Physics and Chemistry of Materials for Energy Storage

本提案涵盖三个领域的基础研究：1)组合和高通量材料科学方法，其中数百个样品并行制备和测试；2)对锂离子电池退化的基本理解和消除，使电池非常适合电动汽车的应用；3)一个关于可充电锌空气电池的新项目正在启动。发现基金（DG）支持基础研究和基础科学，而达恩的其他基金支持更多的应用研究。Jeff Dahn的NSERC/工业研究主席（IRC）计划支持在DG工作期间不断使用组合和高通量材料科学方法的应用研究。新方法包括使用新获得的组合溶液处理机器人将在DG资助下开发，并用于表征锂离子电池的正极材料。新电极材料和电解质添加剂对锂离子电池寿命和循环寿命的影响将采用新开发的、世界上独一无二的方法进行研究。目前，99%的电池化学变化影响锂离子电池循环和日历寿命的方式尚不清楚，这是DG研究将发挥主要作用的地方。锌空气电池的体积能量密度是所有商用电池技术中最大的，然而，目前它们还不能再充电。即使是一小块主要由电池外壳组成的锌空气助听器电池，其测得的能量密度也只有1800 Wh/L，而最好的锂离子电池的能量密度为700 Wh/L。我们已展开一项小型项目，研究可充电锌空气电池，该项目将在总监资助下继续进行。

This proposal covers basic studies in three areas: 1) Combinatorial and high-throughput materials science methods where hundreds of samples are prepared and tested in parallel; 2) Fundamental understanding and elimination of degradation in Li-ion batteries leading to batteries well-suited to electric vehicle applications and 3) a new project now beginning on rechargeable Zn-air batteries. The Discovery Grant (DG) supports fundamental studies and basic science while Dahn's other funding supports more applied studies.Jeff Dahn's NSERC/Industrial Research Chair (IRC) program supports applied studies that continually use the combinatorial and high-throughput materials science methods developed during the DG work. New methods involving the use of a newly acquired combinatorial solutions handling robot will be developed under DG funding and used to characterize positive electrode materials for Li-ion batteries. The impact of new electrode materials and electrolyte additives on lithium-ion battery lifetime and cycle life will be studied using newly developed, unique in the world, methods. Presently, the way that 99% of such battery chemistry changes affect cycle and calendar life of Li-ion batteries is not well understood and this is where the DG research will play a major role. Zn-air batteries have the largest volumetric energy density of any commercially available battery technology, however, they are not presently rechargeable. Even a tiny Zn-air hearing aid battery, which is largely made up of the battery casing, has a measured energy density of 1800 Wh/L, compared to 700 Wh/L for the best Li-ion cells. We have started a small project in rechargeable Zn-air batteries which will continue under DG funding.