Bio-sourced Alternatives for Lithium-Silicon Anodes

Purpose and goal:

To achieve sustainable next-generation Li-ion batteries, this project will develop a fully bio-based anode with the mesoporous Si derived from barley husks and quasi-solid-state electrolyte containing a poly(ionic liquid) scaffold, bio-based fillers, and ionic liquid additives. The technology will achieve TRL 4 by the end, where the developed anode and electrolytes will be combined with an environmentally friendly cathode to create a lab-scale pouch cell prototype.

Expected results and effects:

The developed battery is expected to have comparable performance compared to the state-of-the-art, but with significantly lower cost and carbon footprint as well as the potential for recyclability. The project contributes to a sustainable and zero carbon emission economy, as well as the tremendous materials consumption decrease and the effective utilization of bio-based materials, achieving resource efficiency and promoting eco- and recycle-economies.

Approach and implementation:

The project will span over three years. The research work includes electrolytes development on: (1) solid-state composite electrolytes with bio-fillers; (2) bio-poly(ionic liquid)-based composite electrolytes; and (3) in-situ constructing the integrated Si anode and solid-state electrolyte. Meanwhile, it is to (1) compare the bio-Si to commercial and mine-tailings based Si alternatives, (2) study the scalability of methods, and (3) develop a lab-scale prototype pouch cell.