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

这一创新技术转化伙伴关系(PFI-TT)项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是开发一种电动汽车(EVS)车身外壳，以解决里程焦虑，即司机对每次充电里程的担忧。拟议中的项目寻求通过开发一种用于汽车车身的双功能碳纤维复合材料来增加每次充电里程。碳纤维复合材料除了提供作为结构部件发挥作用所需的机械强度外，还将储存电能。储存的能量提高了每次充电的里程数，吸引了更好的电动汽车接受度。电动汽车使用量的增加对环境产生了积极影响。除电动汽车外，储能碳复合材料作为航天器的结构部件具有潜在的应用前景。储能能力也可以用于可穿戴电子设备。最后，该项目为参与的本科生和研究生培养创业和领导技能。拟议的项目通过在现有电池之外将能量储存在车身外壳中来增加电动汽车(EVS)的每次充电里程。目前，美国正在做出重大努力，生产更多的电动汽车，以减缓全球变暖，降低美国对外国燃料的依赖。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0.5m2的双功能碳复合材料。碳复合材料的储能能力是通过对碳纤维进行合理的工程处理而获得的。该项目提供了用含水半固态凝胶电解质制造储能复合材料的能力。与有机电解液锂离子电池不同，这种结构复合材料在发生事故时将是安全的，不会有火灾危险。由于碳复合材料已经被用作汽车的轻质结构部件，汽车制造商可能能够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智力优势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.