Have lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) reached their technical limit? Shortcomings including high costs, inadequate energy densities, long recharge times, short cycle-life times and safety must be continually addressed. Marketwise, banking on LIB breakthroughs is the only option as they represent a multibillion-dollar industry. Thus, considerable research is being directed toward LIB improvement to meet ever-increasing energy demands.

A revolutionary paradigm is required to design new stable anode and cathode materials that provide electrochemical cells with high energy, high power, long lifetime and adequate safety at competitive manufacturing costs. Coordinated efforts in fundamental research and advanced engineering are needed to effectively combine new materials, electrode architectures and manufacturing technologies.

Final Agenda

Monday, March 21

7:00 am – 2:00 pm Tutorial Registration and Morning Coffee

8:00 am – 4:00 pm Pre-Conference Tutorials

2:30 - 6:30 Main Conference Registration

6:25 Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing

7:30 Close of Day

Tuesday, March 22

7:00 am Registration and Morning Coffee

8:00 Event Chairperson’s Opening Remarks

8:05 Battery Innovator Award

9:40 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing

ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS AND CHEMISTRIES

10:15 Organizer’s Opening Remarks

Mary Ann Brown, Executive Director, Conferences, Cambridge EnerTech

10:20 Chairperson’s Remarks

M. Stanley Whittingham, D.Phil., Director & Distinguished Professor, Chemistry and Materials, Binghamton University

10:25 Would Materials-Based Advancement in Magnesium Battery Make It Become a Contender?

Rana Mohtadi, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, Toyota

Driven by the need to access higher-energy densities beyond those offered by LIBs, rechargeable Mg batteries have been receiving increased interest. We have been pioneering the development of a new class of electrolytes based on a novel bottom-up design strategy that enabled overcoming several key challenges. We outline the current technology status while highlighting recent breakthroughs that offered a new turning point in magnesium battery R&D.

10:55 Energy Storage with Sodium-Ion Batteries

Chris Wright, D.Phil., Chairman, Faradion Ltd.

The non-aqueous sodium-ion battery has been demonstrated by Faradion to be capable of comparable performance to systems based on lithium-ion. The presentation covers recent cycling data from Faradion’s second-generation materials. In light of their performance and cost benefits, it also provides a perspective on those applications where sodium-ion chemistry is likely to be most competitive with other battery technologies.

11:25 FEATURED PRESENTATION: Beyond Lithium-Ion Batteries: Vision & Progress

George W. Crabtree, Ph.D., Director, Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR), Argonne National Laboratory & Distinguished Professor of Physics, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago

Beyond lithium-ion batteries with factors of five, better performance and lower cost are needed to transform transportation and the operation of the electricity grid. The prospects and progress toward achieving these aggressive goals will be assessed.

11:55 Session Break

12:05 pm Networking Luncheon (All Are Welcome)

1:35 Dessert Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing

ADVANCING LI-ION CHEMISTRIES

2:20 Chairperson’s Remarks

George W. Crabtree, Ph.D., Director, Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR), Argonne National Laboratory & Distinguished Professor of Physics, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago

2:25 FEATURED PRESENTATION: NECCES - Pushing the Frontiers of Li-Ion Batteries

M. Stanley Whittingham, D.Phil., Director & Distinguished Professor, Chemistry and Materials, Binghamton University

Li-ion batteries today achieve less than 25% of their theoretical energy densities. The goal of NECCES is through a fundamental understanding to determine the causes of this and to “close the gap” between theory and practice. Several model compounds are being studied, including NCA/NMC for the layered oxides, and VOPO4/Li2VOPO4 as a 2-Li high-energy system. Operando studies are key to understanding the reactions in real cells.

2:55 Talk Title to be Announced

Shmuel De-Leon, CEO, Shmuel De-Leon Energy, Ltd.

