NSF Award
2321405
Non-technical abstract:<br/><br/>The increased demand for renewable energy sources and associated energy storage technologies is forcing society to diversify battery chemistries. The relative scarcity and cost of lithium have resulted in increasing interest in rechargeable sodium-ion batteries. Unfortunately, the practical performance of sodium-ion batteries suffers from short cycle life due to interfacial instabilities on the electrodes. This project, jointly supported by the Solid State and Materials Chemistry program in NSF’s Division of Materials Research and the Electrochemical Systems program in the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems, aims to identify desirable properties of the artificial surface coatings for mitigating interfacial instabilities. Such knowledge provides guidance to improve the electrochemical performance of sodium-ion batteries by tuning interfacial properties of cathodes. Through collaborative research opportunities between U.S. and Israeli researchers, this project establishes the international cooperation model on sharing complementary resources, developing invaluable depth of perspective from diverse backgrounds, and accelerating joint progress to address global interests in energy technologies. The project not only fosters integration of research but also of educational activities, for example, through workshops, and research experiences for local high school students from underrepresented groups on the US side, and from various nationalities on the IL side. The outreach efforts are aimed at strengthening the pipeline of talent for material chemists and engineers for battery technologies.<br/><br/>Technical abstract:<br/><br/>This collaborative project, which is jointly supported by the Solid State and Materials Chemistry program in NSF’s Division of Materials Research and the Electrochemical Systems program in the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems, identifies key interfacial properties that induce mechano-chemical stability and establish material engineering strategies for optimizing redox reversibility for Na-ion storage. The principal investigators in the US and Israel investigate the coupling between the properties of artificial surface coatings and chemo-mechanical instabilities in Na-ion cathodes. Polyanionic-type cathodes and high entropy oxide cathodes are chosen as model cathode materials through three specific thrusts. The thrust develops Na-ion-conducting artificial surface coatings by atomic layer deposition and investigates their electro-chemical stability in the Na environment. The second thrust elucidates the role of surface coatings on the structural and interfacial instabilities of cathodes. With the last thrust, the researchers identify the impact of surface coatings on the rate capability of cathodes. Curvature interferometry, digital image correlation and online electrochemical mass spectroscopy techniques, supported by an analytical model, are utilized to probe in-operando dynamic changes in the Na-ion cathodes. The outcome of the project is expected to advance the concept of mechano-chemical stabilization of cathodes using an interfacial engineering approach.<br/><br/>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.
