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

密歇根大学的Eranda Nikolla博士和普渡大学的Jeffrey格里利博士将研究固体-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开发，如钠氧（Na-O2）电池。虽然Na-O2电池很有前途，但有限的长期稳定性，以及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。从工作的见解将导致一个通用的框架，可以指导阴极/电解质界面的设计，使放电产物的Na-O2电池的稳定循环。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，让经济上处于不利地位的学生参与暑期研究实习和学生研究交流。非质子Na-O2电池作为商业锂离子电池的可行替代品已经获得了极大的关注。由于它们的高理论能量密度和可逆氧化还原化学，Na-O2电池提供了通过控制阴极处放电产物的性质来实现高放电容量和低充电过电位的机会。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。在本项目中，PI Nikolla和格里利试图通过开发一种结合的实验/理论方法来缓解这一问题，以提高对阴极/电解质界面变化驱动的Na-O2电池失活机制的理解，从而改善电池的循环性能。 研究计划将包括：（i）确定决定失活和副产物形成的因素，无论是作为电化学势的函数还是在静止条件下（ii）阐明了引入氧化物电催化剂以调节在Na-O2电池组电池的阴极处的产物形成从而使电池失活最小化的效果，以及（iii）开发一个通用框架，以指导阴极/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。

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.