SBIR Phase I: Novel Anode Formulation for Improving Cycle Life of Lithium Metal Batteries

This SBIR Phase I project will develop key components of a next-generation lithium metal battery that greatly increases both energy density and safety compared to the best lithium-ion batteries. Such a technology has the potential to deliver significant societal value by improving the state-of-the-art in battery markets such as implantable medical devices, electrified flight, electric vehicles, and many others. In fact, improvements just in medical device batteries may cause a step-change improvement in device design and delivery of healthcare that could save tens of thousands of lives annually. This project will increase opportunities for US-based manufacturing and create jobs by leveraging existing domestic prototyping and manufacturing capabilities around the country. Once material and process costs come down with scale, this technology can also help to expedite mass-market adoption of electric vehicles, consumer electronics, wearables, and other portable devices. The proposed technology may eventually allow for the widespread adoption of sustainable electrified transportation, reduce US dependence on foreign oil, significantly reduce carbon emissions related to transportation, and build an edge for US-based battery R&D and manufacturing. The project addresses the key unmet challenge for next-generation battery chemistries based on lithium metal: highly reversible cycling (> 500 cycles with lithium plating efficiency > 99.7%) with high charging current density (> 1 mA/cm^2). The objective of the proposed R&D is to prove out a concept around novel metallic anode formulation that can enable unprecedented cycle life, lithium plating efficiency, and charging rate. Existing cell prototypes with pure lithium metal anodes have already demonstrated stable cycling and high specific energy at lower rates. However, inadequate lithium plating efficiency at high charging rates limits the cycle life that can be achieved in a commercial cell. Phase I research efforts will focus on two main objectives: (i) improve reversibility and efficiency of the metallic anode at high charge rates compared to pure lithium metal, and (ii) demonstrate the performance benefits in a coin cell with commercially attractive design parameters that delivers 500 cycles with minimal lithium loss at a high rate. The ultimate goal of the Phase I research is to develop a high-performance lab prototype, based on an optimized electrolyte and commercial cell components, that will provide proof of feasibility for rapid commercialization in the target market.