Enhanced CNTs for High Power Electrodes (EC-HiPE): Creating a Robust UK Battery Material Supply Chain

到2040年，英国将获得每年60-200 GWh的生产能力，用于汽车，重型货物，铁路和越野车辆的应用。市场需要具有长循环寿命、高功率和高能量密度的电池，以实现快速充电和长行驶距离。不幸的是，目前的阳极技术权衡了能量和功率密度（石墨和LTO），而成熟的市场需要优化的电池组件系统，而不仅仅是单个供应链组件。这与阴极和阳极的电极组分和配方特别相关，因为阳极通常限制充电速率。虽然先进的阳极材料，如混合氧化铌（XNO）**，提供高功率和高能量密度，但这些金属氧化物（类似的阳极：碳酸盐，有机硅等，阴极：NMC、LFP等）由于电子的电阻，具有较低的电导率和热导率，因此必须限制速率以避免过热。为了提高导电性，电极将碳添加剂与粘合剂结合作为活性材料。碳添加剂的性质和量需要优化，以尽可能少的添加质量实现必要的导电性。碳纳米管是理想的长距离导电材料，已被用于电极浆料配方中（尽管长度较短，约为8µm，质量相对较大），它们还可提高性能和稳定性，从而延长循环寿命。该项目旨在为英国下一代锂离子电池供应链的领导地位做出贡献，并成功进入国内和国际市场。它汇集了英国的 ** 超长碳纳米管（UL-CNT）**，长度约1毫米）制造商Q-Flo与电极材料制造商Echion，以及知识/创新中心，剑桥大学 **（**UoC**）。Echion在剑桥郡拥有成熟的制造能力和强大的供应链地位，提供基于XNO的阳极材料，用于快速充电锂离子电池。UoC是一个成熟的工程和材料创新知识中心，也是导致Q-Flo和Echion独立创建的知识产权的生产者。将Echion的阳极材料与Q-Flo的高导电性UL-CNTs相匹配，将展示一种新的电池阳极低质量添加剂，适用于高功率、高能量密度和长循环寿命的电池。Q-Flo和Echion将共同开发这项技术，为英国、欧洲大陆和世界市场提供产品。

The UK is set to acquire a manufacturing basis of 60-200 GWh capacity per year by 2040 for applications spanning automotive, heavy goods, rail and off-road vehicles. The market requires batteries with long cycle life combined with high power and high energy density enabling quick charge and long travel distance. Unfortunately, current anode technologies trade off energy and power densities (graphite and LTO), while the maturing market requires optimised battery component systems rather than just individual supply chain components. This is particularly relevant to electrode components and formulations of the cathode and the anode, as the anode typically limits charging rates.While advanced anode materials, such as **miXed Niobium Oxide (XNO)**, offer high power and high energy densities, these metal oxides (similarly anodes: niobates, silicones, etc., cathodes: NMC, LFP, etc.) have lower electrical and thermal conductivity due to resistance of electrons, thus rates have to be limited to avoid overheating. To enhance conductivity, electrodes incorporate carbon additives with binders as the active materials. The nature and amount of carbon additive requires optimisation to achieve the necessary conductivity with as little added mass as possible. CNTs are ideal long-range conductive materials and are already used (albeit at a short length ~8µm and adding a relatively large amount of mass) within electrode slurry formulations where they also increase performance and stability enabling long cycle life.This project aims to contribute to the next generation's Li-ion battery supply chain leadership for the UK and its successful placement in the domestic and international markets. It brings together UK's **Ultra Long CNT (UL-CNT)**, with length around 1mm) manufacturer Q-Flo with electrode material manufacturer, Echion, and a knowledge/innovation centre, the **University of Cambridge** (**UoC**). Echion have an established manufacturing capability in Cambridgeshire and a strong supply chain position providing anode materials based on XNO with applications in fast-charging lithium-ion batteries. The UoC is an established knowledge centre for engineering and materials innovation and the producer of the IP which led to the independent creation of both Q-Flo and Echion. Matching Echion's anode materials with Q-Flo's highly conductive UL-CNTs will demonstrate a new battery anode low-mass additive for high-power, high energy density and long cycle life batteries.Exploitation of the technology will be achieved by Q-Flo and Echion supplying the UK, continental and world markets.