PFI:AIR - TT: Towards Commercialization of Potassium-Oxygen Batteries: Solving Safety Challenges

这个PFI：空气技术转换项目专注于转换一种新的钾-氧(K-O2)充电电池技术，以满足交通、电气化和固定储能对高性能电池日益增长的需求。K-O2电池之所以重要，是因为它以低于密封的铅酸电池价格有效地提供了比锂离子电池更好的性能。这种新型高能量电池技术的独特之处在于，它的运行基于可逆单电子氧/超氧化物氧化还原对，从而不需要昂贵的电催化剂。与市场上最具竞争力的锂离子电池和其他金属氧电池相比，这一特点具有以下优势：成本低、重量轻、能效高、环境友好。这项技术将使电动汽车能够以负担得起的价格行驶更远的距离，并解决使用间歇性可再生能源时电网系统的储能问题。该项目将产生一个钾-氧电池组的原型。这将需要对以下技术差距进行调查，以将研究发现转化为商业应用：开发湿度响应型电解液、替代金属钾的安全阳极，以及用于阳极保护的低氧渗透功能钾阳离子选择膜，以提高电池的循环寿命。钾空气电池的根本局限性是分子氧从正极到钾阳极的交叉。这会导致在阳极表面形成超氧化物钾，并降低可参与储能的金属的可用性。因此，设计替代的阳极和膜电解液可以解决电池安全和寿命方面的技术挑战。此外，参与该项目的人员，包括博士后、毕业生和本科生，将通过拟议的研究活动、原型开发和商业化努力，获得技术创新、翻译和创业方面的经验。

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating a novel potassium-oxygen (K-O2) rechargeable battery technology to fill the increasing need for high performance batteries for transportation electrification and stationary energy storage. The K-O2 battery is important because it effectively provides better-than-Li-ion battery performance at less-than-sealed-lead-acid battery price. This novel energy-dense battery technology has the unique feature that its operation is based on the reversible one-electron oxygen/superoxide redox couple, which eliminates the need for high-cost electrocatalysts. This feature provides the following advantages: low cost, lightweight, high-energy efficiency and environmental friendly when compared to the foremost competing lithium-ion batteries and other metal-oxygen batteries in this market space. The technology would enable electric vehicles to travel longer ranges at affordable prices and solve the energy-storage problem on the electrical grid system when using intermittent renewable energies. The project will result in a prototype of potassium-oxygen battery pack. This will require investigation into the following technology gaps to translate from research discovery toward commercial application: developing moisture-responsive electrolytes, safe anodes alternative to potassium metal, and functional potassium cation selective membranes with low oxygen permeation for anode protection to improve the battery cycle life. The fundamental limitation of potassium-air batteries is the crossover of molecular oxygen from the cathode to potassium anode. This leads to the formation of potassium superoxide on the anode surface and reduces the availability of metal that can participate in energy storage. Therefore, designing alternative anodes and membrane electrolytes can solve the technical challenges in battery safety and lifetime. In addition, personnel involved in this project, including post-docs, graduates and undergraduates, will receive experiences in technology innovation, translation and entrepreneurship through the proposed research activities, prototype development and commercialization efforts.