SBIR Phase I: Development of Dry Manufacturing for High Energy Density and Low Cost Lithium Ion Batteries

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The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 project is to improve the energy density, decrease the cost, and reduce the energy footprint required to produce lithium-ion batteries. The global lithium-ion battery industry is growing at a tremendous rate due to the accelerated adoption of electric vehicles, robotics, and consumer electronics. Currently, a significant portion of innovation in the field of lithium-ion batteries and electrochemical energy storage solutions in general is focused around novel material chemistries and product designs. With the massive growth being witnessed in the industry, efforts to innovate production techniques must be undertaken to improve the entire supply chain. By applying the targeted novel manufacturing method, the ability to fabricate higher energy density lithium-ion batteries at lower cost will improve the competitiveness of manufacturers, increase the competitiveness of advanced battery manufacturing in the global context, and open up new energy storage applications. This technology development seeks to promote a solution that advances the capability and sustainability of battery energy storage solutions, benefitting the lives of U.S. citizens and society globally. A solvent-free manufacturing technology to produce electrodes for lithium-ion batteries is being developed. This technology provides the capability to fabricate thicker electrodes with finely tuned architecture and performance characteristics. The conventional methods for electrode manufacturing utilize slurry casting which requires energy intensive drying, hazardous solvents, and may leave a considerable environmental footprint. A continuous feed dry spraying system will be designed, manufactured, installed, and operated to optimize the process and product. The technology provides a method to fabricate thick electrodes which will increase the capacity and energy density of the lithium-ion batteries. In this project, ultra-high area capacity electrodes (cathode: ~5mAh/cm2, anode: ~5.5mAh/cm2) will be fabricated with the solvent-free manufacturing process. The high area capacity electrodes will enable high energy density (300Wh/kg) by reducing the quantity of inactive materials (current collectors, separator, and casing). The knowledge gained through this program may bring a novel dry electrode manufacturing technology to commercial readiness.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.