SBIR Phase I: Development of Dry Manufacturing for High Energy Density and Low Cost Lithium Ion Batteries

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的更广泛影响是提高能量密度，降低成本，并减少生产锂离子电池所需的能源足迹。由于电动汽车、机器人和消费电子产品的加速采用，全球锂离子电池行业正在以惊人的速度增长。目前，锂离子电池和电化学储能解决方案领域的大部分创新都集中在新的材料化学和产品设计上。随着该行业的大规模增长，必须努力创新生产技术，以改善整个供应链。通过应用有针对性的新制造方法，能够以更低的成本制造出更高能量密度的锂离子电池，将提高制造商的竞争力，增加先进电池制造在全球范围内的竞争力，并开辟新的储能应用。这一技术开发旨在推动一种解决方案，以提高电池能量存储解决方案的能力和可持续性，造福于美国公民和全球社会的生活。一种生产锂离子电池电极的无溶剂制造技术正在开发中。这项技术提供了制造更厚的电极的能力，具有微调的结构和性能特征。传统的电极制造方法使用浆料浇注，这需要高耗能的干燥、危险的溶剂，并且可能会留下相当大的环境足迹。将设计、制造、安装和运行连续进料干式喷雾系统，以优化工艺和产品。该技术提供了一种制备厚电极的方法，将提高锂离子电池的容量和能量密度。在本项目中，将用无溶剂制造工艺制造超高面积的电容电极(阴极：~5mAh/cm2，阳极：~5.5mAh/cm2)。高面积容量电极将通过减少非活性材料(集流器、隔离器和外壳)的数量来实现高能量密度(300Wh/kg)。通过该计划获得的知识可能会将一种新型的干式电极制造技术带到商业上来。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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 of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 project is to improve the energy density, decrease the cost, and reduce the energy footprint required to produce lithium-ion batteries. The global lithium-ion battery industry is growing at a tremendous rate due to the accelerated adoption of electric vehicles, robotics, and consumer electronics. Currently, a significant portion of innovation in the field of lithium-ion batteries and electrochemical energy storage solutions in general is focused around novel material chemistries and product designs. With the massive growth being witnessed in the industry, efforts to innovate production techniques must be undertaken to improve the entire supply chain. By applying the targeted novel manufacturing method, the ability to fabricate higher energy density lithium-ion batteries at lower cost will improve the competitiveness of manufacturers, increase the competitiveness of advanced battery manufacturing in the global context, and open up new energy storage applications. This technology development seeks to promote a solution that advances the capability and sustainability of battery energy storage solutions, benefitting the lives of U.S. citizens and society globally. A solvent-free manufacturing technology to produce electrodes for lithium-ion batteries is being developed. This technology provides the capability to fabricate thicker electrodes with finely tuned architecture and performance characteristics. The conventional methods for electrode manufacturing utilize slurry casting which requires energy intensive drying, hazardous solvents, and may leave a considerable environmental footprint. A continuous feed dry spraying system will be designed, manufactured, installed, and operated to optimize the process and product. The technology provides a method to fabricate thick electrodes which will increase the capacity and energy density of the lithium-ion batteries. In this project, ultra-high area capacity electrodes (cathode: ~5mAh/cm2, anode: ~5.5mAh/cm2) will be fabricated with the solvent-free manufacturing process. The high area capacity electrodes will enable high energy density (300Wh/kg) by reducing the quantity of inactive materials (current collectors, separator, and casing). The knowledge gained through this program may bring a novel dry electrode manufacturing technology to commercial readiness.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.