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，为消费者越来越依赖的各种便携式电子产品供电。可以毫不夸张地说，便携式电子产品的广泛使用在很大程度上归功于LIB，由于相对较高的能量密度和较低的重量，LIB优于以前的电池类型。现在，LIB被要求为插电式混合动力车（PHEV）和电动汽车（EV）提供动力，因为我们的社会正在朝着交通电气化和太阳能等可再生能源的电网整合方向发展，以解决气候变化和化石燃料耗尽资源等严重的全球问题。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。我们的工业伙伴魁北克水电公司正在积极参与利用绿色经济的这些方面。在这项研究计划中，在Hydro-Québec的积极支持下进行了尖端的合作研究，旨在为下一代锂离子电池纳米结构电极材料的开发做出贡献，这些材料具有高能量密度，快速充电速率，安全性，使用寿命长，而且成本较低，以满足新兴的电动汽车行业的需求。拟议的项目为突破性材料研究、高素质人员培训（项目3年期内超过20人）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。拟议的研究将有助于建立锂离子电池研究能力的临界质量，进一步使加拿大成为快速增长的绿色产业的主要参与者，这对我们的可持续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.