NSF Org:	TI Translational Impacts
Recipient:	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT RIVERSIDE
Initial Amendment Date:	June 18, 2018
Latest Amendment Date:	June 18, 2018
Award Number:	1840213
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Nancy Kamei TI  Translational Impacts TIP  Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships
Start Date:	July 1, 2018
End Date:	December 31, 2018 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$50,000.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$50,000.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2018 = $50,000.00
History of Investigator:	Lorenzo Mangolini (Principal Investigator) lmangolini@engr.ucr.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	University of California-Riverside 200 UNIVERSTY OFC BUILDING RIVERSIDE CA  US  92521-0001 (951)827-5535
Sponsor Congressional District:	39
Primary Place of Performance:	University of California-Riverside 900 University Avenue Riverside CA  US  92521-0001
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	39
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	MR5QC5FCAVH5
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s):	I-Corps
Primary Program Source:	01001819DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s):
Program Element Code(s):	802300
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.084

ABSTRACT

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is in the identification of the most effective strategy for the deployment of novel and improved materials for lithium-ion batteries. Our society is already experiencing the pressing need for better electrochemical energy storage technologies. These would be beneficial not only for consumer electronics devices and electric vehicles, but would also aid the transition towards renewable energy sources, bringing enormous benefits in terms of public health and reduced environmental hazards. The successful commercialization of more energy dense lithium-ion batteries represents a crucial and fundamental requirement for this vision to be realized. Unfortunately the graphite-based battery anode, while being the most widely utilized technology, is already approaching its theoretical limit. The technology at the center of this proposal overcomes the limitations of graphite while enabling a straightforward integration in the current battery production scheme. Participation in the I-Corps program will allow establishing the most effective pathway towards the commercialization of this new technology.

This I-Corps project is based on a novel material that increase the storage capacity of commercial lithium-ion batteries by roughly 30%. The compound, a silicon-graphite composite powder, displays a storage capacity six times higher (1800 mA g-1) than graphite (365 mA g-1), the current anode material of choice in commercial lithium ion batteries, and is produced with an innovative proprietary fabrication method suitable for large-scale production. The composite can be used as an additive to commercial lithium-ion batteries to partially or completely substitute graphite and boost the battery performance in terms of both gravimetric and volumetric energy density. Notably, the compound it is fully compatible with the current lithium-ion battery industrial production processes, allowing for a cost-effective introduction into the manufacturing process without additional capital investments. To enable the breakthrough of this concept into the market, the current efforts are focused on the customer discovery process through the I-Corps program with the goal of identifying an ideal first customer segment.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT

Disclaimer

This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.

The succesfull completion of the iCorps program has allowed us to gain a precious understanding of market needs in the electrochemical energy storage space. We have collected considerable feedback from battery-involved entities at all levels of the manufacturing chain, and we have completed a considerable number of interviews with potential customers. This information is fundamental to develop a go-to-market strategy.

 

Intellectual Merit

This I-Corps project is based on a novel material that increase the storage capacity of commercial lithium-ion batteries by roughly 30%. The compound,  is produced with an innovative proprietary fabrication method suitable for large-scale production. The composite can be used as an additive to commercial lithium-ion batteries to partially or completely substitute graphite and boost the battery performance in terms of both gravimetric and volumetric energy density. Notably, the compound it is fully compatible with the current lithium-ion battery industrial production processes, allowing for a cost-effective introduction into the manufacturing process without additional capital investments.

The customer discovery process through the I-Corps program has allowed us to identify the ideal first customer segment for our product. We will target the small vehicle segment since it is less sensitive to battery cost and more tolerant to new technologies. Validation of our product in this sector will allow us to then expand into large area segments such as portable electronics and electric vehicles.

 

Broader Impact

Our society is already experiencing the pressing need for better electrochemical energy storage technologies. These would be beneficial not only for consumer electronics devices and electric vehicles, but would also aid the transition towards renewable energy sources, bringing enormous benefits in terms of public health and reduced environmental hazards. The successful commercialization of more energy dense lithium-ion batteries represents a crucial and fundamental requirement for this vision to be realized. Unfortunately the graphite-based battery anode, while being the most widely utilized technology, is already approaching its theoretical limit. The technology at the center of this proposal overcomes the limitations of graphite while enabling a straightforward integration in the current battery production scheme.

Last Modified: 05/01/2019
Modified by: Lorenzo Mangolini

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