Solid State Chemistry for Advanced Lithium Batteries and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

电化学能量转换和存储设备，如燃料电池和电池，代表了广泛应用的清洁替代能源，包括便携式电子，运输，峰值功率需求和电网规模。燃料电池（FC）直接将燃料（如氢气、天然气、煤或沼气）与空气之间的反应高效地转化为电能。与内燃机不同，以氢气为燃料的FC不会排放污染物或温室气体，而且可以高效地发电、供热和用水。虽然碳氢化合物燃料电池，如固体氧化物燃料电池（sofc）会产生二氧化碳，但这种副产品可以通过二氧化碳捕获和储存技术进行储存。一些公共汽车、货船和演示汽车使用质子交换膜燃料电池（pemfc），它利用H2。然而，目前的sofc和pemfc过于昂贵，无法广泛应用。电池类似于fc，但不是燃料，而是基于电化学电池内的化学物质工作，并且在二次电池的情况下可以重新充电。为了满足未来电动汽车和便携式设备的需求，目前最先进的锂离子电池的能量密度、功率密度和安全性都需要进一步提高。NSERC DG提案旨在解决最先进的fc和锂离子电池的关键问题。对于锂离子电池，该项目旨在用不易燃的陶瓷基固态电解质取代易燃的有机锂离子电解质。这些陶瓷基电解质具有高离子电导率和电化学和化学稳定性，具有单质锂阳极和锂基金属氧化物和硫阴极。使用先进的金属氧化物催化剂作为电极，开发低温质子导体sofcs来提高耐久性和性能，将解决fc面临的挑战。固体电解质作为fc和电池的阳极和阴极之间的隔膜，控制着fc和电池的工作条件、性能和耐久性。当前提案的关键目标是通过研究每种材料的晶体结构、离子电导率、电化学稳定性以及这些性质之间的关系，开发基于无机化合物的高导电性固态质子和锂离子电解质。高导电性和稳定性的固体电解质是实现长期稳定sofc和固态锂电池商业化的关键。先进的全固态锂电池安全、坚固，并提供高能量密度。在未来5年，该研究项目将培养约50名高素质人才（HQP），为他们提供固态材料研究及其在可持续能源开发中的应用的实践经验，这将进一步积极影响加拿大及其他地区人们的生活质量。

Electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices, such as fuel cells and batteries, represent a clean alternative energy source for a broad range of applications, including portable electronics, transportation, peak-power demand, and grid-scale. A fuel cell (FC) directly converts reaction between a fuel (e.g., H2, natural gas, coal, or biogas) and air into electricity with high efficiency. Unlike combustion engines, a FC running on H2 will not emit pollutants or greenhouse gases while efficiently producing electricity, heat, and water. Though hydrocarbon-powered fuel cells, such as solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), produce CO2, this by-product can be stored using CO2 capture and storage technology. Some public buses, cargo ships, and demo cars use proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), which utilize H2. However, current SOFCs and PEMFCs are too expensive to be widely employed. Batteries are similar to FCs, but instead of fuels, they operate based on the chemicals within the electrochemical cell, and being re-charged in the case of secondary batteries. The energy density, power density, and safety of state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries require further improvement to meet the demands of future electric vehicles and portable devices. This NSERC DG proposal aims to solve critical issues in state-of-the-art FCs and Li-ion batteries. For Li-ion batteries, the project aims to replace flammable organic Li-ion electrolytes with non-flammable ceramic-based solid-state electrolytes. These ceramic-based electrolytes possess high ionic conductivity and electrochemical and chemical stability with elemental Li anode and Li-based metal oxide and sulfur cathodes. The challenges in FCs will be resolved by developing low-temperature proton conductor-SOFCs to increase durability and performance using advanced metal oxide catalyst as electrodes. Solid electrolyte serves as a separator between the anode and cathode in FCs and batteries, and control their operating conditions, performance, and durability. The key objectives of the current proposal are to develop highly conductive solid-state proton and Li-ion electrolytes based on inorganic compounds, by investigating each material's crystal structure, ionic conductivity, and electrochemical stability and the relationships between these properties. Highly conductive and stable solid electrolytes are key toward commercializing long-term stable SOFCs and solid-state Li batteries. Advanced all-solid-state Li batteries are safe, robust, and provide high energy density. Over the next 5 years, this research program will train about 50 highly qualified personnel (HQP), giving them hands-on experience in solid-state materials research and its application to sustainable energy development that will further positively influence people's quality of lives in Canada and beyond.