STTR Phase I: Advanced Lithium Metal Anodes for Solid-State Batteries

这个小型企业技术转移（STTR）第一阶段项目使高性能和低成本的锂金属阳极能够用于固态电池。这种固态电池技术，具有快速充电和循环寿命，已被证明使用锂金属箔作为阳极。然而，锂金属箔是一个主要的成本驱动因素，因此，一个商业障碍。本研究的重点是开发三维支架材料的预锂化工艺，以比锂金属箔低得多的成本将锂源引入高性能阳极。通过消除固态电池平台的成本障碍，该项目将使该技术能够扩大电动汽车市场的数量。这种高性能技术与固态电池相结合，将解决快速充电电动汽车10亿美元的快速增长市场。本项目的智力价值在于确定在固态电池阳极中使用多种替代锂源代替厚锂金属箔的可行性。该研究还寻求对固态电池锂化过程的动力学和热力学的理解。虽然高性能，厚锂金属箔是一个挑战，加工与卷对卷制造。这项研究和开发将侧重于在阳极中加入锂的方法，这种方法更容易与典型的制造工艺相结合。该团队将在循环过程中研究每种方法的锂化和去锂化过程的基本动力学和热力学。通过确定具有与锂金属箔相当动力学的替代锂源，该项目将开发一种高性能阳极，大大提高固态电池的可制造性。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project enables high-performance and low-cost lithium metal anodes to be used in solid-state batteries. This solid-state battery technology, with fast charge and cycle lifetime, has been demonstrated using a lithium metal foil as the anode. However, lithium metal foil is a major cost driver and, thus, a commercial barrier. This research focuses on the development of pre-lithiation processes for 3-dimensional scaffolding materials to introduce a lithium source to the high-performance anode at a far cheaper cost than that of lithium metal foil. By removing the cost barrier to this solid-state battery platform, this project will enable the technology to expand the number of vehicle market segments that can electrify. This high-performance technology, combined with the underlying solid-state batteries, will address a $1 billion market for fast-charging electric vehicles that is rapidly growing.The intellectual merit of this project is to determine the feasibility of using multiple alternative lithium sources in place of thick lithium metal foil in the anode of solid-state batteries. The research also seeks to develop an understanding of the kinetics and thermodynamics of the lithiation process in the solid-state battery. While high performing, thick lithium metal foil is a challenge to process with roll-to-roll manufacturing. This research and development will focus on methods to include lithium in the anode that are more easily combined with typical manufacturing processes. The team will investigate the fundamental kinetics and thermodynamics of each approach’s lithiation and de-lithiation process during cycling. By identifying alternative lithium sources with comparable kinetics to lithium metal foil, this project will develop a high-performance anode that greatly improves the manufacturability of the solid-state battery cells.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.