SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I effort focuses on development of novel metal-oxide-carbon nanocomposites for application in pseudocapacitive electrochemical supercapacitors. Specifically, nanocomposites based on manganese, titanium, tantalum and vanadium oxides will be incorporated, at the nanoscale level, with electrically conductive carbon supports. Our focus will be to combine the desired pseudocapacitive characteristics of metal oxides with high surface area and large electrical conductivity of carbon supports while achieving economical and scalable manufacturing. The proposed nanocomposite materials will be tested as electrode materials in aqueous and nonaqueous supercapacitors. The proposed project will be a joint effort on NanoScale Corporation and Battelle Memorial Institute. NanoScale's role in the effort will be to synthesize nanocomposite materials, characterize their physical and chemical properties, and to optimize them based on results of electrochemical testing carried out by Battelle. Battelle's role in the effort will be to take the metal oxides prepared by NanoScale and fabricate them into supercapacitor elements to be tested in half-cell and full-cell devices.NanoScale is uniquely qualified to carry out the proposed research due to its rich experience in development and scaled-up synthesis of nanosized materials, including materials for battery applications. NanoScale has worked previously on several projects related to battery technologies.

Potential NASA Commercial Applications:
(Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words) The top level requirements of NASA space applications demand highly efficient and highly reliable energy storage systems. Long cycle lifetime (100,000 cycles) and long calendar lifetime (years or decades) requirements favor supercapacitors over batteries in space systems. Existing supercapacitors based on carbons or ruthenium oxide offer low capacities or are prohibitively expensive. The proposed project will develop new materials that have high potential to provide superior capacities and be economical. This development will enable a new generation of supercapacitors for various NASA missions.

Potential NON-NASA Commercial Applications:
(Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words) Technologies that allow for storage of electrical energy are critically important for today's energy-intensive applications. Hybrid and electric cars, power conditioning or backup systems, and various portable electronic devices (cameras, camcorders, and power tools) all require high density storage of energy and high power delivery rates. Supercapacitors are expected to be widely used in these applications and provide the high power density and long lifetime capabilities that are out of reach for batteries. Unfortunately, existing carbon based supercapacitors are inefficient for these applications while the state of the art ruthenium oxide devices are prohibitively expensive. Nanocomposite materials that will be developed in this project will combine high capacities with low cost and will satisfy the demands of industrial and Customer applications. NanoScale and Battelle anticipate great commercial opportunities originating from the proposed project. NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.

Technology Taxonomy Mapping:
Energy Storage

This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase 2 effort focuses on development of a supercapacitor energy storage device based on novel metal oxide-carbon nanocomposites. In the Phase 1 project, NanoScale discovered a group of cathode nanocomposites with an exceptionally high capacitance of 270 F/g and a large potential window of 3.8 V versus metallic lithium in inorganic electrolytes. The combination of a large capacitance and a high achievable device voltage, allows for construction of hybrid supercapacitors with high energy and power densities and a very long lifetime. Importantly, the materials developed by NanoScale are easy to produce on a large industrial scale since no costly raw materials or manufacturing methods are required.In Phase 2, a complete supercapacitor system, including nanocomposite cathode and anode electrodes and nonaqueous low temperature electrolytes, will be tested and optimized. The proposed project will be a joint effort between NanoScale Corporation, Battelle Memorial Institute, the STTR partner, and Rayovac, a well known battery manufacturer. This team is uniquely qualified to carry out the proposed research due to its rich experience in manufacturing of nanoscale materials, supercapacitor development and large scale battery manufacturing. NanoScale and Battelle will jointly develop the proposed supercapacitor system. Rayovac will fabricate and evaluate prototype supercapacitors.

Potential NASA Commercial Applications:
(Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words) The top level requirements of NASA space applications demand highly efficient and highly reliable energy storage systems. Long cycle lifetime (100,000 cycles), long calendar lifetime (years or decades), and temperature performance, specifically -40 oC and below requirements favor supercapacitors over batteries in space systems. Existing supercapacitors based on carbons or ruthenium oxide offer low capacities or are prohibitively expensive. The proposed project will develop new materials that have high potential to provide superior capacities and be economical. This development will enable a new generation of supercapacitors for various NASA missions.



Potential NON-NASA Commercial Applications:
:
(Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words) Technologies that allow for storage of electrical energy are critically important for today's energy-intensive applications. Hybrid and electric cars, power conditioning or backup systems, and various portable electronic devices (cameras, camcorders, and power tools) all require high density storage of energy and high power delivery rates. Supercapacitors are expected to be widely used in these applications and provide the high power density and long lifetime capabilities that are out of reach for batteries. Unfortunately, existing carbon based supercapacitors are inefficient for these applications while the state of the art ruthenium oxide devices are prohibitively expensive. Nanocomposite materials that will be developed in this project will combine high capacities with low cost and will satisfy the demands of industrial and Customer applications. NanoScale and Battelle anticipate great commercial opportunities originating from the proposed project.

Technology Taxonomy Mapping:
(NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.) Ceramics Composites Energy Storage