High-Rate Long-Life Nanoparticle Secondary Li Battery

Large specific-capacity Li ion batteries are presently available in the market place but suffer from power fade, limited rate, low cycle-life, and limited temperature range. ITN's unique thin-film battery and electrochemistry expertise is ideal to develop high specific-capacity batteries with high rates (>20 C), large temperature ranges (-50 to 150°C), and long cycle-life (>5000 cycles). The key is to develop inexpensive manufacturing that substantially increases the specific capacity of ITN's current thin-film battery technology. In Phase I, ITN will demonstrate the feaibility of developing a high-rate, high-specific-capacity battery technology based on nanoparticales and nanostructures. This will include: 1) Characterizing the electrical properties of unique nanoparticle cathodes, innovative nanoporous self-supporting electrolytes and porous Li-based anode structures to demonstrate the substantial increase in Li diffusivity performance at various environmental conditions; 2) Identifing optimal active electrochemical battery components, current collectors and oxygen/water impervious protective layers; 3) Initial demonstration of all battery components in functional electrochemical stacks; and 4) Identification of manufacturable processing. In Phase II, ITN will build functional prototype batteries that have the high-specific-capacity, high-rate of charge/discharge, and long operating lifetimes needed for advanced military missions and commercial applications.