Reinventing Batteries through Nanoscience

The fast growth of portable power sources for transportation and grid-scale stationary storage presents great opportunities for new battery chemistries. The invention of lithium ion batteries has been recognized with Nobel Prize in 2019. How to increase energy density, reduce cost, speed up charging, extend life, enhance safety and reuse/recycle are critical challenges. Here I will present how we utilize nanoscience to reinvent batteries and address many of challenges by understanding the materials and interfaces through new tools and providing new materials guiding principles. The topics to be discussed include: 1) A breakthrough tool of cryogenic electron microscopy, leading to atomic scale resolution of fragile battery materials and interfaces. 2) Materials design to enable high capacity materials: Si and Li metal anodes and S cathodes. 3) Interfacial design with polymer and inorganic coating to enhance cycling efficiency of battery electrodes. 4) New electrolyte design. 5) New battery chemistry for grid scale storage.

Speaker: Yi Cui, Stanford University