SBIR Phase I: Investigate Process-Structure-Property Relationship of Nano-Layered Coatings of Binderless Electrodes by a Nozzle-less Spray Coating Technique

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的更广泛影响是开发了制造工艺创新，克服了传统制造工艺制造的电池的容量扩张问题。这些扩展问题限制了在现代电动汽车和动力飞机等应用中广泛采用高性能、更安全、自然丰富、环保和更便宜的先进电池原材料。该项目为现有的制造基础设施开发了一种插入式技术，有可能显著减少传统制造过程的环境浪费。SBIR第一阶段项目将研究使用无喷嘴喷涂技术沉积的纳米层涂层来制造无粘结剂电极。技术挑战包括含有过滤残留物的污染电极；电极厚度、密度和孔隙率不均匀；重复性差；以及漫长的过滤器去除过程，阻碍了真空过滤方法制造无粘结剂电极的放大。该项目将验证一种新的超声波喷涂技术，用于扩大无粘结剂焊条的生产规模。研究范围包括：设计纳米复合溶液体系的表面活性剂去除和均匀分散，创新地合成无粘合剂电极，以及电极原型的表征。该项目的任务(使用氧化铁阳极进行演示)包括选择具有适当形貌和尺寸的前体材料，以实现纳米复合材料之间的有效结合和在集电器上的附着；设计无粘结剂电极结构；通过计算机建模和模拟来优化无粘结剂电极结构、电极纳米复合材料成分形态和尺寸的参数；推进表面活性物质的去除、均匀分散和热压力子系统；开发超声波无喷嘴喷涂涂层以制造原型电极；以及表征无粘结剂电极原型的机械和电化学性能。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 of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is the development of a manufacturing process innovation that overcomes volume expansion problems of batteries made by conventional manufacturing processes. These expansion problems limit the broad adoption of high performance, safer, naturally abundant, environmentally friendly, and cheaper raw materials for advanced batteries in applications such as modern electric vehicles and powered aircraft. The proposed project develops a drop-in technology for existing manufacturing infrastructure with the potential to significantly reduce the environmental waste of conventional manufacturing processes.The SBIR Phase I project will investigate the binderless electrode manufacturing using nano-layered coatings deposited using a nozzle free spray coating technique. The technical challenges include contaminated electrodes with filter residues; non-uniform electrode thickness, density, and porosity; poor repeatability; and lengthy filter removal process, inhibiting scale-up of the vacuum filtration method for making binderless electrodes. This project will validate a new ultrasonic spray coating technique for scaling the production of binderless electrodes. The scope of the research includes: designing surfactant removal and homogeneous dispersion of nanocomposite mixture solution subsystems, synthesizing binderless electrodes with the innovation, and characterizing electrode prototypes. The project's tasks (using an iron oxide anode for demonstration) include selecting precursor materials with appropriate morphologies and sizes for effective bonding between nanocomposites and adhesion on current collector; designing binderless electrode structures; computer modeling and simulation to optimize parameters of binderless electrode structure, electrode nanocomposite constituent morphologies and sizes; advancing surfactant removal, homogeneous dispersion, and thermal=pressure subsystems; developing ultrasonic nozzle-less spray coatings to make prototype electrodes; and characterizing the mechanical and electrochemical properties of the binderless electrode prototypes.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.