Fabrication and characterization of Li2(Fe,Mn)SiO4 cathode materials for new generation lithium-ion batteries

锂离子电池(LIB)在日常应用中无处不在，为越来越多的消费者依赖的各种便携式电子产品提供动力。毫不夸张地说，便携式电子产品的如此广泛使用在很大程度上要归功于LIB，它的性能优于以前的电池类型，这要归功于相对更高的能量密度和更轻的重量。现在，LIB被要求为插电式混合动力汽车(PHEV)和电动汽车(EV)提供动力，因为我们的社会正在走向交通电气化和太阳能等可再生能源的并网，以解决气候变化和化石燃料枯竭等严重的全球问题。预计到2020年，电动汽车储能行业的年经济产值将达到220亿美元。我们的工业合作伙伴魁北克水电公司正在积极利用绿色经济的这些方面。在这项研究计划中，魁北克水电公司积极支持前沿合作研究，旨在为开发新一代锂离子电池纳米结构电极材料做出贡献，该材料具有高能量密度、快速充电速度、安全、长寿命以及更低的成本，以满足新兴的电动汽车行业需求。拟议的项目为突破性的材料研究、培训高素质的人员(在项目的3年期间)和先进技术商业化潜力提供了巨大的机会，最终可以带来切实的经济效益。拟议中的研究将有助于建立临界质量的锂离子电池研究能力，进一步使加拿大成为快速增长的绿色产业的主要参与者，绿色产业对我们可持续的经济和能源未来具有战略意义。

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are omnipresent in everyday applications powering the various portable electronics to which consumers have come to depend on in ever increasing numbers. It will not be an exaggeration to say that such widespread use of portable electronics has largely happened thanks to the LIB that outperforms previous battery types thanks to relatively higher energy density and lower weight. Now LIBs are called to power the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and electric vehicles (EV) as our society is moving towards electrification of transportation and grid-integration of renewable energy sources like solar to address the serious global issues of climate change and fossil fuel depleted resources. The electric automobile energy storage industry is forecasted to reach an annual economic output of $22 billion by 2020. Our industrial partner, Hydro-Québec, is actively engaged in capitalizing on these aspects of the green economy. In this research program, cutting-edge collaborative research with the active support of Hydro-Québec is undertaken aiming to contribute towards the development of next generation lithium-ion battery nanostructured electrode materials characterized by high energy density, fast charging rates, safety, long lifetime but also lower cost to meet the emerging electric automotive industry needs. The proposed project provides a tremendous opportunity for breakthrough materials research, training of highly qualified personnel (>20 over the 3-year period of the project), and advanced technology commercialization potential that can ultimately lead to tangible economic benefits. The proposed research will help build critical mass of Li-ion battery research capacity further making Canada a major player in the fast growing green industry that is strategic to our sustainable economic and energy future.