STTR Phase I: Novel Batteries Based on Functionalized Hexagonal Boron Nitride with High Energy, High Power, Long Cycle Life, and Thermal Stability

这个小型企业技术转移(STTR)第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发重量轻、热安全、高能量密度的电池，这些电池可以快速充电、持续时间长、由环保材料组成，并且可以以低成本存储能量。这种电池将使远程电动汽车和其他电动汽车，包括运输中的飞机和无人机，能够大规模渗透。这一过程减少了环境污染，并带来了更高的能源效率。本STTRI期项目建议使用氮化硼基层状陶瓷材料作为固态电池中存储电化学能量的一种手段。该项目加强了对先进功能材料设计的科学和技术理解，用于原子水平的能量存储。为了在宏观水平上实现有针对性的高性能储能，必须在原子和分子水平上仔细选择潜在的材料结构。二维材料，如石墨烯或六方氮化硼，可含有可可逆还原和氧化的官能团，并可用作充电电池阴极的电活性物种。这些材料的最大优点是，它们可以同时实现数千次充放电循环的高能量和高功率密度，正如锂和钠阳极石墨烯氧化物电池所展示的那样。然而，氧化石墨烯在热上是不稳定的。该项目建议用官能化氮化硼取代石墨烯氧化物，以便在保持性能的同时实现热稳定性。此外，功能化氮化硼除了是一个电活性物种外，还可以起到固体电解质的作用。重点介绍了OBF3功能化氮化硼的合成。该官能团以表面氧化物(如石墨烯氧化物或氮化硼氧化物)与BF3(电解液成分)的刘易斯加合物的形式出现，作为一种致密的电活性物种和电解液特别有前景。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is the development of lightweight, thermally safe batteries with high energy densities that can be charged fast, last a long time, are composed of environmentally benign materials, and can store energy at a low cost. Such batteries would enable the large-scale penetration of long-range electric cars and other electric vehicles, including airplanes and drones in transportation. This process reduces environmental pollution and leads to greater energy efficiency.This STTR Phase I project proposes to use boron nitride based layered ceramic materials as a means of storing electrochemical energy in solid state batteries. This project enhances scientific and technological understanding on the design of advanced functional materials for energy storage at the atomic level. To achieve the targeted high performance energy storage at the macroscopic level, the underlying material structures must be carefully selected on the atomic and molecular levels. Two-dimensional materials, such as graphene or hexagonal boron nitride, may contain functional groups that can be reversibly reduced and oxidized and can be utilized as electroactive species in cathodes of rechargeable batteries. The great advantage of these materials is that they can realize simultaneously high energy and power density for thousands of charging/discharging cycles as demonstrated in graphene oxide batteries with lithium and sodium anodes. Graphene oxide is, however, thermally unstable. The project proposes to substitute graphene oxide with functionalized boron nitride in order to achieve thermal stability while preserving performance. Furthermore, the functionalized boron nitride is also capable to play the role of a solid electrolyte in addition to being an electroactive species. Particular focus will be made on synthesizing -OBF3 functionalized boron nitride. This functional group occurs as a Lewis adduct of surface oxides (such as graphene oxide or boron nitride oxide) with BF3 (an electrolyte component) and is particularly promising as a compact electroactive species and electrolyte.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.