Abstract:
The need for higher capacity clean, portable, wearable energy storage devices has enormously incremented in recent decades. Additional functionality and thus, enhanced energy consumption characterizes the development of new portable devices. Likewise, higher driving ranges are needed for wider adaptability of electrical vehicles. Whereas evolutionary improvements in energy density can be anticipated in Li-ion technology, the most advanced battery device currently in the market, its chemistry limits the attainable capacity in such devices. Alternative lithium-air battery systems provide a theoretical energy density rivaling that of liquid fuels.
There remains, however, significant technical challenges to be solved for the realization of safe, fully recyclable, high-energy capacity Li-Air batteries. These include the reactivity of high capacity Li metal anodes, the propensity when employing said anodes for incremental dendrite formation. In addition, during cycling of rechargeable lithium-ion cells, lithium can buildup in the electrolyte, resulting in thermal runoff, rapid discharge, ultimately failure of the cell. Engineering an electrolyte to better interface with lithium metal and easily cycle lithium ions, is essential for making energy storage systems such as lithium-air a reality. In this presentation I will discuss our efforts in the development of solid-state electrolytes that will provide solutions to these problems.
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