Sustainable aqueous Sodium-ion batteries

可充电电池为广泛类型的移动的电子设备供电，并显示出电网存储的非凡前景。事实上，锂离子电池（LIB）的需求在过去几年中激增，主要作为便携式电子设备（即手机、平板电脑、笔记本电脑）中的移动的应用，并且主要由层状氧化物材料（例如Li（Ni，Mn，Co）O2和Li（Ni，Co，Al）O2）供电。随着电动汽车（EV）商业化的推动，这些层状氧化物有望成为电池市场的光明前景。这种需求的重要增长对构成锂离子电池材料的有价值元素（例如锂、钴、镍）的库存和可用性造成了压力。假设这些战略要素中的大部分将基本上用于电动汽车，那么今天也会考虑其他电池技术。对于电网存储，钠电池技术可能是LIB的一个有前途的替代品。对于此类应用，最重要的参数是长循环寿命、高安全性、低成本和环保。在这种情况下，如果我们考虑使用来自广泛可用资源的稳定且低成本的电极材料，则水性Na离子电池可以满足这些要求。该计划旨在研究新的可持续水性钠离子电池。这将涉及考虑使用丰富的元素合成（新）电极材料，使用环保粘合剂和可加工性，以及使用环境友好的水性电解质（海水作为优先事项）。这些电池组件将在整合到钠离子电池中后进行深入表征，以研究其在循环时的稳定性。通过考虑无机/聚合物涂层来解决电极/电解质界面的预期降解，以避免不必要的反应并延长器械的循环寿命。重要的是最小化或防止材料表面的水分解和氢析出。不同界面的调查将由最先进的设备进行评估，这些设备可进行现场/操作研究（加拿大魁北克创新基金会最近在MAPLES项目中资助的设备）。该研究计划涉及多学科的考虑，它植根于基本的理解，这将使开发改进的材料和设备。新型电化学蓄电池的开发对我们的社会至关重要，它依赖于更丰富和环保的组件，将成为该计划的目标，为开发绿色可持续钠离子水溶液电池提供重要的潜在突破。

Rechargeable batteries power extensive types of mobile electronics and shown extraordinary promise for grid storage. Indeed, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) demand has surged in the last years, mainly as mobile application in portable electronics (i.e. cellphones, tablets, laptops) and primarily powered by layered oxides materials (e.g. Li(Ni,Mn,Co)O2 and Li(Ni,Co,Al)O2). A bright future is expected for these layered oxides as the battery market is now driven by the commercialization of electrical vehicles (EVs). This important increase of demand puts pressure on the stock and on the availability of the valuable elements composing the Li-ion battery materials (e.g. Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel). Assuming most of these strategic elements will essentially be used in EVs, other battery technologies are todays considered. For grid storage, sodium battery technology could be a promising alternative to LIBs. For such application, the most important parameters are long cycle life, high safety, low cost and eco-friendly. In this context, aqueous Na-ion batteries may meet these requirements if we consider the use of stable and low-cost electrode materials derived from broadly available resources. The proposed program aims to investigate new sustainable aqueous Na-ion batteries. This will involve considering the synthesis of (new) electrode materials using abundant elements, the use and processability of eco-friendly binders and the use of environmentally benign aqueous electrolytes (seawater as a priority). These battery components will be deeply characterized after integration in Na-ion cells in order to investigate their stability upon cycling. Expected degradation of the electrode/electrolyte interfaces will be address by considering inorganic/polymer coatings to avoid unwanted reactions and to allow long cycle life of the devices. It will be important to minimize or prevent water decomposition and hydrogen evolution at the material surface. The investigation of the different interfaces will be assessed by state-of-the-art equipment allowing in situ/operando studies (equipment recently funded in the MAPLES project by the Canada Foundation for Innovation/Québec). This research program involves multi-disciplinary consideration and it is rooted in basic understanding which will enable developing improved materials and devices. The development new electrochemical storage batteries, which rely on more abundant and eco-friendly components, is crucial for our society and will be targeted in this program, which offers important potential breakthroughs to develop green sustainable sodium-ion aqueous batteries.