GOALI: High-Energy Density and Low Polysulfide Shuttling Sodium-Sulfur Battery System

对全球能源供应和二氧化碳排放的担忧刺激了对能源储存技术的深入研究，以促进风能和太阳能等可再生能源的增长和整合，用于电力运输和电网。电化学电池系统是最有前途的储能技术，它将改变这些行业。然而，现有的锂离子电池技术不太可能满足能量密度和成本要求。此外，它们的扩大和广泛采用受到资源可用性的限制。因此，需要使用大量低成本材料的新型高能量密度电池系统来应对这些挑战。在与Saft America的合作中，研究人员提出了一种高能量密度和低多硫化物穿梭钠硫电池，这种电池利用了钠、硫和氧等丰富的元素。此外，这项新技术将在单一电化学系统中协同结合多种反应。高密度低成本钠硫电池技术的发展可能对国家能源安全产生变革性影响。这里开发的实用、可扩展且具有成本效益的电池技术，可以在材料供应链资源有限的情况下，将电池技术广泛应用于交通运输和电网。通过与Saft America合作，该项目将加强学术界和工业界之间的伙伴关系，并促进实验室发明向市场的转移。研究生和本科生将通过该项目接受研究和行业实习方面的培训，并利用机构资源从代表性不足的群体中招募学生参与该项目。该GOALI项目旨在对新型、高能量密度、低多硫穿梭钠硫电池（Na/(O2)-S）反应机理进行基础性研究，进一步提高该系统的电化学性能，实现电池在工业相关工况下的优化设计。这一目标将通过三个方面来实现：(1)通过原位实验表征识别Na/(O2)- s电池中Na-(O2)- s电极的中间和最终反应产物，了解Na/(O2)- s电池的反应途径。(2)通过研究Na/(O2)-S体系中电化学反应的界面动力学和放电产物的成核和生长速率来了解反应动力学。(3)在行业相关设置下评估Na/(O2)-S电池系统的性能。这些研究将促进对室温下溶液和固体沉淀区金属-氧-多硫化物电化学反应的热力学和动力学的认识和理解。因此，在这里获得的见解将解决使用丰富材料开发高能量密度电池的关键需求，并为该领域的未来研究奠定基础。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。

Concerns over global energy supply and CO2 emissions have spurred intensive research on energy storage technologies to facilitate the growth and integration of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar for electric transportation and power grids. Electrochemical battery systems are the most promising energy storage technology that would transform these industries. However, incumbent lithium-ion battery technologies are unlikely to meet the energy density and cost requirements. Further, their scale-up and wider adoption are constrained by resource availability. Therefore, new high-energy density battery systems using abundant and low-cost materials are needed to meet these challenges. In collaboration with Saft America, the investigators propose a high-energy density and low polysulfide shuttling sodium-sulfur battery that takes advantage of abundant elements such as sodium, sulfur and oxygen. Additionally, this new technology will synergistically incorporate multiple reactions in a single electrochemical system. The development of the high-energy density and low-cost sodium-sulfur battery technology can potentially have transformational impact on the nation’s energy security. The practical, scalable, and cost-effective battery technology developed here can enable wider adoption of battery technology for transportation and electrical grid with limited resource constraints for the material supply chain. By working with Saft America, this project will enhance partnerships between academia and industry and facilitate the transfer of laboratory inventions to the market place. Graduate and undergraduate students will receive training in research and industry internship through this project, and institutional resources will be leveraged to recruit students from underrepresented groups to participate in this project. This GOALI project aims to break ground for fundamental research on understanding the reaction mechanism in the novel, high-energy density and low polysulfide shuttling sodium-sulfur battery system (Na/(O2)-S) to further improve the electrochemical performance of the system and enable optimal battery design in industry-relevant operating condition. This goal will be achieved by three objectives: (1) To understand the reaction pathway of the Na-(O2)-S electrode in Na/(O2)-S battery by identifying the intermediate and final reaction products by in-situ experimental characterization. (2) To understand the reaction kinetics by investigating interfacial kinetics and nucleation and growth rate of the discharge products during the electrochemical reactions in the Na/(O2)-S system. (3) Evaluate the performance of Na/(O2)-S battery system under industry-relevant settings. These studies will advance the knowledge and understanding of the thermodynamics and kinetics of metal-oxygen-polysulfide electrochemical reactions at room temperature in both solution and solid precipitation regions. The insight gained here will thus address critical needs in the development of the high-energy density battery using abundant materials and lay foundation for future research in this area.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.