SBIR Phase I: Enabling Better Grid-Scale Energy Storage with Organic Additives

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project will be to develop a more economical, scalable and sustainable type of battery for the renewable power grid. As wind and solar power generation become more common, economical energy storage is needed to supply power in the absence of wind or sun. Older battery technologies, such as lithium ion and lead acid batteries, pose challenges with supply, safety, longevity, and sustainability. This project will produce new chemical components to enable new grid-scale batteries based on safe, abundant, and recyclable zinc metal. The proposed batteries will last longer and run more efficiently to lower energy prices, reduce end-of-life costs, and accelerate the use of renewable energy. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to produce chemical additives to improve the lifetime and efficiency of zinc-bromine batteries. These batteries pose challenges through unwanted side reactions occurring during battery charging. This project will develop new additives to prevent uneven zinc deposition and gas formation without sacrificing performance or adding significant cost. The research objectives include modification of currently available chemicals to achieve the desired performance, as well as to develop a suite of design principles for further improvements to battery additives. The proposed work is to validate the materials for long-term stability in harsh battery electrolytes and validate performance in suitable battery conditions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.