Facilitating Safer Quasi-solid State Li-ion Battery Prototypes at Purdue University
Abstract
Abstract: At Purdue University, Vilas Pol Energy Research (ViPER) group intends to build a facility to develop safer solid-state Li-ion batteries (LIB) at Purdue?s Advanced Manufacturing Center using a thoughtfully curated selection of high-quality synthesis, fabrication, and characterization equipment. The equipment will be specifically used to synthesize, fabricate, test, and scale up high ionic conductivity and safer composite solid-inorganic electrolyte (SIE)?solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) solid-state electrolytes (SSEs). The goal is to produce high-quality and dependable SSEs that can be used in LIB coin cells and larger format cells to demonstrate their usefulness in developing safer and high-energy density LIB technologies for the DoD?s initiative. We will achieve this through precisely controlled synthesis, fabrication, and characterization with the proposed equipment/instruments that would capitalize upon our preliminary successes for composite SIE-SPE SSEs detailed herein. Purdue?s ViPER team has made significant strides in multiple NEPTUNE and DURA projects. We also have collaborations with the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane Division, Philadelphia Division and Naval Post-graduate School (NPS), supporting the Office of Naval Research?s (ONR) aim to achieve safer, high-energy density and reliable LIBs that provide energy storage security through prevention, detection, and control of LIB failure and thermal runaway events. With the DURIP funding, the team plans to acquire state-of-the-art equipment to establish a facility in the new Purdue facility at 2550 Advanced Manufacturing Center to advance composite SIESPE SSEs with thermal safety, high reliability and reproducibility, which are crucial considerations in the development of safer LIBs for US defense systems and platforms. The useful life of the equipment will continue through the next decade, which represents a critical period in the rapidly developing field of energy storage technologies for the United States. Specifically, the instruments will be used as follows: 1) The high-quality synthesis equipment will enable expanding variation of composite SIE-SPE SSEs with other types of SIEs such as other oxidebased, sulfide-based, and chloride-based SIEs that can produce more optimized and advanced SSEs; 2) The SSEs and SSB fabrication equipment will create a dedicated facility which ensures an inert or vacuum atmosphere free of contamination during the whole production process. Prevention of impurities, unwanted side reactions, and inconsistency in microstructure between samples is of paramount importance to quality control of SSEs; and 3) The thermal, mechanical, and electrochemical characterization equipment will provide more accurate and reproducible results that are important to understand performance and properties of SSEs and phenomena in SSBs. Characterization results from the high-end instruments will guide the development of optimized and advanced hybrid SSEs for safer fire-proof, bulletproof LIB. Moreover, this project will provide opportunities to educate students and veterans through LIB research and development, which is crucial to DoD missions. The research conducted by DoD scientists and engineers will be leveraged to prepare the next generation Navy, DoD, DoE, and NASA workforce by educating and training students from ROTC, as well as active and retired military personnel (veterans, USMC Cadets, USAFA Cadets, USNA Midshipmen) with laboratory and internship opportunities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 23, 2023
- Source ID
- W911NF2310350
Entities
People
- Vilas G Pol
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Purdue University
- United States Army