Li-ion batteries (LIBs) with a specific energy of <300 Wh/kg have been mainly used as power sources for current EVs, but the energy density of the state-of-the-art LIB will reach its theoretical limit soon due to the inherent limitations of Li-ion insertion battery chemistries. To support the creation of a Highly Electrified Platform (HEP), therefore, there is a need for new energy storage technologies. Among alternative new electrode materials, Li metal has been widely recognized as the ideal anode material because it has an ultrahigh theoretical specific capacity and very low redox potential. It is expected that the battery energy density of the Li-metal battery could be over 400 Wh/kg even as the current commercial cathode is used. Unfortunately, the use of lithium metal has been limited due to the dendrite formation, huge volume change, and low coulombic efficiency. In this Phase I proposal, TalosTech LLC proposes to develop an advanced high energy Li-metal battery based on an innovative 3D porous dendrite-free lithium metal anode and a novel, super high-loading cathode with a novel roll-to-roll battery manufacturing process. At the end of Phase I, we will demonstrate 200-mAh pouch cells with high energy density of >430 Wh/kg, high power (2000 W/kg), good cyclability (capacity retention >95% after 1000 cycles), low self-discharge rate (<5% per month), high safety, and good thermal stability (-25 to 85oC).
