Collaborative Research: Engineering the Chemistry at Solid-Solid Interfaces of Li-O2 Battery Cathodes

合作研究：锂氧气电池正极固-固界面化学工程

• 批准号: 1935645
• 负责人: Jeffrey Greeley
• 金额: $ 25.29万
• 依托单位: Purdue University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1935645&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Engineering; Chemistry; Solid

Lithium-oxygen batteries potentially could have energy storage capacities that rival gasoline fuel, but there remains much fundamental scientific knowledge to learn about these batteries before the technology can be commercialized. In particular, some of the chemical products formed during the operation of the batteries can slowly degrade and poison the materials, leading to performance losses over extended periods of operation. This research project seeks to overcome these problems by exploring a class of inexpensive, mixed metal oxide electrocatalysts that may alter the chemistry of lithium-oxygen batteries. This project aims to develop a framework to engineer the chemistry of lithium-oxygen batteries, which are a potential next-generation energy storage device, and to improve their performance. The studies combine advanced characterization methods and theoretical calculations to determine how the properties of the oxide surfaces influence the products that are produced on lithium-oxygen electrodes. These insights will be leveraged to develop design principles that will aide in identifying oxide electrocatalysts that improve battery cell performance. The researchers involved in this project will partner with local K-12 schools to involve economically disadvantaged students with the proposed research through summer internships and student exchanges. They aim to inspire the students to pursue careers in science and engineering. A fundamental understanding of the reactions occurring at solid-solid interfaces is critical for the development of next-generation energy storage devices, such as lithium-oxygen batteries. Lithium-oxygen batteries have attracted significant interest in recent years due to their exceptionally high theoretical energy density. If even 15% of this energy density is achieved, then it would equal the value of gasoline, making lithium-oxygen batteries with driving ranges of up to 500 miles per charge commercially viable. While this technology is very attractive, numerous technical challenges need to be overcome before its widespread adoption is possible. Some of these challenges include: (i) insolubility of the solid discharge reaction products, leading to clogging of the cathode and eventually resulting battery cell death; (ii) low roundtrip (discharge-charge cycle) efficiency due to high charge overpotentials to dissociate the main discharge reaction product, lithium peroxide; and (iii) instability of electrolytes at high overpotentials. This research project seeks to alleviate these issues by designing solid-solid interfaces at the cathode of lithium-oxygen batteries that selectively stabilize lithium-deficient discharge products that are not insulating and can be dissociated at reasonable overpotentials. The researchers will apply a combined experimental and theoretical approach to study the chemistry at these solid-solid interfaces with the aim of designing materials that can selectivity tune the discharge product distribution such that it leads to improved battery performance. In particular, the work will involve a combination of advanced characterization studies and theoretical calculations to determine how the elemental composition, electronic properties, and symmetry of the oxide surface influence the discharge product distribution in lithium-oxygen cathodes. The studies will elucidate the effect of the global oxide crystal structure on the discharge product formation and lead to the development of design principles for identifying oxide electrocatalysts that are highly selective towards the formation of lithium-deficient oxide discharge products and therefore exhibit low charge overpotentials.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.

锂氧气电池可能具有可与汽油燃料相匹配的能源储能能力，但是在技术可以商业化之前，还有很多基本的科学知识可以了解这些电池。特别是，在电池运行过程中形成的某些化学产品会慢慢降解和毒害材料，从而导致长期运行的性能损失。该研究项目旨在通过探索一类廉价的混合金属氧化物电催化剂来克服这些问题，这些电催化剂可能会改变锂氧气电池的化学性质。该项目旨在开发一个框架来设计锂氧电池的化学反应，该电池是潜在的下一代储能设备，并提高其性能。研究结合了先进的表征方法和理论计算，以确定氧化物表面的性质如何影响锂氧电极上产生的产物。这些见解将被利用以制定设计原理，以帮助识别改善电池电池性能的氧化电催化剂。参与该项目的研究人员将与当地的K-12学校合作，通过暑期实习和学生交流使经济弱势的学生与拟议的研究。 他们的目的是激发学生从事科学和工程领域的职业。对在固体界面上发生的反应的基本了解对于下一代储能设备（例如锂氧电池）的开发至关重要。 锂氧气电池在近年来由于其异常高的理论能量密度引起了人们的兴趣。如果达到了这种能量密度的15％，则它将等于汽油的价值，使锂氧气电池可驾驶范围高达500英里，在市售中可行。尽管这项技术非常有吸引力，但在采用广泛采用之前，需要克服许多技术挑战。其中一些挑战包括：（i）实心排放反应产物的不溶性，导致阴极堵塞，并最终导致电池电池死亡； （ii）由于高电荷过电位而引起的低往返（放电 - 充电循环）效率，以解离主排放反应产物过氧化锂； （iii）在高电位上电解质的不稳定性。该研究项目旨在通过在锂 - 氧电池的阴极上设计固体界面来减轻这些问题，这些固定界面有选择地稳定不隔离的锂缺陷排放产品，并且可以在合理的超电势下解离。研究人员将采用合并的实验和理论方法来研究这些固体界面的化学反应，目的是设计可以选择性的材料调整排放产品的分布，从而导致电池的性能提高。特别是，这项工作将涉及高级表征研究和理论计算的组合，以确定氧化物表面的元素组成，电子特性和对称性如何影响锂氧气阴道中的排放产物分布。 该研究将阐明全球氧化物晶体结构对排放产物形成的影响，并导致设计原理的发展，以识别氧化物电催化剂，这些氧化物电催化剂对形成缺乏锂缺乏氧化物的氧化物排放产物的形成，并因此表现出低电位的负责人，这表现出了NSF的法定任务和综述的依据，这是通过评估的依据，并具有众多的影响力。