Development of new positive electrode materials for rechargeable zinc-ion intercalation batteries to overcome energy capacity and stability limitations

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Three McMaster-based investigators will collaborate with Salient Energy to discover, develop and implement new, high performance positive electrode materials for rechargeable zinc-ion intercalation batteries (Zn-ion batteries). This project will directly address the energy storage capacity, capacity retention and cost limitations of current state-of-the-art manganese oxide electrodes that limit their techno-economic viability for energy storage applications. Particularly, Zn-ion batteries are targeted for non-portable applications, such as grid-scale energy storage - a sector predicted to grow to >$15 billion annually by 2030. High performance and affordable batteries are needed for these applications, as they will enable carbon emissions reductions by providing load leveling/storage to facilitate the integration of renewable but variable energy source (wind, solar) into global electricity infrastructures. The interdisciplinary project team will take a targeted and holistic approach to discover, understand and implement new positive electrode materials for rechargeable Zn-ion batteries to address performance, stability and cost challenges. The approach includes: (1) Experimental synthesis, characterization and integration of newly designed positive electrode materials into Zn-ion batteries for performance evaluation; (2) Computational materials discovery, where hundreds of compounds will be screened based on first principles and down selected to guide experimental activities; and (3) in situ characterization of existing and new positive electrode Zn-ion battery materials to understand mechanisms and guide computational/experimental efforts. This project will result in Zn-ion battery materials and technology designs with higher performance and decreased cost. These inventions will be transferred to Salient Energy for pilot-scale production and demonstration, with the intellectual property expected to provide Canada a competitive edge in the manufacture and sale of rechargeable Zn-ion batteries for grid scale energy storage.