SBIR Phase I: Nano-Aluminum Production for Lithium Ion Battery Electrodes

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop low-oxygen, nanometer-sized aluminum powders with a narrow particle size distribution to be employed in the anodes of lithium ion batteries. Specifically, this research addresses the need to process nanometer sized aluminum particles such that they do not spontaneously oxidize on contact with air or moisture so the particles may be handled in air. This project will examine ability of the Sodium Flame Encapsulation (SFE) process to produce a high-quality nanoscale aluminum powder. In addition the project will investigate a chemical processing strategy to deposit a thin protective oxide layer in order to protect the powder particle from catastrophic oxidation. Once the powder is manufactured, batteries will be fabricated and tested for performance. Commercially, the research will contribute to the development of products derived from the SFE process, initially limited to aluminum, but ultimately applicable to a wide range of nano-scale metals and ceramics. This research has the broader implication of bringing the SFE process for nanoparticles manufacture to commercial realization and it enables further discovery in the areas of materials processing for these new particles.