SBIR Phase I: SafeLi: Graphene monoxide anodes for extreme batteries

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project arises from bringing new materials to market for making improved rechargeable lithium ion batteries needed by the high-tech economy, medicine, and the military (batteries are the second largest military consumable). In today's world, everything, including medical devices (e.g., wireless implants and sensors), has an app; using apps requires batteries. This project will produce "Safer Energy for the Wireless World"; the resulting improved batteries will incorporate novel, lighter, and safer (no overheating) anode materials that will charge faster and store more energy than current versions. The new anode materials are estimated upon success to yield sales of $1B during the first 10 years from selling the materials to battery manufacturers to incorporate, initially, as composites in lithium ion battery anodes, and, later, as the entire active anode. Broader societal impacts include greater safety because the batteries do not overheat; lighter, more portable devices with longer battery life and faster recharging time; reduced need for backup batteries; and diverse STEM workforce development though applied research and entrepreneurship training. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop safer, more powerful ways to charge electronic devices by translating fundamental research from university to industry. The opportunity arises from an NSF-supported discovery of the first solid form of carbon monoxide known, a two-dimensional crystal structure: graphene monoxide (GmO). GmO and its first proposed application for anodes in lithium ion batteries are patented. Knowledge gaps to be addressed include identifying tailored materials for optimizing batteries for electronics, using theoretical and experimental approaches to identify the maximum energy storage capacity for lithium batteries, and determining the energy and power densities and safety properties under normal and extreme operating conditions. The technology must be demonstrated in 200-mAh pouch batteries, the first milestone needed for battery manufacturers to consider adopting the innovation through licensing or sales. The second milestone is to scale up materials to produce large quantities. The overall goal is to commercialize the GmO material into an active anode or additive material for extreme batteries. In sum, the project will yield prototype batteries made from the new materials, optimize properties for specific partner applications, simulate interactions between GmO and Li, and identify pathways for scaleup of materials production. 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.