NEI CORPORATION PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A MIXED METAL OXIDE NANOCOMPOSITE CATHODE THAT IS DESIGNED FOR DELIVERI…

Public award description

NEI CORPORATION PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A MIXED METAL OXIDE NANOCOMPOSITE CATHODE THAT IS DESIGNED FOR DELIVERING HIGH ENERGY DENSITY WITH GOOD RATE PERFORMANCE AT LOW TEMPERATURES (T=0 C). THE TWO-FOLD INNOVATION IN THE PROPOSED EFFORT IS THE SIMULTANEOUS INTRINSIC (I.E. DEFECT CHEMISTRY) AND EXTRINSIC (ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE SURFACE COATING) MODIFICATION TO THE ACTIVE MATERIAL, WHICH ITSELF IS A COMPOSITE OF TWO LAYERED MATERIALS. THE PROPOSED INTRINSIC AND EXTRINSIC MODIFICATIONS ARE PROJECTED TO BENEFICIALLY IMPACT BOTH IONIC AND ELECTRONIC CONDUCTIVITIES OF THE CATHODE MATERIAL, AND THEREBY ENHANCE THE LI-ION CELL PERFORMANCE AT LOW OPERATING TEMPERATURES. THE TARGET SPECIFIC CAPACITY OF THE PROPOSED CATHODE IS MORE THAN 300 MAH/G WITH A NOMINAL WORKING VOLTAGE OF 3V, AND DELIVERING MORE THAN 900 WH/KG SPECIFIC ENERGY AT T=0 C. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PHASE I PROGRAM IS TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF A NEW HIGH CAPACITY AND HIGH VOLTAGE CATHODE MATERIAL FOR RECHARGEABLE LI-ION BATTERIES. IN PHASE II, THE COMPOSITION AND MORPHOLOGY OF THE POWDERS WILL BE OPTIMIZED, AND INTEGRATED INTO LARGE FORMAT PROTOTYPE LI-ION BATTERIES BY WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A BATTERY MANUFACTURER(S).