Materials Design and Mechanism Understanding of Electrodes for Next-Generation Batteries

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With increasing global efforts to adopting clean energy, developing sustainable energy storage systems has become a major challenge in order to bring electric vehicles on the road, and to integrate intermittent renewable energy resources into the grid. Although Li-ion batteries are dominant in the market, they have great limitations in the energy density and cost for future large-scale applications. Therefore, it is essential to develop alternative battery systems with higher energy density and lower cost. Long-term objectives of this research program are to identify and develop new meso/nano-scale materials for next-generation battery technologies, and to develop fundamental understandings on synthesis-structure-performance relationship in energy materials and their underlying mechanisms. In a short term, this research program will design novel materials and concepts to address the critical challenges in Li-S batteries and Na-ion batteries, and bring these battery technologies closer to practical applications.*** Li-S batteries are considered a promising technology for electric vehicles, due to their theoretical energy density five times higher than state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries and extremely low cost of sulfur. However, current Li-S batteries suffer from low efficiency and limited cycle life, due to an unfavorable phenomenon called polysulfide shuttle effect. This research proposes to develop a ternary hybrid cathode material which can prevent the formation of polysulfide and dramatically improve the performance of Li-S batteries. Na-ion batteries are a potential electrical energy storage system for stationary applications, owing to the large abundance and low cost of Na sources as well as high theoretical energy density. The development of Na-ion batteries is hindered by the limited choice of electrode materials that an enable reversible Na ion storage. This research will develop a new group of phosphorus-based alloys and an electrode/electrolyte interface control strategy to deliver high-capacity electrode materials for Na-ion batteries.*** This research program will not only develop new materials design strategies to enable next-generation battery technologies, but also contribute to the advancement of new knowledge in materials science, interface science, and electrochemistry. The success of the proposed research would accelerate the rapid deployment of sustainable energy storage technologies and address the energy crisis and environmental consequences as a result of fossil fuels. This research program is of great importance to Canada's energy and environmental sectors, as Canada is committed to the development of renewable energy and reduction of greenhouse gas emission. This will keep Canada's leading position in renewable energy research and commercialization in the worldwide, and increase public awareness and education of renewable energy.