Conducting Polymer Coated Cathode Nanoparticles for Improved Battery Performance

导电聚合物涂覆的阴极纳米粒子可提高电池性能

• 批准号: 2233923
• 负责人: Kenneth Lau
• 金额: $ 31.81万
• 依托单位: Rowan University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-07-01 至 2025-02-28
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2233923&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Conducting; Polymer; Coated; Cathode; Nanoparticles

This grant supports research to enhance lithium ion battery performance and longevity through research on a unique manufacturing process that generates new scientific knowledge. Currently, lithium ion battery electrode materials are prone to degrade when the battery is repeatedly used and recharged. Specifically, cathode materials degrade in the highly energetic, corrosive battery environment. To overcome these challenges and to make the cathode materials more stable, a novel manufacturing process is used to wrap a protective conducting polymer layer around the nanoparticles that make up the cathode. This process creates an extremely thin film that helps keep the underlying cathode nanoparticles active. The electrically conducting polymer maintains a well-connected battery circuit and provides a physically dense and chemically stable barrier for maximum protection. This project studies the oxidative chemical vapor deposition process to manufacture protected cathode materials for more stable, high performance batteries. The ability to coat miniscule parts and components with ultrathin conducting polymers impacts broader energy technology areas such as solar cells, fuel cells and supercapacitors, which creates a more sustainable U.S. energy economy. Furthermore, this coating technology enables applications in sensors, electronics, smart textiles, biomedical and aerospace industries that makes U.S. manufacturing more competitive. This research involves disciplines of manufacturing, materials science, electrochemistry and nanotechnology that attracts broad participation, particularly from underrepresented groups and women, and helps equip the future U.S. workforce with cutting-edge science and value-added skill-sets.The oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD) process is a solvent-free thin film coating technique that directly polymerizes the monomer vapor into a solid intrinsically conducting polymer (ICP) film through the use of an oxidant vapor. Being liquid-free, it overcomes conventional solvent processing problems of encapsulating conducting polymer coatings around cathode nanoparticles. Conducting polymers are often not very soluble so they are not amenable to solution processing. Furthermore, liquid methods are often less precise, which makes it difficult to produce ultrathin, nanoscale coatings. The dry oCVD process shows promise in overcoming these manufacturing barriers. However, this technology is relatively new, and this research fills the knowledge gap by identifying the key processing factors and mechanisms for achieving conformal, fully encapsulating ICP coatings around particle substrates. The research further understands the precise role of the coatings in stabilizing cathode materials and enhancing battery performance. The research team conducts a comprehensive experimental analysis from materials fabrication to device testing to understand the relevant processing-structure-property relationships for achieving maximum cathode protection and superior battery performance.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.

该补助金支持通过研究产生新科学知识的独特制造工艺来提高锂离子电池性能和寿命的研究。目前，锂离子电池电极材料在电池反复使用和再充电时容易降解。具体来说，阴极材料在高能、腐蚀性电池环境中会降解。为了克服这些挑战并使阴极材料更加稳定，使用了一种新的制造工艺，在构成阴极的纳米颗粒周围包裹一层保护性导电聚合物层。这个过程产生了一个极薄的薄膜，有助于保持下面的阴极纳米粒子的活性。导电聚合物保持良好的电池电路连接，并提供物理致密和化学稳定的屏障，以提供最大的保护。该项目研究氧化化学气相沉积工艺，以制造更稳定，高性能电池的保护阴极材料。用导电聚合物涂覆微小零件和组件的能力影响了更广泛的能源技术领域，如太阳能电池、燃料电池和超级电容器，从而创造了更可持续的美国能源经济。此外，这种涂层技术可以应用于传感器、电子产品、智能纺织品、生物医学和航空航天行业，使美国制造业更具竞争力。这项研究涉及制造、材料科学、电化学和纳米技术等学科，吸引了广泛的参与，特别是代表性不足的群体和妇女，并帮助未来的美国劳动力掌握尖端科学和增值技能。氧化化学气相沉积（oCVD）工艺是一种溶剂-自由薄膜涂布技术，通过使用氧化剂蒸气将单体蒸气直接聚合成固体本征导电聚合物（ICP）膜。由于不含液体，它克服了传统的溶剂处理问题，即在阴极纳米颗粒周围包封导电聚合物涂层。导电聚合物通常不太可溶，因此它们不适合溶液加工。此外，液体方法通常不太精确，这使得很难生产纳米级的涂层。干法oCVD工艺有望克服这些制造障碍。然而，这项技术是相对较新的，这项研究填补了知识空白，通过确定关键的工艺因素和机制，实现共形，完全封装颗粒衬底周围的ICP涂层。该研究进一步了解了涂层在稳定阴极材料和提高电池性能方面的确切作用。该研究团队从材料制造到器件测试进行了全面的实验分析，以了解相关的工艺-结构-性能关系，从而实现最大的阴极保护和上级电池性能。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。