STTR Phase I: A new class of highly conductive solid polymer separator membranes compatible with high voltage cathodes

小企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目的更广泛影响将转化为需要储能的多个市场。所提出的先进聚合物分离器将实现高能量密度。新型电池隔膜的潜在客户包括各种应用的电池制造商，包括但不限于太空和军事、小型可穿戴设备、射频识别（RFID）、无人机、消费电子产品以及大众移动市场的汽车制造商。采用将受到对电动汽车电池的巨大需求的推动，这些电池更便宜，更轻，更安全，并且允许更长的行驶里程和减少充电时间。消费者和社会将以多种方式从这种新型固态分离器实现的电池中受益;从电动汽车到飞行出租车;从更高效的储能电网到更可靠的太空飞行器;从更轻的可穿戴设备到持久的医疗植入物。从长远来看，成功开发低成本、快充、高密度、长寿命、该公司的新型分离器将减少对化石燃料的依赖，并推动交通运输部门的电气化和向绿色能源解决方案的过渡。这个小企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目将开发一种先进的聚合物分离器，用于新型混合固体/这将大大提高最先进的固态电池的性能，实现更高的能量密度，更快的充电速率和增强的安全性比商业锂离子电池。新的分离器将由一种新型聚合物材料制成，其可行性已在实验室水平得到验证。稳定性测试表明，电导率和稳定性高于目前可用的选项。在初步研究中也证明了与高压阴极的兼容性。该项目的目标是（1）开发一种固体电解质，其离子电导率与目前用于锂离子电池的液体电解质相当，以及（2）与高压阴极（4 - 6 V）兼容的可扩展固体隔板（使用上述电解质）。成功商业化要克服的主要技术障碍是开发适合叶片浇铸的浆料和将分离器按比例放大到细胞大小的独立片材。前者将通过调整浆料的成分来提高溶解度，后者将通过提高聚合物的分子量并将其与陶瓷氧化物共混来实现。该奖项反映了NSF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而被认为值得支持。

The broader impact of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will be transformational to multiple markets that require energy storage. High-energy densities will be enabled by the proposed advanced polymer separators. Potential customers for the new battery separator include battery manufacturers for a variety of applications including, but not limited to, space and military, small wearable devices, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), drones, consumer electronics, as well as automotive manufacturers in the mass mobility market. Adoption will be driven by the huge demand for electric vehicle batteries that are cheaper, lighter, safer and allow for longer drive ranges and reduced charge time. There are multiple ways in which consumers and society will benefit from the batteries enabled by this novel solid-state separator; from electric cars, to flying taxis; from more efficient energy storage grids to more reliable space vehicles; from lighter wearable devices to long lasting medical implants. In the long-term, the successful development of low-cost, fast-charging, high-density, long-life, and safe batteries enabled by the company’s new separator will reduce fossil fuel dependency and drive the electrification of the transportation sector and the transition towards greener energy solutions.This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will develop an advanced polymer separator for novel hybrid solid/liquid battery cells which will dramatically improve performance of state-of-the-art solid-state batteries, enabling higher energy density, faster charging rate and enhanced safety over commercial Lithium-ion batteries. The new separator will be constructed from a novel polymer material whose feasibility has been validated at laboratory level. Stability tests showed higher conductivity and stability than currently available options. Compatibility with high-voltage cathodes was also demonstrated in preliminary studies. The goals of the project are (1) to develop a solid electrolyte which has an ionic conductivity comparable to that of liquid electrolytes that are currently used in the Li-ion batteries and (2) a scalable solid separator (using the above electrolyte) that is compatible with high-voltage cathodes (4 – 6 V). Main technical hurdles to overcome for successful commercialization are developing blade-cast-worthy slurries and scaling up the separator to a cell-size free-standing sheet. The former will be achieved by tuning the composition of the slurry to improve solubility; the latter will be achieved by improving the molecular weight of the polymer and blending and mixing it with ceramic oxide.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.