To achieve high electric drive range, a new battery system with advanced high capacity cathode and stabilized high capacity anode is needed. In this talk, we will disclose several strategies to increase the energy density of battery through the development of continuous gradient cathode material  coupled with high voltage electrolyte. We also disclose a new conformal coating strategy that eliminates spinel structural transition of NMC at high voltage.

In this talk, I will talk about a universal strategy to entirely eliminate cobalt and reduce Ni content in traditional stoichiometric layered cathodes (e.g. NMC, NCA, etc.) while preserving the high specific energy (>800 wh/kg), high charge rate (>180 mAh/g at 3C), moderate upper cutoff voltage (4.3 V vs. Li).  

This presentation will introduce an emerging low-cost alternative battery system (K-ion batteries) and discuss key structural factors determining K intercalation properties and performance. Then, the discussion will be expanded to understand how the synthesis process dictates material's structure and their K storage properties.

Many lithium-ion batteries use nickel and cobalt as redox-active elements. Reducing or eliminating the use of nickel and cobalt represents a grand challenge in developing low-cost and sustainable batteries. In this presentation, we will first discuss our recent progress in eliminating the use of cobalt in lithium-ion batteries. We investigate the electrochemical properties of cobalt-free layered cathodes in various platforms, from conventional polycrystalline materials to size-tailored single crystals. Then, we will highlight a new class of nickel- and cobalt-free cathode materials with dual transition metal redox. We will demonstrate how our battery research has been accelerated by synchrotron techniques.

Lithium/fluorinated graphite (Li/CFx) primary batteries show great promise for applications in a wide range of energy storage systems due to their high-energy density and low self-discharge rate. Multiscale investigations are performed on the precisely controlled CFx cathode to understand the discharge mechanism. The unveiled insights in turn guide the systematic design of this battery chemistry with superior electrochemical performances and beyond.

To transcend Li-ion batteries, interest exists in devices coupling an Mg metal anode and an oxide cathode. In this talk, I will discuss the most up-to-date insight into the ability of oxides to act as functional Mg cathodes in non-aqueous electrolytes, to enable the use of Mg metal anodes. The discussion will naturally lead us to reveal foundational bottlenecks and immediate questions that must be addressed to ever make Mg batteries a viable technology concept.

Multivalent metal anodes contain sufficient gravimetric and volumetric capacity to replace lithium-ion battery materials, but issues associated with anode utilization and reversibility persist. This talk will summarize a diversity of studies led by the Army Research Laboratory and linked by electrolyte engineering of cation solvation, with a primary goal of realizing energy-dense multivalent batteries.

The INL Advanced Electrolyte Model (AEM) has a molecular-scale chemical physics foundation that generates predictions spanning more than 100 property metrics per simulation. As such, AEM gives genomic-level information that supports fast holistic screening of electrolytes. Examples include transport terms (viscosity, diffusivity, conductivity, etc.), cation desolvation energy and kinetics (ligand-wise and net), thermodynamic equilibrium terms, surface tension, thermophysical properties (relative molal enthalpy, excess heat capacity, thermal conductivity), solution permittivity, and others. AEM covers broad ranges of salt concentration and temperature, enabling investigation of highly-concentrated electrolytes (HCEs) and localized HCEs (LHCEs). Case studies will show HCE candidates for fast-charge Li-ion batteries.

Complete solid-state lithium-ion batteries has attracted great attention due to their safety, high energy density and higher operating voltages. The interface of the between Li-metal to solid electrolyte and solid electrolyte to active cathode material is very important factor in getting desired performance. We are working on surface interface engineering and stabilizing battery materials such as Li-metal, solid electrolytes, and high voltage cathode materials via cost effective and salable precursor vapor phase processing method. Here will present latest encouraging results and learning that will be helpful for both battery research community as well as battery manufacturers.

Safety and durability concerns caused by surface and interface instabilities of high-surface-activity energy materials are challenging modern electrochemical energy storage systems. In order to stabilize the surface and interface of energy materials, some surface and interface (strain, gradient, defect, confinement, etc.) engineerings are under consideration. In this presentation, I will introduce a new strategy to resolve the interfacial instability issues of battery materials using alloying strategy. Comprehensive studies based on experimental, theoretical, spectroscopic, and microscopic approaches prove that high reversibility can be achieved by using the proposed alloyed anodes because of the significantly improved diffusion and suppressed dendrite growth.

ViPER (Vilas Pol’s Energy Research) laboratory at Purdue University, IN focuses research activities on the development and discovery of high-capacity electrode materials, enhanced low-temperature performance, battery recycling, quasi-solid state, and improved thermal safety. Recent advancements in high-performance quasi-solid-state safer lithium-ion batteries and electrolyte design for tailored electrode/electrolyte interfaces for ultralow (<-40 oC) temperature operations will be discussed.

To overcome intrinsic challenges linked to silicon (Si) and Si-containing anode materials for next-generation high energy density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), multi-functional additive-assisted in vitro pre-lithiation approach has been deployed, leading to the formation of pre-designed robust and controlled Solid Electrolyte Interphase (SEI) and thus improving the electrochemical performance (ca. long term cyclability, rate capability etc.) of Si and Si-containing anode in half- and full-cells (utilizing NMC cathode) configurations.

Our Next Energy is developing an “anode-free” range extender cell for its Gemini hybrid EV pack. With all lithium coming from the low-cost, low-nickel, and cobalt-free cathode, our cell doubles the range of electric vehicles, with >1,000 Wh/L at a cost of <$50/kWh at the cell level. In this talk, we will share our latest results, including performance and safety data from prototype 240 Ah, >1000 Wh/L prismatic can cells.