SBIR Phase I: Single Ion Conductor Gel Electrolytes for High Power Rechargeable Lithium Ion Batteries with Enhanced Safety

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将开发先进的单离子凝胶电解质和相关的低成本制造工艺，用于提高安全性的高功率可充电锂离子电池（lib）。目前的锂离子电池电解质由液态有机溶剂和锂盐组成。阴离子和阳离子都可以移动，尽管阴离子不参与电化学反应，也不贡献功率输出。这不仅降低了功率密度，而且在高功率运行时还会导致极化梯度、阴极盐耗尽和阳极沉淀的风险。在大尺寸电池组中，液态有机溶剂存在着重大的安全风险，如溶剂泄漏、溶剂蒸发造成的压力积聚以及车辆事故中的火灾危险。因此，目前的lib在电动汽车上的接受程度有限。该项目将开发离子凝胶电解质，其中阴离子完全固定，溶剂完全限制在凝胶结构中。凝胶结构以及电解质/分离器组件将提高lib的功率密度和安全性。该项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力与可充电锂离子电池（LIB）有关，该电池具有高能量密度、功率密度、增强的安全性，并通过使用创新的单离子凝胶电解质和低成本制造工艺降低了成本。可充电的lib作为许多便携式电子设备的电源具有广泛的应用。然而，由于电解质和电极的材料限制，目前的lib在混合动力汽车和电网规模储能系统等大尺寸高容量储能系统中的应用有限。如果成功，这种新型的单离子导体凝胶电解质可以提高锂离子电池的功率密度，提高安全性，降低制造成本，并促进其在大尺寸高功率储能系统中的广泛应用。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop advanced single ion gel electrolytes and related low cost manufacturing process for high power rechargeable lithium ion batteries (LIBs) with enhanced safety. Current LIB electrolytes consist of liquid organic solvents and lithium salts. Both anions and cations can move, though the anions do not participate in electrochemical reactions and do not contribute to the power output. This not only reduces the power density, but also leads to polarization gradient, salt depletion at the cathode and risk of precipitation at the anode during high power operation. The liquid organic solvents represent significant safety risks in large size battery pack such as solvent leakage, pressure buildup from solvent vaporization, and fire hazard during vehicle accidents. Therefore, current LIBs have limited acceptance by electric vehicles. This project will develop ionomer gel electrolytes in which anions are completely immobilized and the solvents fully constrained in the gel structure. The power density and safety of the LIBs will be enhanced by the gel structure as well the electrolyte/separator assembly.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is related to rechargeable lithium ion batteries (LIB) with high energy density, power density, enhanced safety, and reduced cost by using an innovative single ion gel electrolyte and low-cost manufacturing process. Rechargeable LIBs have broad applications as power source for many portable electronics. However, due to the material limitations of the electrolytes and electrodes, current LIBs have limited applications in large-size high-capacity energy storage systems such as hybrid electric vehicles and grid scale energy storage system. If successful, the novel single ion conductor gel electrolytes can improve the power density, improve the safety, and reduce the manufacturing cost of LIBs and promote their wide adoption in large size high power energy storage systems.