PFI-TT: Using Ultralight Carbon Aerogel Electrodes to Increase Energy Density of Rechargeable Batteries

University Of Texas At Austin, Austin TX

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Partnerships for Innovation – Research Partnerships (PFI-TT) project is the higher energy density batteries that will result from our carbon aerogel technology. With every new device and application powered by a lithium ion battery, consumers expect increased performance (capacity and cycle life) at lower cost. To satisfy these demands, batteries of higher energy density than current state-of-the-art are needed. The proposed lightweight aerogels enable higher energy density batteries by replacing the heavier metal foils used in today’s battery electrodes. This increase in energy density is expected to allow customers to choose between either (1) a higher energy output for a given battery size/weight, or (2) a smaller battery size/weight without sacrificing the energy output achieved in current battery cells. With the global lithium ion battery market projected to rapidly grow from $21.4 B in 2018 to $45.6 B in 2021, the proposed technology provides a transformative strategy to battery manufacturers to increase the performance of devices powered by lithium ion batteries. The proposed project involves constructing energy-dense battery electrodes that are smaller and lighter than current state-of-the-art. In conventional lithium ion batteries, the energy density is restricted by the weight of the metal-foil current collectors used to support the electrode films. As a solution to this limitation, the proposed project will advance the development of a porous, ultralight-weight carbon aerogel to replace the standard metal foils. Successful demonstration of the proposed technology will rely on completing the following goals: (i) developing a batch production method for scaling up aerogel production, (ii) optimizing the pore structure, electrical properties, and mechanical durability of the aerogel substrates, (iii) scaling up the fabrication procedure to produce composite aerogel electrodes, (iv) designing and fabricating large-format cells with the constructed aerogel electrodes, and (v) identifying the optimal cell chemistry for high performance aerogel pouch cells. Successful solution of these issues would provide a strategy to construct lighter, smaller, and more energy-dense lithium ion batteries. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.