Wednesday, 4 October 2017: 15:10
Maryland A (Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center)
Energy storage is critical for modern computation and communication, grid modernization and electrification of transportation infrastructure. Developing high energy and low cost batteries with improved safety is a high priority. Among many options, redox flow batteries are scalable for large scale applications, and advanced lithium batteries, Li metal anode coupled with high Ni NMC, and Li-S systems, have the potential to reach an energy density higher than what is available in today’s Li-ion batteries. However, these next generation energy systems need to push the limits of the materials properties, and the materials and components need to be optimized on the cell level to allow high efficiency utilization of the active materials (high utilization). Several common challenges will be addressed including: (1) enabling high efficiency utilization of Li metal, (2) increasing active materials loading, reducing parasite mass and inactive components, (3) controlling fundamental electrochemical reaction mechanisms, (4) increasing the stability window, and (5) reducing undesirable interfacial reactions and cross contamination from the cathode to the anode. Under high utilization conditions, the fundamental failure mechanisms may also differ from the experimental conditions widely studied in the literature. Potential approaches to overcome the barriers will be discussed.