Novel Solid Electrolyte for Safe and High-Capacity Battery with Internal Thermal Management Capability

The proposed work is to develop a novel solid electrolyte (NSE) by harnessing superior self-assembly ability of a multi-segmented polymer and conformal polymer electrografting with desired molecules/functional groups of promoting fast ionic transport and/or formation of stabilized solid electrolyte interphase, to address the low ionic conductivity and mitigate the interfacial issues. This NSE along with the new fabrication process enables high ionic conductivity, minimizes/mitigates the interfacial impedances between NSE/Li metal anode and NSE/high capacity cathode, and enables Li metal safely cycling. In addition, this polymer has offered a reversible thermodynamic transition with no volume change, which can potentially be used as internal self-thermal management

Introducing the Novel Solid Electrolyte and the accompanying internal thermal management leads to a new generation of battery designs, no longer requiring external safety and thermal management accessories, and provides simplified system designs with significantly increased energy density.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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