Development of Rechargeable Zinc Lithium-ion Battery

为了实现加拿大乃至全球智能电网系统的巨大效益，开发廉价、安全、环保的储能技术来取代锂离子电池势在必行。为了创建高效可靠的智能电网，使用电化学储能（EES）设备存储电力并按需输送是当务之急。近年来，水基锌锂离子电池作为一种高效的EES系统受到了广泛的关注。这项技术完全安全环保，其成本远低于典型的锂离子电池。在ZLIB中，金属锌被用作阳极，这是加拿大天然丰富的金属，锂嵌入电极，例如磷酸铁锂被用作阴极。采用水性电解质代替传统锂离子电池的有机电解质，降低了整体成本，提高了安全性，减少了对环境的影响。目前，滑铁卢大学陈忠伟博士的研究小组已经为ZLIB应用开发了一种高性能、耐用的厚半固态阴极，并获得了专利。目前的提案需要优化我们的专利半固态阴极，随着扩大生产过程，同时确保质量控制和产品的一致性。电极设计和策略将进一步研究以优化半固态阴极。这些策略包括优化半固态阴极物理参数，如电极负载和孔隙度，评估全电池的容量和耐用性，并最终扩大制造工艺，为演示准备30Wh电池原型。工业制造商可以成功地扩大制造过程，为下一代智能电网实现商业上可行的可充电ZLIB。预计拟议的研究结果将为成功的可充电ZLIB商业化提供潜在的突破。

Development of inexpensive, safe, and environmentally benign energy storage technologies to replace lithium ion batteries are imperative in order to realize the immense benefits of smart grid systems both in Canada and globally. To create an efficient and reliable smart grid, storing the electricity with an electrochemical energy storage (EES) device and delivering it on demand is a high priority. Recently, aqueous zinc lithium-ion batteries (ZLIBs) have attracted significant attention as an efficient EES system. This technology is completely safe and environmentally friendly, and its cost is much lower than a typical lithium-ion battery. In a ZLIB, metallic zinc is used as the anode which is naturally an abundant metal in Canada and lithium intercalation electrodes, e.g. lithium iron phosphate is used as the cathode. Instead of organic electrolyte of typical lithium-ion battery, aqueous electrolyte will be used which reduces the overall cost, increase safety, and reduce environmental impacts. Currently, Dr. Zhongwei Chen's research group at the University of Waterloo has developed and patented a high performance and durable thick, semi-solid cathode for the ZLIB application. The present proposal entails the optimization of our patented semi-solid cathode, along with scaling up the manufacturing process while simultaneously ensuring quality control and product consistency. Electrode design and strategies will be furtherly investigated to optimize the semi-solid cathode. The strategies consist of optimization of semi-solid cathode physical parameters such as electrode loading and porosity, evaluating the capacity and durability performance in a full-cell, and eventually upscaling the fabrication process to prepare a 30Wh battery prototype for the demonstration. Successful scaling up the fabrication process can be employed by industrial manufacturers to accomplish a commercially viable rechargeable ZLIB for future generation of smart grids. It is expected that the results of the proposed research will provide the potential breakthrough required for successful rechargeable ZLIB commercialization.