Nano-Engineered Design, Fabrication and Optimization of an Air Cathode for an Aluminum-Air Battery for Stationary and Transportation Applications

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Electrical energy storage has emerged as a critical component in Canada's clean energy transformation. Vehicle electrification and integration of renewables such as wind and solar power into the grid have further underlined the importance of affordable, reliable and environmentally friendly energy storage platforms. Sheer Technologies Inc., a Canadian energy company, is developing a primary aluminum-air (Al-air) battery, which can be mechanically charged, for use in different sectors of the economy, including transportation, aviation and public electric utilities. Although Al-air batteries hold significant promise as robust energy storage platforms, they suffer from thermodynamics and kinetic hurdles, leading to inferior performance. To address these issues, researchers have focused on optimizing different cell components, including anode, cathode and electrolyte. The air cathode is arguably the most important component of any air-metal battery, which limits their practical applications in terms of performance and cost. Sheer Technologies Inc. has partnered with researchers at Lambton College to develop a nano-engineered composite air cathode that is reliable, affordable, and high performance while having a small environmental footprint. The successful completion of this applied research collaboration will greatly benefit Sheer Technologies Inc. and has the potential to increase their annual revenue and technical and professional workforce. Researchers and students at Lambton College will also benefit from active participation in the proposed applied research project.