STTR Phase I: A new class of highly conductive solid polymer separator membranes compatible with high voltage cathodes

这一小型企业技术转让(STTR)第一阶段项目的更广泛影响将对需要能源存储的多个市场产生转型。拟议的先进聚合物分离器将实现高能量密度。新电池隔膜的潜在客户包括用于各种应用的电池制造商，包括但不限于空间和军事、小型可穿戴设备、射频识别(RFID)、无人机、消费电子产品，以及大众移动市场的汽车制造商。电动汽车电池更便宜、更轻、更安全，续航里程更长，充电时间更短，这将推动对电动汽车电池的巨大需求。从电动汽车到飞行出租车；从更高效的储能电网到更可靠的太空车辆；从更轻的可穿戴设备到耐用的医疗植入物，消费者和社会将以多种方式受益于这种新型固态分离器所带来的电池。从长远来看，通过该公司的新型隔膜成功开发出低成本、快速充电、高密度、长寿命和安全的电池，将减少对化石燃料的依赖，推动交通运输部门的电气化和向更绿色能源解决方案的过渡。这个小企业技术转移(STTR)第一阶段项目将开发一种用于新型混合固体/液体电池的先进聚合物隔膜，这将显著提高最先进的固态电池的性能，实现比商业锂离子电池更高的能量密度、更快的充电速度和更高的安全性。新的分离器将由一种新型聚合物材料建造，其可行性已在实验室水平得到验证。稳定性测试显示，与目前可用的选项相比，导电性和稳定性更高。在初步研究中，也证明了与高压阴极的兼容性。该项目的目标是(1)开发一种具有与目前锂离子电池中使用的液体电解液相当的离子导电性的固体电解液，以及(2)一种与高压阴极(4-6 V)兼容的可伸缩固体分离器(使用上述电解液)。要成功实现商业化，需要克服的主要技术障碍是开发适合刀片浇注的浆料，以及将分离器扩大到细胞大小的独立薄片。前者将通过调整浆料的组成以提高溶解性来实现；后者将通过提高聚合物的相对分子质量并将其与陶瓷氧化物混合和混合实现。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已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 Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will be transformational to multiple markets that require energy storage. High-energy densities will be enabled by the proposed advanced polymer separators. Potential customers for the new battery separator include battery manufacturers for a variety of applications including, but not limited to, space and military, small wearable devices, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), drones, consumer electronics, as well as automotive manufacturers in the mass mobility market. Adoption will be driven by the huge demand for electric vehicle batteries that are cheaper, lighter, safer and allow for longer drive ranges and reduced charge time. There are multiple ways in which consumers and society will benefit from the batteries enabled by this novel solid-state separator; from electric cars, to flying taxis; from more efficient energy storage grids to more reliable space vehicles; from lighter wearable devices to long lasting medical implants. In the long-term, the successful development of low-cost, fast-charging, high-density, long-life, and safe batteries enabled by the company’s new separator will reduce fossil fuel dependency and drive the electrification of the transportation sector and the transition towards greener energy solutions.This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will develop an advanced polymer separator for novel hybrid solid/liquid battery cells which will dramatically improve performance of state-of-the-art solid-state batteries, enabling higher energy density, faster charging rate and enhanced safety over commercial Lithium-ion batteries. The new separator will be constructed from a novel polymer material whose feasibility has been validated at laboratory level. Stability tests showed higher conductivity and stability than currently available options. Compatibility with high-voltage cathodes was also demonstrated in preliminary studies. The goals of the project are (1) to develop a solid electrolyte which has an ionic conductivity comparable to that of liquid electrolytes that are currently used in the Li-ion batteries and (2) a scalable solid separator (using the above electrolyte) that is compatible with high-voltage cathodes (4 – 6 V). Main technical hurdles to overcome for successful commercialization are developing blade-cast-worthy slurries and scaling up the separator to a cell-size free-standing sheet. The former will be achieved by tuning the composition of the slurry to improve solubility; the latter will be achieved by improving the molecular weight of the polymer and blending and mixing it with ceramic oxide.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.