Crossing Boundaries in Energy Storage

今天，能源储存比历史上任何时候都更加重要。大约25%的二氧化碳排放来自运输过程中燃烧化石燃料。人们普遍认为，交通工具脱碳势在必行，并涉及电气化。交通工具电气化面临的最大挑战是能量储存。尽管电动和插电式混合动力汽车(EV)在未来十年将越来越多，但利用现在和近期可用的存储技术(锂离子电池)，不可能在行驶里程上实现阶段性变化(例如，经常宣称的+300英里的圣杯)。在这里，我们建议研究远远超出当前地平线的储能技术，并有可能使电动汽车的性能发生阶段性变化。我们特别关注锂空气电池、氢气和氧气的储存，符合召唤的范围。这些技术符合未来混合动力电动汽车的总体愿景，锂空气电池、氢燃料电池(或者可能是氨燃料电池)和可逆燃料电池(实际上是氢-氧电池)将发挥关键作用。锂空气电池具有比当前一代锂电池储存更多能量的潜力，但主要障碍仍有待克服。在这里，我们解决了锂空气电池逐步改变所面临的一些关键障碍，为长期实用的锂空气电池开辟了道路，能够以比现在更远的续航里程和更低的成本获得，从而改变了运输。同样，我们通过一系列协调一致的方法来解决氢存储的关键挑战，以确定满足用于运输的移动存储的转换标准的固态存储。我们还研究了使用过渡金属和过氧化合物的固态储氧的基本概念。这样的存储将被用作锂空气电池阴极或可逆燃料电池的氧源和氧汇。通过合作，我们打破了这些研究领域之间的传统界限，实现了思想的交叉交流，从而可能为每个领域的问题提供创新的解决方案，并在跨越这些界限的工作文化中培训人员。

Energy storage is more important today than at any other time in history. Approx. 25% of CO2 emissions arise from burning fossil fuels in transportation. It is widely acknowledged that decarbonising transport is imperative and involves electrification.The greatest challenge facing electrification of transport is energy storage. Although electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (EVs) will be with us in increasing numbers over the next decade, achieving a step change in driving range (e.g. the often stated Holy Grail of +300 miles) is impossible with the storage technologies available now and in the near term (lithium-ion batteries). Here we propose to investigate energy storage technologies far beyond the current horizon and with the potential to deliver a step change in performance of electric vehicles. We focus in particular on the Li-air battery, hydrogen and oxygen storage, in line with the scope of the call. These technologies fit into an overall vision for future hybrid EVs in which the Li-air battery, the hydrogen fuel cell (or perhaps ammonia fuel cell) and the reversible fuel cell (effectively a hydrogen-oxygen battery) play key roles. The Li-air battery has the potential to store far more energy than current generation lithium batteries but major hurdles remain to be overcome. Here we address some of the key hurdles facing a step change of Li-air batteries, opening the way to practical Li-air batteries in the longer term capable of a much extended driving range and available at lower cost than today and hence transforming transportation.Similarly we address the key challenge of hydrogen storage by a concerted series of approaches to identify the solid state stores that meet the criteria for a transformation in the mobile storage of hydrogen for transport. We also examine the radical concept of solid state oxygen storage using transition metal and peroxo compounds. Such stores would find applications as sources and sinks of O for the cathode in a Li-air cell or for a reversible fuel cell. By working together we break down the traditional boundaries between these research fields, enable the cross-fertilisation of ideas that may lead to innovative solutions to the problems of each field and train personnel in a culture of working across these boundaries.