function carbon fiber composite for the automotive body. The carbon fiber composite will store electrical energy in addition to providing the mechanical strength necessary to function as a structural component. The stored energy achieves enhanced miles per charge, attracting better acceptance for EVs. The increased EV usage imparts a positive impact on the environment. Beyond EVs, the energy-storing carbon composite has potential application as the structural component of space vehicles. The energy-storing capability may also be used in wearable electronic devices. Finally, the project develops entrepreneurial and leadership skills for participating undergraduate and graduate students.The proposed project increases the miles per charge of electric vehicles (EVs) by storing energy in their automotive body shell in addition to the existing batteries. Currently, there is a significant effort to manufacture more EVs to reduce global warming and make the US less dependent on foreign fuel. A major limitation to achieving the widespread use of EVs is the low miles per charge. The objective of the research is to make a 0.5 m2 dual-function carbon composite. The highly enhanced energy storage ability of the carbon composite is obtained by judiciously engineering carbon fibers. This project provides the ability to make an energy-storing composite with aqueous semisolid gel electrolytes. The structural composites will be safe from fire hazards in case of an accident, unlike organic electrolyte-based lithium-ion batteries. As carbon composites are already being employed in vehicles as lightweight structural components, vehicle manufacturers may be able to easily adopt a dual-function carbon composite as the body shell.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.