8. ADVANCED BATTERY ELECTRODE DEVELOPMENT

World energy consumption is projected to double within 50 years. Electrical energy storage is increasingly being recognized as an essential element in the grid of the future. Electrical energy storage can shave the peaks from a user or utility load profile, increase asset utilization by improving duty factor and delaying utility upgrades, decrease fossil fuel use for ancillary services, provide high levels of power quality, increase grid stability, and smooth the intermittent output of renewable energy sources. At present, utility usage of energy storage is primarily in the form of pumped hydro in the US: water is pumped to an upper reservoir during off peak hours and on weekends and then allowed to drain through turbines into a lower reservoir during peak hours, a basic peak-shaving application. Distributed energy storage near load centers can reduce congestion on both the distribution and transmission systems. Storage operating near an intermittent, renewable wind energy source can smooth out wind variability, lessen the slope on ramp rates, and, if of sufficient scale, can store off peak wind energy.

Batteries are beginning to be used in upgrade deferral applications. However, due to the high maintenance required and low cycle life for lead acid batteries, utilities are interested in finding alternate means of storing energy. The objective of this topic is to improve the performance and manufacturability of advanced utility-scale batteries, reduce their negative environmental effects, ameliorate safety concerns, and ensure the cost effectiveness of these large scale solutions to electrical energy storage. For the large systems associated with utility applications (several MWh or MW), a critical figure of merit is normalized cost (e.g. $/kWh, $/kW), which includes maintenance and life cycle costs as well as select environmental and safety characteristics, at least indirectly. For many battery chemistries, the active electrode materials can figure prominently into these considerations, not only from a raw materials cost and production standpoint but also from a materials performance perspective. Issues such as normalized equivalent weight and volume, improved electrochemical cycle life, and recycling opportunities, to name just a few, should be considered. With this perspective in mind, research efforts related to scalable chemical and electrochemical improvements to active electrode materials are sought. Grant applications are sought only in the following subtopics.

a. Novel Electrode Materials (Non-lithium Based Chemistries)—A variety of lithium-based battery chemistries have gained widespread and general acceptance for a number of reasons, including their low normalized equivalent weight and volume. Besides lithium, there are a number of other species that exhibit comparable normalized equivalent weight/volume (e.g. Al, Mg, etc.), provided that the fundamental chemical and electrochemical characteristics can be demonstrated. These characteristics include, for example, their electrochemical and structural reversibility (for secondary battery applications), stability, free energy of reaction (i.e., redox potential), safety, etc. Grant applications are sought to explore and develop novel non-lithium electrode materials (cathode, anode, or both), both conventional and nano-engineered, that have the potential to meet the long term needs for large-scale battery systems.

Questions: contact Imre Gyuk (imre.gyuk@hq.doe.gov)

b. Hydride Storage Material for Electrodes in Aqueous Alkaline Chemistries—Nickel-metal-hydride-based battery chemistry plays a significant role in the hybrid electric vehicle market, clearly demonstrating several key aspects of this battery chemistry for larger-scale application needs. Therefore, grant applications are sought to develop novel and/or improved hydride storage materials for electrodes in alkaline systems for large-scale battery applications. Fundamental materials properties desired for these electrode materials include high capacity, good reversibility, stability, electrochemical stability (resistance to oxidation), facile kinetics during both oxidation and reduction (charge and discharge), suitable free energy of reaction (redox potential), etc. As in subtopic a above, both conventional and nano-engineered materials are of interest. Approaches of interest should demonstrate improved performance compared to current state-of-the-art electrode materials (AB₂ and AB₅).

Questions: contact Imre Gyuk (imre.gyuk@hq.doe.gov)

References:

1. Che, G., et al., “Carbon Nanotubule Membranes and Possible Applications to Electrochemical Energy Storage and Production,” Nature, 393(6683): 346-347, May 1998.  (First paragraph and ordering information available at:  http://www.nature.com/index.html.  Search archives.) 

2. Yuan, Y. F., et al., “Size and Morphology Effects of Zno Anode Nanomaterials for Zn/Ni Secondary Batteries,” Nanotechnology 16(6): 803–808, June 2005.  (Abstract and ordering information available at:  http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/0957-4484/16/6/031.)

3. Improved performance of a metal hydride electrode for nickel/metal hydride batteries through copper-coating, Surface & coatings technology   ISSN 0257-8972   CODEN SCTEEJ , FENG F. (1) ; NORTHWOOD D. O. (1) http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=14660690

4.  Enhanced nickel hydroxide positive electrode materials for alkaline rechargeable electrochemical cells, Journal of Power Sources, Volume 67, Issues 1-2, July-August 1997, Page 343, R Ovshinsky Stanford, Michael Fetcenko, Cristia Fierro, Paul Gifford, Dennis Corrigan, Peter Benson, Franklin Martin

5. Ni/Al/Co-substituted α-Ni(OH)2 as electrode materials in the nickel metal hydride cell, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Volumes 330-332, 17 January 2002, Pages 802-805, C. Y. Wang, S. Zhong, D. H. Bradhurst, H. K. Liu, S. X. Dou