3:25 Innovations in Silicon-Dominant Anodes - Enevate's HD-Energy® Technology

Benjamin Park, Ph.D., Founder & CTO, Enevate Corporation

Enevate's HD-Energy® Technology allows for Li-ion cells with both high charge rates and high energy density, as well as other unique characteristics while still being sufficiently inexpensive and manufacturable. The novel technology includes silicon-dominant anodes (versus a silicon powder additive mixed into a graphite anode). Full-size cells and manufacturing processes have been developed for high volume commercial production and use in consumer devices. The special characteristics of the technology and test data will be presented.

3:55 Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing

4:30 Ternary Metal Fluorides as High-Energy Cathodes for Rechargeable Lithium Batteries

Feng Wang, Ph.D., Staff Scientist, Sustainable Energy Technologies, Brookhaven National Laboratory

Transition metal fluorides are promising high-capacity battery cathode for large-scale applications (i.e., electric vehicles), but issues related to low voltage, large hysteresis and limited cycling reversibility remain a major hurdle to their commercial application. Here we report on the novel ternary fluorides (Cu_yFe_1-yF₂) as cathodes with high-energy density and small hysteresis (via enabling Cu redox). The electrochemical reaction mechanisms in
Cu_yFe_1-yF₂, in comparison to that in binary fluorides, will be discussed.

5:00 Exploring Various Electrolytes in Silicon-Containing Lithium-Ion Batteries

Steve Trask, Engineering Assistant, Chemical Sciences & Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory

This talk discusses the evaluation of silicon-graphite composite electrodes, developed at Argonne, with layered-oxide positive electrodes in cells containing various electrolyte systems. These systems include those with LiPF₆ and LiFSI salts and electrolyte solvent additives, such as vinylene carbonate (VC) and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC). The full cell performance and degradation will be highlighted, along with complementary reference electrode testing that monitors electrode voltages and impedance changes, during cell aging.

5:30 Temperature Dependence of the Open Circuit Voltage Hysteresis Gap in Lithium-Iron-Phosphate Cells

Steven Miller, Ph.D., Mechanical Engineer, Energy Conversion R&D Branch, Machinery Research and Silencing Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWC-PLD)

Li-ion batteries exhibit open circuit voltage hysteresis, a phenomenon where the open circuit potential curve is higher during recharge than during discharge. Tests of different Li-ion chemistries show that the size of this hysteresis voltage gap depends not only on temperature, but also the state of health of the cell. We conclude that the size of the gap is largely governed by transport kinetics.

6:00 Networking Reception in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing

7:00 Close of Day

Wednesday, March 23

7:45 am Interactive Breakfast Breakout Discussion Groups

Participants choose a specific breakout discussion group to join. Each group has a moderator to ensure focused discussions around key issues within the topic. This format allows participants to meet potential collaborators, share examples from their work, vet ideas with peers, and be part of a group problem-solving endeavor. The discussions provide an informal exchange of ideas and are not meant to be a corporate or specific product discussion.

The Patent Landscape across the Battery Industry: Patent Acquisition, Enforcement, and Licensing Strategies

Moderator: Mark Backofen, Intellectual Property Attorney, Locke Lord LLP

• What is the current state of the patent landscape across the global rechargeable battery industry?
• What do the patent portfolios held by battery industry participants look like?
• What are recent patent acquisition trends and areas of focus?
• What strategies can you employ to license or assert your patents as an innovator?
• What strategies can you employ to defend yourself from the enforcement and licensing strategies of others?

Air Breathing Batteries, the New Revolution in Battery Technology?

Moderator: Philippe Stevens, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, R&D, Electricité de France (EDF)

• What are the advantages and limitations of metal-air batteries?
• What are the main hurdles to their development?
• What is their level of development? When can we expect them on the market?
• What applications are they best suited for?

Batteries: Where It Began and Where We Are Going

Moderator: Shep Wolsky, Ph.D., Founder, International Battery Seminar & Exhibit

History: Share behind-the-scene accounts of Li-ion research from those who were there
Future: Where is the industry headed?

We issue a special invitation to those who attended the first meetings of this long running seminar series. Where did you begin and where are you going now with your battery interests?

