Metal organic framework-based composite solid-state electrolyte for lithium metal batteries

锂离子电池(LIB)是一种很有前途的电化学储能技术，可广泛应用于储能和转换领域，尤其是电网和电动汽车。然而，关键的存储容量和驱动范围限制促使了新一代LIBS的开发，它配备了可能支持更高能量密度的金属锂阳极。这些所谓的锂金属电池的广泛部署一直很缓慢，原因是该技术的传统液体电解液导致与锂树枝晶形成有关的安全隐患(火灾和爆炸)。固态电解液(SSE)的使用是解决这一问题的一种很有前途的解决方案，提供了非常优越的安全性能。然而，最常见的SSE，无论是纯陶瓷还是基于聚合物的体系，都受到电化学稳定性差、与电极的界面接触差、或离子导电性低、热稳定性差的限制。为了推动锂金属电池走向商业化，需要解决这些关键缺陷的解决方案。该项目将提出一种新型的基于金属有机骨架(MOF)的复合材料SSE(CSSE)，其中MOF系统具有高度可控性，并具有直接生长到聚合物基质和活性材料上的关键优势，以获得良好的稳定性、低界面电阻、较高的导电性和良好的灵活性。由此产生的技术将满足对良好的SSE越来越严格的要求，即使在高压运行下也是如此。具体地说，滑铁卢大学陈忠伟博士的团队将与两家领先的工程电池平台和部件制造商EVT Power Inc.和Forte Mobility Co.Ltd.合作，填补知识空白，代表锂金属电池技术发展的巨大进步。该项目将帮助加拿大LIB制造商以较低的成本和较小的环境影响，为加拿大及其他地区的电动汽车和能源电网存储应用生产大规模电池。此外，该项目还将为加拿大的能源储存、汽车制造和交通运输行业培养一批新的创新者。

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are promising electrochemical storage technologies for a wide range of energy storage and conversion applications, particularly energy grids and electric vehicles (EVs). However, critical storage capacity and driving range limitations have prompted the development of a new generation of LIBs, equipped with metallic Li anodes that potentially support higher energy density. Widespread deployment of these so-called Li metal batteries has been slow, owing to safety hazards (fires and explosions) linked to Li dendrite formation caused by the technology's conventional liquid electrolytes. The use of solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) is a promising solution to this problem, offering far superior safety performance. However, the most common SSEs, pure ceramic or polymer based systems are limited by unsatisfactory electrochemical stability and poor interfacial contact with electrodes, or low ionic conductivity and poor thermal stability. Solutions to these critical shortcomings are required to drive Li metal batteries towards commercialization. The proposed project will advance a novel metal organic framework (MOF)-based composite SSE (CSSE), in which MOF systems are highly controllable and offer key advantages of direct growth onto polymer matrices and active material to achieve good stability, low interfacial resistance, higher conductivity, and good flexibility. The resulting technology will satisfy increasingly strict requirements for a good SSE, even under high voltage operation. Specifically, Dr. Zhongwei Chen's group at the University of Waterloo will work with two leading manufacturers of engineered battery platforms and parts, EVT Power Inc. and Forte Mobility Co. Ltd., to fill the knowledge gaps and represent immense progress on Li metal battery technology development. The project will help enable Canadian LIB manufacturers to produce large-scale batteries for EV and energy grid storage applications in Canada and beyond, at a lower cost and with less environmental impact. Moreover, this project will train a new pool of innovators for Canada's energy storage, automobile manufacturing, and transportation industries.