SBIR-STTR Award

A significant number of Air Force systems rely on power provided by rechargeable batteries. As the capabilities of these systems increase, so does the demand for power. Batteries need to provide long-lasting, reliable, and mobile power to support the warfighter’s missions. However, reliable power to meet these needs has become a limiting factor in the adoption of emerging warfighter technology because today’s battery systems are vulnerable because of the electrolyte operating inside them. These organic electrolytes are 1) highly volatile, which causes them to evaporate rapidly even at low temperatures; 2) highly flammable, which causes them to vaporize and burn in air more easily and rapidly than gasoline; 3) are not thermally stable, causing them to decompose when heated – even if no fire occurs; and 4) have an extremely narrow electrical window of stability meaning they decompose when they are both highly charged AND nearly discharged, and which limits the ability to achieve higher energy density. New Dominion Enterprises (NDE) has the solution. Our inorganic electrolyte additive solves the battery reliability issues and several other key problems inherent in current battery systems. By replacing a percentage of the organic solvents with our inorganic additive we will significantly improve the durability, safety and energy density. This inorganic liquid additive material has been manufactured at pilot scale levels and the process has been documented and streamlined. However, before any commercial customer or the US Air Force can adopt this disruptive inorganic liquid scale-up feasibility and integrating the final quality assurance processes must be demonstrated. In Phase One, NDE, working with its pilot scale manufacturer, Marshallton Research Laboratories (King, NC), will prove the ability to integrate the QA/QC steps in the manufacturing process, enabling the transfer of this knowledge to full-scale producers.

There are an expanding number of Air Force systems reliant on power provided by rechargeable batteries. This includes tactical communications devices for which battery reliability, longevity (in terms of charge cycles) and safety are of great importance. While there are continuing efforts to achieve longer lasting, safer and more energy dense lithium-ion batteries with engineering solutions and new materials, none address the single greatest vulnerability in the lithium-ion battery, the conventional organic electrolytes. These organic electrolytes are: 1) highly volatile, which causes them to evaporate rapidly even at low temperatures; 2) highly flammable, which causes them to vaporize and burn in air more easily and rapidly than gasoline; 3) are not thermally stable, causing them to decompose when heated – even if no fire occurs; and 4) have an extremely narrow electrical window of stability meaning they decompose when they are both highly charged AND nearly discharged, and which limits the ability to achieve higher energy density. New Dominion’s inorganic liquids are: (1) thermally stable; (2) electrochemically stable; (3) non-toxic (4) readily transport lithium ions (and/or other ions); (5) and have been manufactured at pilot scale and have the potential to be manufactured at a large scale, at a reasonable cost point. Further, it has been demonstrated that cells incorporating NDE’s inorganic fluid enable use of higher energy electrodes leading to cells with increased energy density. Thus, NDE’s inorganic liquid is an ideal replacement for the organic carbonate electrolytes now used in lithium-ion batteries. During Phase One, NDE succeeded in streamliining the manufacturing process of its novel inorganic liquid material by enabling the QA/QC process to be performed at the site of the material synthesis. This is a critical accomplishment in the eventual scaling up of manufacturing to meet the demand for metric tons of this liquid when NDE succeeds in this Phase Two pilot program leading to a Phase Three commercialization expansion, along with anticipated commercial applications. The Phase Two pilot program will: 1. Perform compatibility evaluations of NDEs inorganic liquid additive with nano-silicon anode 18650 cells. A matrix of inorganic replacement levels and discharge rates will be evaluated. Subject to confirmation of compatibility of the novel inorganic electrolyte additive with these higher energy density 18650 cells; 2. Create 18650 cells incorporating NDEs inorganic liquid additive to produce a minimum of ten 2590 batteries, the power supplies for the intended L3Harris tactical radio for use by the USAF end-user, the Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) attached to the 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron (3rd ASOS). 3. Incorporate the special 18650s into the required batteries and test batteries prior to delivery to the end-user.. 4. Deliver the final batteries to the TACP of the 3rd ASOS for field testing.