SBIR-STTR Award

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Advanced Neutrally Buoyant Rechargeable Batteries Based on Ceramic Electrolyte Separators
Award last edited on: 3/7/2008

Sponsored Program
STTR
Awarding Agency
DOD : Navy
Total Award Amount
$819,414
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
N07-T022
Principal Investigator
John Watkins

Company Information

Ceramatec Inc (AKA: Advanced Ionic Technologies~Advanced Ceramic Research~Technology Holding Llc)

2425 South 900 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84119
   (801) 972-2455
   N/A
   www.ceramatec.com

Research Institution

Rutgers University

Phase I

Contract Number: N00014-07-M-0298
Start Date: 6/8/2007    Completed: 4/8/2008
Phase I year
2007
Phase I Amount
$69,746
A pressure tolerant, neutrally buoyant, high-energy density battery is proposed that utilizes a Li+ conducting, solid-electrolyte separator, LiSICON. The LiSICON ceramic is fabricated using state of the art tape casting methods which allows composite structures of porous and dense layers ~100mm thick. The layered structure increase mechanical strength and decrease interfacial and bulk resistances. The high-energy cathode material, amorphous MnO2 or nano-crystalline LiMn1/3Ni1/3Co1/3O2, allow a predicted energy density >400 Whr/kg for the overall battery. The use of a lightweight lithium metal anode results in a battery with an estimated specific gravity approaching 1. The pressure tolerant battery design allows the case to preferentially deform to compensate for increasing pressure and also accounts for the internal volume change during battery discharge. The solid electrolyte separator prevents lithium dendrites from shorting the battery during recharge significantly increasing the safety margin, inherent in alkali metal batteries.

Keywords:
Lithium, Lisicon, Battery, Cathode, Ceramic, Pressure Tolerant, Neutral Buoyant

Phase II

Contract Number: N00014-09-C-0621
Start Date: 8/25/2009    Completed: 6/16/2012
Phase II year
2009
Phase II Amount
$749,668
A battery is proposed that utilizes a Li+ conducting, solid-electrolyte separator, LiSICON, Li metal anode and high-capacity cathode. The LiSICON ceramic is fabricated using state of the art tape casting methods which allows composite structures of porous and dense layers ~100ƒÝm thick. The layered structure increase mechanical strength and decrease interfacial and bulk resistances. The high-energy cathode material, amorphous MnO2 or nano-crystalline LiMn1/3Ni1/3Co1/3O2, allow a predicted energy density >400 Whr/kg for the overall battery. The proposed Phase II effort expands on the successful demonstration of small-scale cells utilizing both cathode materials in Phase I. The Phase II Base objectives are improving cathode performance and lowering cost, fabricating and validating the pressure tolerant casing, selecting anodes, electrolytes and fabricating a thin LiSICON ceramic electrolyte separator.

Keywords:
Ceramic, Cathode, Lithium, Neutral Buoyant, Battery, Lisicon, Pressure Tolerant,