Collaborative Research: Understanding the discharge mechanism at solid/aprotic interfaces of Na-O2 battery cathodes to enhance cell cyclability

合作研究：了解Na-O2电池阴极固体/非质子界面的放电机制，以增强电池的循环性能

• 批准号: 2342024
• 负责人: Eranda Nikolla
• 金额: $ 35.21万
• 依托单位: Regents of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-08-01 至 2027-07-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2342024&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Understanding; discharge; mechanism

Dr. Eranda Nikolla of the University of Michigan and Dr. Jeffrey Greeley of Purdue University will study the chemistry and deactivation mechanisms at solid-aprotic electrolyte interfaces in order to advance the development of next-generation energy storage devices, such as sodium-oxygen (Na-O2) batteries. Although Na-O2 batteries are promising, limited long-term stability, and lack of fundamental, molecular-level understanding of the mechanisms that govern durability, have impeded progress. The PIs seek to address this challenge by combining experimental and theoretical studies. The insights from the work will lead to a general framework that can guide the design of the cathode/electrolyte interfaces to enable stable cycling of discharge products for Na-O2 batteries. Also, the PIs will partner with local K-12 students in the Metro Detroit area and West Lafayette, IN to involve economically disadvantaged students in summer research internships and student research exchanges. Aprotic Na-O2 batteries have gained significant attention as viable alternatives to commercial Li-ion batteries. Owing to their high theoretical energy densities and reversible redox chemistries, Na-O2 batteries offer opportunities to achieve high discharge capacities and low charge overpotentials by controlling the nature of discharged products at the cathode. While this technology is very attractive, maintaining stability of Na-O2 batteries is a significant challenge. In the present project, PIs Nikolla and Greeley seek to alleviate this issue by developing a combined experimental/theoretical approach to advance understanding of the deactivation mechanisms of Na-O2 cells driven by changes at the cathode/electrolyte interface, with the goal of improving cell cyclability. The research plan will involve: (i) determining the factors that govern deactivation and byproduct formation, both as a function of electrochemical potential and under resting conditions (no applied current), in Na-O2 batteries, (ii) elucidating the effect of incorporating oxide electrocatalysts to tune the product formation at the cathode of Na-O2 battery cells, so as to minimize cell deactivation, and (iii) developing a general framework to guide the design of cathode/electrolyte interfaces that result in stable cycling of Na-O2 batteries.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.

密歇根大学的Eranda Nikolla博士和普渡大学的Jeffrey Greeley博士将研究固体非质子电解质界面的化学和失活机制，以推进下一代储能设备的发展，如钠氧（Na-O2）电池。尽管Na-O2电池很有前景，但长期稳定性有限，缺乏对耐久性机制的基本分子水平理解，阻碍了进展。pi试图通过结合实验和理论研究来应对这一挑战。这项工作的见解将导致一个总体框架，可以指导阴极/电解质界面的设计，以实现Na-O2电池放电产物的稳定循环。此外，pi将与底特律大都会地区和印第安纳州西拉斐特的当地K-12学生合作，让经济困难的学生参与暑期研究实习和学生研究交流。作为商用锂离子电池的可行替代品，非质子钠氧电池已经获得了极大的关注。由于具有较高的理论能量密度和可逆的氧化还原化学性质，Na-O2电池通过控制阴极放电产物的性质，提供了实现高放电容量和低电荷过电位的机会。虽然这项技术非常有吸引力，但保持Na-O2电池的稳定性是一个重大挑战。在目前的项目中，pi Nikolla和Greeley试图通过开发一种结合实验/理论的方法来缓解这一问题，以推进对阴极/电解质界面变化驱动的Na-O2细胞失活机制的理解，目标是提高细胞的可循环性。研究计划包括：(i)确定Na-O2电池中控制失活和副产物形成的因素，无论是作为电化学电位的函数还是在静息条件下（无施加电流）；（ii）阐明在Na-O2电池的阴极上加入氧化物电催化剂来调节产物形成的作用，从而最大限度地减少电池的失活；（iii）开发一个总体框架来指导阴极/电解质界面的设计，从而实现Na-O2电池的稳定循环。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。