Periodic Reporting for period 1 - TRANS2DCHEM (Transition of 2D-chemistry based supercapacitor electrode material from proof of concept to applications)
Reporting period: 2022-09-01 to 2023-08-31
The world population is significantly increasing and its reliance on energy-based devices is higher than ever before. This leads to a continuous rise in global energy consumption. In addition, the ever-increasing demand for energy storage devices with improved performances and stability in securing safe operation of big data centers and networks for the "internet of things", transportation, grid storage, electronics in space applications and implanted medical devices is motivating the scientific community to develop new chemistries, compositions and morphologies of electrode materials in order to meet these challenges.
Currently, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, the most widely used electrochemical energy storage system of today, are still limited in terms of power densities and fire safety issues in many applications. Within the ERC-CoG 2D-CHEM and the subsequent ERC-PoC UP2DCHEM, the team of prof. Otyepka developed a nitrogen super-doped graphene electrode material (SC-GN3), with an unprecedented density. Supercapacitors (SC) made by SC-GN3 material can achieve up to 75 Wh/kg (200 Wh/L) energy density and show high-power density capability with potential up to 19 kW/kg (50 kW/L), twice higher than reference state of the art. Increasing the energy density of SC beyond 25Wh/kg will offer a paradigm shift in SC technologies allowing their wide application in electric vehicles and as support for batteries in power levelling and quick response devices for high power applications.
The TRANS2DCHEM project intends to take this important field beyond its state-of-the-art, via the exploitation of the previously unexplored properties of the material, imparting top-rated performance in the respective energy storage devices. The proposal will bring the technology readiness of the described energy storage devices to a level of 6, by validating their operation in industrially-relevant environment in coin, pouch and wound (cylindrical) cells.
Currently, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, the most widely used electrochemical energy storage system of today, are still limited in terms of power densities and fire safety issues in many applications. Within the ERC-CoG 2D-CHEM and the subsequent ERC-PoC UP2DCHEM, the team of prof. Otyepka developed a nitrogen super-doped graphene electrode material (SC-GN3), with an unprecedented density. Supercapacitors (SC) made by SC-GN3 material can achieve up to 75 Wh/kg (200 Wh/L) energy density and show high-power density capability with potential up to 19 kW/kg (50 kW/L), twice higher than reference state of the art. Increasing the energy density of SC beyond 25Wh/kg will offer a paradigm shift in SC technologies allowing their wide application in electric vehicles and as support for batteries in power levelling and quick response devices for high power applications.
The TRANS2DCHEM project intends to take this important field beyond its state-of-the-art, via the exploitation of the previously unexplored properties of the material, imparting top-rated performance in the respective energy storage devices. The proposal will bring the technology readiness of the described energy storage devices to a level of 6, by validating their operation in industrially-relevant environment in coin, pouch and wound (cylindrical) cells.
The work was focused on creating the project mission interconnecting the team members, exchange of know-how and establishing infrastructure to reach the goal of this project. Particularly we assessed materials compatibility to mitigate risks related to the creation of a new product and elaborated on industrialization of electrode material synthesis process. We initiated steps toward optimization of electrode preparation, electrolyte, pouch and wound cells assembly. Life Cycle Assessment has been initiated. During the first period all planed deliverables were successfully completed. No delays foreseen.
In the project framework, we develop an industrially compliant process of electrode material synthesis on a large scale which is currently under optimization. We identified the critical steps and operational checkpoints. Further research and testing are needed. Successfully developed large-scale production of such electrode material, would give us knowledge that can be used generally in designing synthesis upscale for other related 2D materials.
The wound element is almost ready, together with similar elements with standard industrial electrodes and standard industrial papers; this will allow to have a set of samples to monitor performance against laboratory scale. One of the topics was the connections that have to be made during the rolling of the wound element and not before electrode preparation. This caused an extra work to overcome the issue, which was successful and opened to electrode preparation line setup. A pipeline of suppliers for cost down against lab prices is installed. The assembly protocol for pouch cells was elaborated and several pouch cells have been assembled. Further optimization is planned.
A more detailed description of all results is described in Section B of the Technical Report.
The wound element is almost ready, together with similar elements with standard industrial electrodes and standard industrial papers; this will allow to have a set of samples to monitor performance against laboratory scale. One of the topics was the connections that have to be made during the rolling of the wound element and not before electrode preparation. This caused an extra work to overcome the issue, which was successful and opened to electrode preparation line setup. A pipeline of suppliers for cost down against lab prices is installed. The assembly protocol for pouch cells was elaborated and several pouch cells have been assembled. Further optimization is planned.
A more detailed description of all results is described in Section B of the Technical Report.