SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a nanostructured, lightweight material which, in addition to its high mechanical strength, can also be used to store electrical energy. Such materials can be produced in the form of large formable sheets, cylinders, or other three-dimensional shapes. A unique production process is used, based on a high speed layer-by-layer formation of nanometer-thick metal layers separated by nanometer-thick polymer layers, resulting in a structure with tens of thousands of layers. The nanometer separation of the metal layers prevents the propagation of dislocations, which results in metal/polymer nanolaminate composites with superior mechanical properties. Preliminary work has shown that aluminum/polymer nanolaminates have lower density and higher tensile strength than aluminum sheets of equal thickness. The same metal/polymer structure has previously been used to produce electrostatic capacitors, where the aluminum metal forms the capacitor electrodes and the polymer layers form the capacitor dielectric. Nanolaminate capacitors used in electronic applications can operate over a wide temperature range, have very high volumetric efficiency and are self-healing. The major objective of the proposed development is to combine the structural and capacitive storage properties into one material system. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project lies in applications that combine a need for lightweight structural materials with a need for energy storage. High-strength, lightweight polymer-metal multilayer nanocomposites with electrical energy storage properties could replace supercapacitors and structural components in hybrid and electric vehicles, commercial and military aircraft, various battery operated platforms, and mobile pulse power applications. Conventional electrochemical supercapacitors are battery-like devices that can be used to backup batteries due to their ability to undergo a large number of charge/discharge cycles with minimum degradation. Like batteries, they are subject to temperature limitations, require being located in a specific location within a vehicle, and can fail catastrophically (short-circuit). The structural nanolaminate storage devices to be developed can handle temperatures higher than most thermoplastic materials, are durable enough to be integrated into exterior or interior panels of a vehicle, have an open-circuit failure mode and are composed of low-cost materials. Such multifunctional structures are expected to play a major role in improving energy efficiency and reducing dependency on fossil fuels

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project addresses the development of a multifunctional solid-state nanolaminate composite, which may function as a structural material while storing energy in the form of a rechargeable super-capacitor. A unique production process is used, where liquid monomer and aluminum wire are introduced into a process chamber that converts them into a multilayer composite with thousands of polymer and aluminum layers. Applications include storage devices for battery back-up and inverter circuits used in transportation and high energy density capacitors for extreme thermo-mechanical environments, such as aircraft, photovoltaics and aerospace. The Phase I development work demonstrated the production of large area (10sq.ft.) energy storage material. The nanolaminate material has mechanical properties that are close to a hard polymer laminate and energy densities which are an order of magnitude higher than conventional electrostatic capacitors and similar to those of electrochemical super-capacitors, with superior performance at temperatures below -20C and above +65C. The Phase II effort includes development work to optimize certain manufacturing methods, optimization of the polymer dielectric, packaging development, creation of specification sheets based on short and long term life tests and sampling potential customers that represent immediate and long term business opportunities. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is in the utilization of a new multifunctional material that can store energy. Such material may be integrated into a structure and save space and weight. It is a green product that requires no water or solvents to produce, it is recyclable and it does not involve the use or disposal of hazardous materials. Nanolaminate energy storage products will be based on mainly two materials, aluminum wire and acrylate monomers, which are commonly used to produce protective coatings for flooring, printing, furniture, window films, etc. Lightweight energy storage nanolaminates can replace double layer electrochemical super-capacitors that have severe temperature limitations and conventional electrostatic capacitors, in applications where volume, weight and thermomechanical constraints such as vibration and operating temperature are limiting factors. Capacitors produced using nanolaminate composites, are solid-state components that can electrically self-heal and have an open-circuit, or fuse-like safe failure mode, which is desirable in applications such as electric vehicles and aircraft, where safety of people in the proximity of a capacitor bank is of paramount importance. Multifunctional materials are expected to play a key role in the future in improving energy efficiencies and reducing dependency on fossil fuels