NSF Org:	OIA OIA-Office of Integrative Activities
Recipient:	UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO
Initial Amendment Date:	December 19, 2022
Latest Amendment Date:	December 19, 2022
Award Number:	2229305
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Pinhas Ben-Tzvi pbentzvi@nsf.gov  (703)292-8246 OIA  OIA-Office of Integrative Activities O/D  Office Of The Director
Start Date:	February 1, 2023
End Date:	January 31, 2026 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$202,433.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$202,433.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2023 = $202,433.00
History of Investigator:	Shuya Wei (Principal Investigator) swei@unm.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	University of New Mexico 1 UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO ALBUQUERQUE NM  US  87131-0001 (505)277-4186
Sponsor Congressional District:	01
Primary Place of Performance:	University of New Mexico 1700 LOMAS BLVD NE STE 2200 ALBUQUERQUE NM  US  87106-3837
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	01
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	F6XLTRUQJEN4
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s):	EPSCoR RII: EPSCoR Research Fe
Primary Program Source:	01002324DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s):	9150
Program Element Code(s):	196Y00
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.083

ABSTRACT

High-energy and cost-effective electrical energy storage technologies are in great demand in sectors ranging from portable devices to transportation. Rechargeable lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries offers great promise for reversibly storing large amounts of electrical energy at moderate cost. However, Li-S batteries belie multiple challenges stemming from the complicated solution phase reaction of sulfur and poor transport of electrons and ions across the interfaces of the battery, resulting in a low capacity and poor cycle life. The main objective of this project is to develop composite solid electrolytes to realize all-solid-state Li-S batteries with high capacity and long lifetime. The project will study the science that governs the stability of electrode-electrolyte interfaces in all-solid-state Li-S batteries. By patterning with researchers from Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the PI will develop the capability to study ion transport across multiple interfaces in the solid-state Li-S battery in a more realistic pouch cell configuration by using the state-of-art operando spectroscopies. It is expected that the collaboration resulting from this fellowship will foster engagement of students at the University of New Mexico (UNM) with those at INL and expand and strength the research capability in electrochemical energy storage and conversion in the jurisdiction.

This Research Infrastructure Improvement Track-4 EPSCoR Research Fellows (RII Track-4) project would provide a fellowship to an Assistant Professor and training for a graduate student at the University of New Mexico (UNM). Li-S batteries provide an attractive high theoretical energy density that is ten times higher than that of Li-ion batteries. However, polysulfide dissolution and resulting shuttling reaction of sulfur species in liquid electrolytes hinder the practical application of this cell chemistry. Solid-state electrolytes are needed to control the sluggish reactions in Li-S batteries, but they tend to create high interfacial resistance at the electrode-electrolyte interfaces, limiting the capacity and cycle life of the batteries. This project will systematically investigate the interfacial stability of both cathode and anode electrolyte interfaces in all-solid-state Li-S batteries with the composite electrolytes. Composite electrolyte based on ceramics fillers and ion-conducting polymers will be fabricated with tunable stiffness and elasticity in order to stabilize the interfaces and reduce the interfacial resistance in the Li-S battery. Advanced material and electrochemical characterizations will be employed to study composition-structural-property relationships of the interfaces of the composite electrolyte before and after battery cycling. The project will provide fundamental knowledge of ion-conduction mechanism across different solid-solid interfaces, electrochemical reaction and mechanical properties at electrode-electrolyte interfaces in both all-solid-state Li-S coin cells and pouch cells. The obtained knowledge will provide guidance on interface design to reduce interfacial resistance and realize high performance all-solid-state Li-S batteries. This fellowship will strengthen the PI?s research profile, by expanding pouch cell fabrication and advanced in-situ characterization facilities at UNM and continuing to collaborate with INL via student internship and joint journal publications.

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.

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