• Advanced lithium-ion
• Flow cells
• Thin films
• Air
• Solid
• New chemistries

Battery Management Systems

Moderator: James Kaschmitter, Chief Executive Officer, Polystor Energy Corporation

Silicon Anodes

Moderator: Dee Strand, Ph.D., CSO, Wildcat Discovery Technologies

Non-Woven Separators for Supercaps and Lithium Batteries

Moderator: Brian Morin, Ph.D., President, Dreamweaver International

How to Get Your Products Noticed by the Right People - Using Business Media Effectively

Moderator: Gerry Wolf, Publisher, Batteries and Energy Storage Technology (BEST) Magazine

Expanding Market Penetration and Developing New Battery Product Formats for Manufacture

Moderator: Joe Carcone, Vice President and General Manager, Power Glory Technologies

Fast Charge and High Discharge Rate Applications Enabled By LTO Anodes in Lithium-ion Cells

Moderator: Marc Juzkow, President, Iontensity

8:50 Session Break

9:00 Event Chairperson’s Opening Remarks

9:50 Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing

ADVANCED BATTERY MATERIALS

10:35 Chairperson’s Remarks

Michael A. Fetcenko, Managing Director, BASF Battery Materials – North America

10:40 FEATURED PRESENTATION: Reviving Lithium Metal Anodes with New Materials Design Strategies

Yi Cui, Ph.D., Associate Professor, David Filo and Jerry Yang Faculty Scholar, Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University

Lithium metal has the lowest potential and highest specific capacity as anodes, attractive for high-energy batteries. However, the lithium-metal dendrite formation and side chemical reactions are key challenges to address. Here I discuss our recent new materials design strategies to tackle these problems. These include: 1) inventing stable interfacial layers based on hollow carbon spheres, BN and graphene; 2) exploring synergistic effect of electrolyte additives and polysulfides for forming stable solid electrolyte interphase; and 3) new strategies to mitigate the infinite relative volume expansion of lithium plating.

11:00 Advances in Application of Carbon Nanotubes for High-Energy and High-Power Lithium-Ion Batteries

Eva Yan, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Cnano Technology Ltd.

Carbon nanotube (CNT)-based conductive additive can bring several significant improvements for lithium-ion batteries. It is increasingly adopted by Li-ion battery developers and manufacturers as the new-generation functional, conductive additive to improve performance, including high-voltage stability and lower cost for premium batteries. We present the latest study on the fundamental and practical factors which affect the effective usage of the various CNT products and the performance enhancement.

11:20 Exploitation of Carbon Nanostructures in Li-Ion Batteries: Perspectives from Science and Industry

Avetik R. Harutyunyan, Ph.D., Chief Scientist/Project Leader, Materials Science, Honda Research Institute USA Inc.

New carbon nanostructures aroused expectations of realizing high-energy density batteries with enhanced durability owing to their high surface-to-mass ratio, high electrical/thermal conductivities and mechanical properties. Despite these potentials there are fundamental scientific obstacles that hinder their broad applications. Feasibility of carbon nanostructures and their derivatives as Li-ion battery electrodes, main obstacles and their solutions will be discussed. Practical opportunities toward their industrial-scale applications will be presented as well.

11:40 Long Term Cycling Performance and Conductivity Enhancement Characteristics of Lac Knife Flake Graphite from Quebec, Canada

Joseph E. Doninger, Ph.D., MSc, Director, Manufacturing and Technology, Focus Graphite Inc.

Long Term Cycling tests were run on both uncoated and carbon coated Lac Knife spherical graphite in the anodes of CR2016 configured coin cells. Both the uncoated and coated SPG Lac Knife coin cells exhibited zero loss of capacity after 110 cycles. Tests run on two commercial grades of carbon coated SPG flake graphite exhibited capacity losses of 4% and 7% after 110 cycles.

11:55 Carbons for Mobile Energy applications – an Overview

Luigi Alzati, Market Leader Americas, IMERYS Graphite & Carbon

An overview of Carbon solutions for Batteries and Energy Storage is presented. Carbon material typology and its function will be discussed with reference to Alkaline Batteries, Lead Acid Batteries and Lithium Ion Batteries.

