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Completed TRL 2 (started at 2, targeting 3)
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have become ubiquitous in daily life but do not perform well at the low temperatures encountered in space and planetary exploration. This is a result of the relatively low capacity and poor diffusion within the graphite anode in LIBs, as well as electrolyte limitations. Much work has focused on replacing graphite with materials that alloy with lithium to achieve higher energy density. However, very little research has focused on understanding and developing high-capacity alloy anode materials specifically designed for low-temperature performance. My research aims to understand how alloy anodes perform and evolve in rechargeable lithium batteries at low temperatures. This work will provide fundamental insights into the relationship between temperature, morphology, and performance of alloy anodes, as well as a pathway towards using these materials in high-energy, low-temperature batteries. The specific research tasks include 1) investigating the diffusion and morphology changes and the overall electrochemical behavior of alloying anodes when cycled at low temperature, 2) using alloy materials to seed the deposition of lithium metal with high efficiency at low temperature, and 3) fabricating full cells that achieve high specific energy and energy density for over 200 cycles below -40 C. Scanning electron microscopy and cryogenic focused ion beam SEM will be performed on electrodes to understand how temperature and cycling impacts the morphology of both alloying anodes and alloy-seeded lithium metal anodes. Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy will reveal the formation and evolution of the solid electrolyte interphase at low temperatures. I will also quantify changes in diffusion and its effect on electrochemical performance at low temperature using the galvanostatic intermittent titration technique and galvanostatic cycling, respectively. This research will elucidate the relationships between temperature, morphology, and battery performance and will be an important step towards engineering high-energy batteries specifically designed for low-temperature space applications.
This research will elucidate the relationships between temperature, morphology, and battery performance and will be an important step towards engineering high-energy batteries specifically designed for low-temperature space applications.
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