Conducting Polymer Coated Cathode Nanoparticles for Improved Battery Performance

该基金支持通过研究一种独特的制造工艺来提高锂离子电池的性能和寿命，从而产生新的科学知识。目前，锂离子电池电极材料在电池反复使用和充电时容易降解。具体来说，阴极材料在高能量、腐蚀性的电池环境中会降解。为了克服这些挑战并使阴极材料更加稳定，采用了一种新的制造工艺，在构成阴极的纳米颗粒周围包裹一层保护性导电聚合物层。这个过程产生了一层非常薄的薄膜，有助于保持阴极纳米粒子的活性。导电聚合物保持良好连接的电池电路，并提供物理致密和化学稳定的屏障，以获得最大的保护。本项目研究氧化化学气相沉积工艺，以制造更稳定，高性能电池的保护阴极材料。超薄导电聚合物覆盖微型零部件的能力影响了太阳能电池、燃料电池和超级电容器等更广泛的能源技术领域，从而创造了一个更可持续的美国能源经济。此外，这种涂层技术可以应用于传感器、电子、智能纺织品、生物医学和航空航天工业，使美国制造业更具竞争力。这项研究涉及制造、材料科学、电化学和纳米技术等学科，吸引了广泛的参与，特别是来自代表性不足的群体和女性的参与，并有助于为未来的美国劳动力提供尖端科学和增值技能。氧化化学气相沉积（oCVD）工艺是一种无溶剂薄膜涂层技术，通过使用氧化剂蒸汽直接将单体蒸汽聚合成固体本质导电聚合物（ICP）薄膜。它是无液体的，克服了在阴极纳米粒子周围封装导电聚合物涂层的传统溶剂加工问题。导电聚合物通常不容易溶解，因此不适于溶液处理。此外，液体方法通常不太精确，这使得难以生产超薄的纳米级涂层。干式oCVD工艺有望克服这些制造障碍。然而，这项技术相对较新，本研究通过确定关键加工因素和机制来填补知识空白，以实现颗粒基板周围的保形，完全封装ICP涂层。该研究进一步了解了涂层在稳定阴极材料和提高电池性能方面的确切作用。研究团队从材料制造到器件测试进行了全面的实验分析，以了解相关的加工-结构-性能关系，从而实现最大的阴极保护和卓越的电池性能。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This grant supports research to enhance lithium ion battery performance and longevity through research on a unique manufacturing process that generates new scientific knowledge. Currently, lithium ion battery electrode materials are prone to degrade when the battery is repeatedly used and recharged. Specifically, cathode materials degrade in the highly energetic, corrosive battery environment. To overcome these challenges and to make the cathode materials more stable, a novel manufacturing process is used to wrap a protective conducting polymer layer around the nanoparticles that make up the cathode. This process creates an extremely thin film that helps keep the underlying cathode nanoparticles active. The electrically conducting polymer maintains a well-connected battery circuit and provides a physically dense and chemically stable barrier for maximum protection. This project studies the oxidative chemical vapor deposition process to manufacture protected cathode materials for more stable, high performance batteries. The ability to coat miniscule parts and components with ultrathin conducting polymers impacts broader energy technology areas such as solar cells, fuel cells and supercapacitors, which creates a more sustainable U.S. energy economy. Furthermore, this coating technology enables applications in sensors, electronics, smart textiles, biomedical and aerospace industries that makes U.S. manufacturing more competitive. This research involves disciplines of manufacturing, materials science, electrochemistry and nanotechnology that attracts broad participation, particularly from underrepresented groups and women, and helps equip the future U.S. workforce with cutting-edge science and value-added skill-sets.The oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD) process is a solvent-free thin film coating technique that directly polymerizes the monomer vapor into a solid intrinsically conducting polymer (ICP) film through the use of an oxidant vapor. Being liquid-free, it overcomes conventional solvent processing problems of encapsulating conducting polymer coatings around cathode nanoparticles. Conducting polymers are often not very soluble so they are not amenable to solution processing. Furthermore, liquid methods are often less precise, which makes it difficult to produce ultrathin, nanoscale coatings. The dry oCVD process shows promise in overcoming these manufacturing barriers. However, this technology is relatively new, and this research fills the knowledge gap by identifying the key processing factors and mechanisms for achieving conformal, fully encapsulating ICP coatings around particle substrates. The research further understands the precise role of the coatings in stabilizing cathode materials and enhancing battery performance. The research team conducts a comprehensive experimental analysis from materials fabrication to device testing to understand the relevant processing-structure-property relationships for achieving maximum cathode protection and superior battery performance.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.