Solid State Chemistry for Next Generation Energy Storage and Conversion Technologies

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There is a growing need to identify cost effective alternative energy resources that are sustainable and environmentally friendly. Electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices, such as fuel cells and batteries, represent a clean alternative energy source for a broad range of energy needs, including portable electronics, transportation, peak-power demand, and grid-scale applications. A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that directly produces electricity from an electrochemical redox reaction between an external fuel supply, such as hydrogen, natural gas, coal, or biogas, and an oxidant, with very high efficiency. A fuel cell running on hydrogen will produce direct current, heat, and water without emitting conventional pollutants or greenhouse gases. Though hydrocarbon-powered fuel cells, such as solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), produce CO2, it can be stored using carbon capture and storage technology to eliminate its carbon footprint. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), utilizing hydrogen, are being used for transportation. However, current SOFCs and PEMFCs are too expensive to be widely employed. While batteries are pervasive in energy storage technology and are similar to fuel cells, they operate on the chemicals inside the battery and must be periodically recharged. The energy density, power density and the safety of state-of-the-art Li ion batteries require further investigation before wide-spread applications. This NSERC DG proposal aims to solve one of the critical issues in current Li ion batteries by replacing flammable organic electrolytes with thin-film non-flammable ceramic-based solid-state electrolytes with high ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability. Furthermore, challenges in fuel cells will be resolved by developing organic-inorganic hybrid anhydrous proton conductors for PEMFCs and ceramic proton conductors for SOFCs. Solid electrolytes serve as a separator between the anode and cathode in these electrochemical devices and control the operational conditions, performance, and durability of the cell. The key objectives of the current proposal are to develop highly conductive solid state proton, Li+, Na+ and Mg2+ electrolytes based on inorganic compounds, through a deep understanding of structure-ionic conductivity-electrochemical stability relationships. Generating highly conductive and stable solid electrolytes is a key step towards successful commercialization of long-term stable SOFCs, PEMFCs, and solid state batteries. Advanced all-solid-state batteries should be safe, robust, and provide high energy density. This research program will also train a significant number of HQP, giving all of them hands-on experience in solid-state materials research and its application to sustainable energy development for a better quality of life.