BATTERIESFOR ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGIES
The Batteries for Advanced Transportation Technologies (BATT) Program issupported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of VehicleTechnologies to help develop high-performance rechargeable batteries foruse in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs). The work iscarried out by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and several other organizations, and isorganized into six separate research tasks.
Background and Program Focus
The BATT Program addresses the fundamental problems of chemical andmechanical instabilities that have impeded the development of EV, HEV, and FCEVbatteries with acceptable costs, lifetimes, and safety. The aim is to identifyand better understand cell performance and lifetime limitations beforeinitiating battery scale-up and development activities. Emphasis is placed onthe synthesis of components into battery cells with determination of failuremodes, while maintaining strengths in materials synthesis and evaluation,advanced diagnostics, and improved electrochemical model development. Theselected battery chemistries are monitored continuously with timelysubstitution of more-promising components or modifications thereof, asappropriate. This is done with advice from within the BATT Program and fromoutside experts, including consultation with automotive companies and DOE. Alsofactored into the BATT Program decision-making process is the continuousmonitoring of world-wide battery R&D activities, including assessmentscarried out by others. This strategy constitutes a systematic screening ofbattery chemistries/designs that not only has a built-in methodology forreselection but also provides a clear focus for the development of newmaterials
Task Descriptions
The six primary BATT Program task areas are: (1) Cell Development, (2) Anodes,(3) Electrolytes, (4) Cathodes, (5) Diagnostics, and (6) Modeling. Task 1comprises cell fabrication, testing and characterization , Tasks 2-4 are aimedat identifying new materials, and Tasks 5-6 support all BATT Program work.Brief summary descriptions of each task follow.
1. The Cell Development task focuses on three"baseline" low-cost rechargeable lithium cell chemistries:
(a) Gr/LiPF6+EC:DEC/LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2,which is particularly suited for high-energy applications.
(b) Gr/LiPF6+EC:DEC/LiFePO4, which can be designed foreither high-energy or high-power applicaitons.
(c) Gr/LiBOB+gamma-BL:EA/LiMn2O4, which isparticularly suited for high-power applications.
A web page provides links to BATT cell test data.
2. Anodes The goals of this task are to carry out exploratoryresearch on non-carbonaceous anode materials. Present-day Li-ion batteriesemploy various forms of carbon as their anode materials, and these batteriessuffer from safety, cycle life, and storage-life problems. Therefore, this taskis focused on non-carbonaceous anodes as possible alternatives. Low-cost metalalloys and oxides with acceptable capacity, rate, cyclability, and calendarlife are under investigation.
3. Electrolytes BATT Program polymer electrolyte research isfocused on designing and developing new electrolytes, understanding polymerelectrolyte performance characteristics by detailed studies of electrolyteproperties, and characterization of interactions at electrode/electrolyteinterfaces.
4. Cathodes The identification and development of novelcathodes are critical because of the fundamental cost and environmentallimitations of CoO2 and VOx materials used in present-dayrechargeable Li batteries. An important goal of this effort is to develop ahigh-rate and stable Mn-based cathode. Although Mn is a low-cost constituent,Mn-based cathodes tend to lose capacity at unacceptable rates. Research isdirected at understanding the reasons for the capacity fade and developingmethods to stabilize this material, as well as the evaluation of novel forms ofMn-based cathodes.
5. Diagnostics Advanced diagnostics are essential toinvestigate life-limiting and performance-limiting processes in batteries.Powerful analytic methods are used to characterize materials and cellcomponents provided by the four BATT Program areas listed above, and BATTProgram diagnostic investigators employ post-test analyses and advancedspectroscopic and microscopic techniques for investigating the morphology,structure, and composition changes of electrode materials that accompany cellcycling.
6. Modeling. Sophisticated mathematical modeling is required tosupport BATT Program Tasks 1-5. This effort brings physical understanding tocomplex interactions through the development of comprehensive phenomenologicalmodels.
Quarterly Reports
Click here for theBATT Program quarterly reports.
OVT Annual Review
The BATT Program was reviewed as part of the OVT Annual Merit Review on February 27 and 28, 2008. Click here for the presentations.
Recent Annual Reports
Download as pdf files from the DOE OVT InformationResources page. BATT Program research activities are included in the Energy Storage Research and Development annualprogress reports.
Request for Proposal"Synthesis and characterization of novel electrolytes and additives for use inhigh-energy lithium-ion batteries"
BATT has recently issued a letter of inquiry and a requestfor a white paper for ideas in developing novel electrolytes and additives. Click here for a link to the request andtechnical scope of work. Deadline for submission of the one pagewhite paper is December 7, 2007.
BATT Program Inquiries
Contact Venkat Srinivasan forfurther information about the BATT Program. Proposals to carry outfundamental, focused research that directly addresses BATT Program goals arewelcome. However, you are strongly encouraged to contact BATT Programmanagement to discuss funding availability and specific BATT Program needsbefore submitting a proposal. Also, from time to time the BATT Programissues formal Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to solicit research on specifictopics, and details about these RFPs will appear on this page.
A weekly BATT Program seminaris held at LBNL.
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