Sustainable aqueous Sodium-ion batteries

可充电电池为各种类型的移动电子设备供电，并在电网存储方面显示出非凡的前景。事实上，锂离子电池（lib）的需求在过去几年中激增，主要是作为便携式电子设备（即手机，平板电脑，笔记本电脑）的移动应用，主要由层状氧化物材料(例如Li（Ni,Mn,Co)O2和Li(Ni,Co,Al)O2）供电。随着电动汽车（ev）商业化推动电池市场的发展，这些层状氧化物的前景一片光明。这一重要的需求增长对库存和构成锂离子电池材料的有价值元素（如锂、钴、镍）的供应造成了压力。假设这些战略元素中的大部分将主要用于电动汽车，那么现在就考虑其他电池技术。对于电网存储，钠电池技术可能是锂电池的一个有前途的替代品。对于这种应用，最重要的参数是长循环寿命、高安全性、低成本和环保。在这种情况下，如果我们考虑使用从广泛可用的资源中获得的稳定和低成本的电极材料，水钠离子电池可能满足这些要求。

Rechargeable batteries power extensive types of mobile electronics and shown extraordinary promise for grid storage. Indeed, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) demand has surged in the last years, mainly as mobile application in portable electronics (i.e. cellphones, tablets, laptops) and primarily powered by layered oxides materials (e.g. Li(Ni,Mn,Co)O2 and Li(Ni,Co,Al)O2). A bright future is expected for these layered oxides as the battery market is now driven by the commercialization of electrical vehicles (EVs). This important increase of demand puts pressure on the stock and on the availability of the valuable elements composing the Li-ion battery materials (e.g. Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel). Assuming most of these strategic elements will essentially be used in EVs, other battery technologies are todays considered. For grid storage, sodium battery technology could be a promising alternative to LIBs. For such application, the most important parameters are long cycle life, high safety, low cost and eco-friendly. In this context, aqueous Na-ion batteries may meet these requirements if we consider the use of stable and low-cost electrode materials derived from broadly available resources. The proposed program aims to investigate new sustainable aqueous Na-ion batteries. This will involve considering the synthesis of (new) electrode materials using abundant elements, the use and processability of eco-friendly binders and the use of environmentally benign aqueous electrolytes (seawater as a priority). These battery components will be deeply characterized after integration in Na-ion cells in order to investigate their stability upon cycling. Expected degradation of the electrode/electrolyte interfaces will be address by considering inorganic/polymer coatings to avoid unwanted reactions and to allow long cycle life of the devices. It will be important to minimize or prevent water decomposition and hydrogen evolution at the material surface. The investigation of the different interfaces will be assessed by state-of-the-art equipment allowing in situ/operando studies (equipment recently funded in the MAPLES project by the Canada Foundation for Innovation/Québec). This research program involves multi-disciplinary consideration and it is rooted in basic understanding which will enable developing improved materials and devices. The development new electrochemical storage batteries, which rely on more abundant and eco-friendly components, is crucial for our society and will be targeted in this program, which offers important potential breakthroughs to develop green sustainable sodium-ion aqueous batteries.