85

*STTR Project:  A High Temperature (400 to 650ºC) Secondary Storage Battery Based on Liquid Sodium and Potassium Anodes—Materials and Systems Research, Inc., 5395 West 700 South, Salt Lake City, UT  84104-4403; 801-530-4987, www.msrihome.com 

Dr. Greg Tao, Principal Investigator, gtao@msrihome.com

Dr. Dinesh Shetty, Business Official, dshetty@msrihome.com

DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-06ER86280

Amount:  $99,794

Research Institution

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah 

This project will develop technolgy for integrating a high-temperature (400 to 700ºC), high-efficiency (greater than 90%) secondary battery with a 3 to 10 kW solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system.  The battery will be based on an alkali-metal-ion-conducting, highly refractory, beta alumina solid electrolyte (BASE) and a non corrosive metal salt.  The battery is expected not only to meet or exceed weight and cost targets but also to be superior to the sodium-sulfur battery – which currently has demonstrated over 5,000 charge-discharge cycles, with a lifetime in excess of 7 years and capacity as large as 8 MW.  In Phase I, high strength, tubular, and disc-shaped Na-BASE and K-BASE will be fabricated by a patented vapor phase process.  Electrochemical couples – with Na and K as the anodes, BASE as the electrolyte, and suitable metal salts as the cathodes – will be fabricated and electrochemically tested.  Using the most promising cathode, planar cells will be assembled into a stack, which will be subjected to several charge-discharge cycles.  The overall roundtrip efficiency will be measured.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee:   Commercial applications should include:  automotive transportation; uninterrupted power sources for the computer, information, and semiconductor industries; an SOFC-battery hybrid for residential use; and distributed power.