Center of All-Solid-State Batteries for a Clean Energy Society

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Part 1, non-technicalReducing greenhouse gas emissions is critical to address the grand challenge of climate change. Renewable energy integration and vehicle electrification, keys to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, require energy storage at scale with safety and low cost. This PIRE team will conduct fundamental research to advance science and technology of all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs), which have the potential to transform rechargeable batteries for vehicle electrification and integration of renewable energy by offering next-generation energy storage devices with higher specific energy at both battery-cell and battery-pack levels, longer cycle life, lower cost and superior safety compared to Li-ion batteries (LIBs). The anticipated economic benefit (reduction in the cost of battery packs on the energy base by 50% over LIBs) along with unprecedented electrochemical performance (150% increase in the specific energy) and intrinsic safety will usher in a new era of vehicle electrification and renewable energy integration for a sustainable society with clean energy. By working with international partners from 7 institutions in Europe, the researchers will achieve the challenging goal of advancing science and technology in ASSBs. Through collaboration with industrial partners, the research team will expedite technology translation from laboratory discovery to commercial products. Further, they will collaborate with several minority-serving elementary, middle and high schools in Chicago to inspire underrepresented minority students to pursue STEM education and career. By working with City of Chicago, the researchers will launch a workforce development program, offering short courses and workshops to mid-career employees and underrepresented minorities, which can accelerate transition of the workforce into clean energy, electric vehicle, and energy storage industries.Part 2, technicalTo address the multi-faceted challenges faced by ASSBs, the PIs have assembled a multi-disciplinary team and will work with international partners with synergistic expertise, particularly with Prof. Braga at University of Porto, Portugal – the inventor of a new solid Li-glass electrolyte with ultrahigh ionic conductivity at room temperature ( 10-2 S/cm), wide electrochemical window (stable with Li metal and resistant to oxidation up to 8 V vs. Li/Li+), and low glass transition temperature (~75oC). The team will investigate and integrate conventional and unconventional charge storage mechanisms to achieve ultrahigh specific energy, high power, long cycle life ASSBs with intrinsic safety. Anode-free cells with Li plating/stripping at both anode and cathode enabled by Li-glass electrolyte will be studied for the first time. The electrochemical principles for such Li plating/stripping cells and those for anode-free cells with Li plating/stripping at the anode and de/intercalation at the cathode will be established to offer guidelines for design of ASSBs with unprecedented specific energies. In-situ and ex-situ characterizations will be performed to unravel the underlying mechanisms controlling interfacial properties of ASSBs. Density functional theory calculations, molecular dynamics and continuum models will be used and integrated to address the multi-length scale modeling from the electrode/electrolyte interface to single particle, multiple particles, and eventually to cell-level responses. The atomic level, sub-continuum level and cell-level understandings developed from these modeling efforts will assist the fundamental understanding of chemical/electrochemical stability between the electrode and Li-glass electrolyte, mechanical contact, Li plating/stripping, Li dendrite formation, ionic transport, and degradation physics of ASSBs. Through these scientific advancements, this PIRE project will lay a solid foundation for design, synthesis and fabrication of high-performance ASSBs at scale in the future.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.