The Electrochemistry Group at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) is carrying out innovative, cutting-edge medium- and long-term research to understand and solve performance and life limitations of next-generations batteries. The current program emphasis is on lithium-ion batteries, particularly focusing on electric vehicles (EV), hybrid-electric vehicles (HEV), and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV). Major aspects of our program include:
- New Electrode Materials. The identification of new electrode materials is critical to develop higher-energy and higher-power batteries. On the anode side, the thrust is to identify non-carbonaceous materials, such as silicon based compounds while for the cathode the current effort is on high voltage spinels and layered materials.
- Advanced Diagnostics Techniques. State-of-the-art analytical tools are used extensively to investigate life-limiting and performance-limiting processes in batteries. Powerful in situ and ex situ experiments are continuously developed to push the frontiers of our understanding of the battery components and their interactions over the life time of the device.
- Cell analysis. A thorough understanding of the cell architecture and individual constituents’ electrochemical interactions is required to design the battery, optimize all its components in order to maximize power, energy, capacity, and life time characteristics.
- Theory and modeling. First-principle calculations are used to predict and provide a detailed understanding of the interactions between bulk composition, surface structure, and fundamental material properties such as ionic and electronic transport phenomena. Further, sophisticated mathematical modeling is applied to support physical understanding to the very complex interactions of cell components.
It is noteworthy that, on behalf and by delegation of the DOE (Office of Vehicle Technologies), LBNL also manages its exploratory technology research called the Batteries for Advanced Transportation Technologies (BATT) Program which is the premier fundamental research program in the U.S. for developing high performance, rechargeable batteries for EVs and HEVs. Through this program, LBNL is monitoring and managing projects carried out in other National Labs, Universities, and Industry by some of the very best experts in the field in North America. In addition to the four major thrusts listed above, the BATT Program has also a vibrant activity in Electrolytes and Electrolyte Additives. Electrolytes hold an important key to the use of high voltage cathodes, and therefore to the development of high power and high energy devices.
While in recent years the major focus has been on lithium-ion chemistry, the Electrochemistry Group has also initiated projects in lithium-air batteries that have the potential of delivering very high energy densities. A very deep strategic reflection is currently underway and LBNL is forcefully engaging the Scientific Community to think about “beyond the lithium-ion” technologies and shape our future strategies.
Finally, capitalizing on its know-how in fuel cells, the Electrochemistry Group is leading an industry disruptive project in the area of flow batteries along with several industry partners. The objective of this ARPA-E funded project is to deliver a very low cost battery for grid-scale energy storage.