12:10 pm Session Break

12:20 Networking Luncheon (All Are Welcome)

1:50 Dessert Break in the Exhibit Hall with Poster Viewing

Advanced Battery Materials (Cont.)

2:45 Chairperson’s Remarks

David Heacock, Senior Vice President & Manager, SVA, Texas Instruments

2:50 Structure-Property Relationships of Ceramic-Coated Separators

Richard W. Pekala, Sc.D., Vice President, Research & Development, ENTEK Membranes LLC

Ceramic coatings on microporous, polyolefin films have gained wide attention because of the special properties that they impart to lithium-ion battery separators. Such technology was originally pioneered in the 1990s by companies interested in inkjet receptive coatings. In this presentation, we discuss the factors that impact the dimensional stability, wettability, air permeability and mechanical properties of ceramic-coated separators.

3:20 Unlocking the High Rate Capability of Lithium-Rich Layered Metal Oxide Cathode Materials for Li-Ion Batteries

K.M. Abraham, Ph.D., FRSC, Professor, Northeastern University Center for Renewable Energy Technology, Northeastern University

Poor rate capability and excessive capacity fade during cycling have limited the practical utility of lithium-rich layered metal oxides of the formula xLi₂MnO₃ · (1-x)LiMO₂, where M is a transition metal and 0 < x < 1. We report discoveries to overcome these limitations including: i) judicious modification of the crystal structure of the layered oxides through metal doping; ii) preparation of a material with open porous morphology and higher electronic conductivity via a new synthetic method; and iii) a layered electrode architecture utilizing multi-wall carbon nanotubes. Discharge capacities of 200, 250, and 300 mAh/g at C, C/4 and C/20 rates, respectively, and little capacity fade during long-term cycling will be reported for the new materials.

3:50 Session Break with Light Refreshments

BMS SESSION TO HONOR DAVE FREEMAN

4:00 Full Realization of Fast Charge and Cycle Life Potential for Any Battery

Yevgen Barsukov, Ph.D., TI Fellow & Head of Algorithm, Battery Management Systems, Texas Instruments

From the introduction of Li-ion battery, CC/CV charging was providing a compromise between charge time and cycle life. However, given the progress in development of gauge controlled charger, pioneered by Dave Freeman, this compromise is no longer necessary. Using in-system half-cell-level modeling we can achieve fastest possible charge while minimizing degradation. We are proposing an industry roadmap for constant anode potential (CAP) charging that gives theoretically minimal charge-time without Li-plating.

4:20 Online Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy in Lithium-Ion Battery Packs

Reinhold Koch, Research Associate, TUM CREATE Ltd.

Online impedance measurements performed by the battery management system would provide better data to adapt the battery and energy management and would increase the accuracy of rest-of-lifetime estimations. Cost can be reduced by using already existing components to generate the excitation current. In order to perform the measurement during operation, corrections have to be applied and measurement time reduced.

4:40 Deploying Model-Based Control for Optimum xEV Pack Performance

John Milios, Ph.M., CEO, Sendyne

Many complex applications rely on model-based control; so could energy storage. Transitioning from equivalent circuit representations to physics-based battery models could provide superior insight in critical battery processes and, if deployed properly in a BMS, could improve the performance, longevity and utilization of battery packs. This presentation introduces a novel method for utilizing virtually any physical battery model for pack design as well as for control onboard the BMS.

5:00 Session Break

5:05 Event Chairperson’s Introduction

5:45 Close of Main Conference

Next-Generation Battery Research

Battery Recycling

Lithium-ion Development & Commercialization

High-Performance Battery Manufacturing

Global Supply Chain for Battery Raw Materials

Battery Manufacturing Production

Advances in Automotive Battery Applications

Grid-Scale Energy Storage

Battery Power for Consumer Electronics

Battery Safety

Fast Charging & Infrastructure

Battery Engineering

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