Solid State Chemistry for Advanced Lithium Batteries and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices, such as fuel cells and batteries, represent a clean alternative energy source for a broad range of applications, including portable electronics, transportation, peak-power demand, and grid-scale. A fuel cell (FC) directly converts reaction between a fuel (e.g., H2, natural gas, coal, or biogas) and air into electricity with high efficiency. Unlike combustion engines, a FC running on H2 will not emit pollutants or greenhouse gases while efficiently producing electricity, heat, and water. Though hydrocarbon-powered fuel cells, such as solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), produce CO2, this by-product can be stored using CO2 capture and storage technology. Some public buses, cargo ships, and demo cars use proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), which utilize H2. However, current SOFCs and PEMFCs are too expensive to be widely employed. Batteries are similar to FCs, but instead of fuels, they operate based on the chemicals within the electrochemical cell, and being re-charged in the case of secondary batteries. The energy density, power density, and safety of state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries require further improvement to meet the demands of future electric vehicles and portable devices. This NSERC DG proposal aims to solve critical issues in state-of-the-art FCs and Li-ion batteries. For Li-ion batteries, the project aims to replace flammable organic Li-ion electrolytes with non-flammable ceramic-based solid-state electrolytes. These ceramic-based electrolytes possess high ionic conductivity and electrochemical and chemical stability with elemental Li anode and Li-based metal oxide and sulfur cathodes. The challenges in FCs will be resolved by developing low-temperature proton conductor-SOFCs to increase durability and performance using advanced metal oxide catalyst as electrodes. Solid electrolyte serves as a separator between the anode and cathode in FCs and batteries, and control their operating conditions, performance, and durability. The key objectives of the current proposal are to develop highly conductive solid-state proton and Li-ion electrolytes based on inorganic compounds, by investigating each material's crystal structure, ionic conductivity, and electrochemical stability and the relationships between these properties. Highly conductive and stable solid electrolytes are key toward commercializing long-term stable SOFCs and solid-state Li batteries. Advanced all-solid-state Li batteries are safe, robust, and provide high energy density. Over the next 5 years, this research program will train about 50 highly qualified personnel (HQP), giving them hands-on experience in solid-state materials research and its application to sustainable energy development that will further positively influence people's quality of lives in Canada and beyond.