NSF Award
0419682
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses the key technical challenge for realizing the substantial improvements in high storage capacity, high charge-discharge rates promised by the next generation of nanomaterial-based lithium-ion electrodes in supercapacitor configurations. The innovative approach proposed uses mono-disperse nano-sized particles of lithium titanate spinel (anode), individually coated with a structured carbon overlayer, and compacted into appropriate structures for performance testing in a thin-film hybrid superconductor prototype. The proposed design should provide dramatically enhanced access to lithium ion and electrical connectivity involving the entire assembly of nanomaterials. <br/><br/>Industry estimates the value of the primary battery markets over $13 billion, secondary battery markets for electronics applications , toys and games, and telephones around $2 billion; while NiMH cell sales are slowly falling ($1.5 billion), lithium-ion cells are holding steady at $2 billion. Success here will provide a breakthrough in performance for cost effective electrode materials that will stimulate significant growth in the commercial lithium-ion power device markets.
