Conducting Polymer Coated Cathode Nanoparticles for Improved Battery Performance

导电聚合物涂覆的阴极纳米粒子可提高电池性能

• 批准号: 1950964
• 负责人: Kenneth Lau
• 金额: $ 31.81万
• 依托单位: Drexel 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: 2020-03-01 至 2022-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1950964&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Conducting; Polymer; Coated; Cathode; Nanoparticles

This grant supports research to enhance lithium ion battery performance and longevity through research on a unique manufacturing process that generates new scientific knowledge. Currently, lithium ion battery electrode materials are prone to degrade when the battery is repeatedly used and recharged. Specifically, cathode materials degrade in the highly energetic, corrosive battery environment. To overcome these challenges and to make the cathode materials more stable, a novel manufacturing process is used to wrap a protective conducting polymer layer around the nanoparticles that make up the cathode. This process creates an extremely thin film that helps keep the underlying cathode nanoparticles active. The electrically conducting polymer maintains a well-connected battery circuit and provides a physically dense and chemically stable barrier for maximum protection. This project studies the oxidative chemical vapor deposition process to manufacture protected cathode materials for more stable, high performance batteries. The ability to coat miniscule parts and components with ultrathin conducting polymers impacts broader energy technology areas such as solar cells, fuel cells and supercapacitors, which creates a more sustainable U.S. energy economy. Furthermore, this coating technology enables applications in sensors, electronics, smart textiles, biomedical and aerospace industries that makes U.S. manufacturing more competitive. This research involves disciplines of manufacturing, materials science, electrochemistry and nanotechnology that attracts broad participation, particularly from underrepresented groups and women, and helps equip the future U.S. workforce with cutting-edge science and value-added skill-sets.The oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD) process is a solvent-free thin film coating technique that directly polymerizes the monomer vapor into a solid intrinsically conducting polymer (ICP) film through the use of an oxidant vapor. Being liquid-free, it overcomes conventional solvent processing problems of encapsulating conducting polymer coatings around cathode nanoparticles. Conducting polymers are often not very soluble so they are not amenable to solution processing. Furthermore, liquid methods are often less precise, which makes it difficult to produce ultrathin, nanoscale coatings. The dry oCVD process shows promise in overcoming these manufacturing barriers. However, this technology is relatively new, and this research fills the knowledge gap by identifying the key processing factors and mechanisms for achieving conformal, fully encapsulating ICP coatings around particle substrates. The research further understands the precise role of the coatings in stabilizing cathode materials and enhancing battery performance. The research team conducts a comprehensive experimental analysis from materials fabrication to device testing to understand the relevant processing-structure-property relationships for achieving maximum cathode protection and superior battery performance.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.

该赠款支持研究，以通过对产生新科学知识的独特制造过程进行研究来增强锂离子电池的性能和寿命。当前，当电池反复使用和充电时，锂离子电池电极材料容易降解。具体而言，在高能性，腐蚀性的电池环境中，阴极材料降解。为了克服这些挑战并使阴极材料更稳定，使用新颖的制造工艺来包裹构成阴极的纳米颗粒周围的保护性导电层。这个过程产生了非常薄的膜，有助于保持下面的阴极纳米颗粒活跃。电动导电聚合物保持连接良好的电池电路，并提供了物理密集且化学稳定的障碍物，以最大程度地保护。该项目研究了制造受保护的阴极材料的氧化化学蒸气沉积过程，以实现更稳定的高性能电池。用超薄的导电聚合物涂装微小零件和组件的能力会影响更广泛的能源技术领域，例如太阳能电池，燃料电池和超级电容器，从而创造了更可持续的美国能源经济。此外，这种涂料技术可以在传感器，电子，智能纺织品，生物医学和航空航天行业中进行应用，使美国制造业更具竞争力。这项研究涉及制造，材料科学，电化学和纳米技术的学科，吸引了广泛的参与，特别是来自代表性不足的群体和妇女，并有助于为未来的美国劳动力配备尖端的科学和增值技能。 （OCVD）过程是一种无溶剂薄膜涂料技术，可通过使用氧化剂蒸气直接将单体蒸气聚合到固有导电聚合物（ICP）膜中。它是无液体的，它克服了封装阴极纳米颗粒周围的聚合物涂层的传统溶剂加工问题。传导聚合物通常不是很溶，因此它们不适合溶液处理。此外，液体方法通常不那么精确，这使得很难生产超薄的纳米级涂料。干燥的OCVD过程显示了克服这些制造障碍的希望。但是，这项技术是相对较新的，这项研究通过识别关键处理因素和机制来填补知识差距，以实现保形，完全封装粒子基板周围的ICP涂层。该研究进一步了解了涂料在稳定阴极材料并增强电池性能中的确切作用。研究团队进行了从材料制造到设备测试的全面实验分析，以了解相关的处理结构 - 实用关系关系，以实现最大的阴极保护和出色的电池性能。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过使用评估的支持。基金会的智力优点和更广泛的影响审查标准。