UMD researcher receives new $1M Vehicle Technology Award

UMD researcher receives new $1M Vehicle Technology Award

UMD researcher receives new $1M Vehicle Technology Award


On July 16, 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $139 million in federal funding for 55 projects across the country that will support new and innovative advanced vehicle technologies. Funded through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), projects will conduct research in advanced batteries, electrification, and manufacturing in support of DOE’s Energy Storage Grand Challenge. The University of Maryland received $1M for their research: “Rational Electrolyte Design for Li-ion Batteries with Micro-Sized Si Anodes”.  

The vision for the Energy Storage Grand Challenge is to create and sustain global leadership in energy storage utilization and exports, with a secure domestic manufacturing supply chain that does not depend on foreign sources of critical materials. Building on previous joint research efforts with Army Research Laboratory (ARL) partners, Dr. Chunsheng Wang, a professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Maryland and Maryland Energy Innovation Institute (MEI2) hopes to expand the capabilities of a recently developed electrolyte that forms a protective layer on silicon which is stable and resists the swelling that occurs in silicon anode particles. The PIs plan to extend the electrochemical stability window to >4.5 V by adding other inorganic salts, and/or partially- or all-fluorinated ether solvents into the electrolyte. The new electrolytes will allow the Si anode to couple with a high energy cathode to provide additional performance and prevent decomposition.

Said Wang, “We have designed the electrolytes to form lithiophobic solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on micro-sized Silicon (Si). The lithiophbic SEI with weak bonding with Si can accommodate large volume changes of Si without damage, ensuring a long cycle and calendar life.”

“Increasing energy density is also important for numerous Army applications including conformal wearable batteries”, noted Dr. Oleg Borodin, a collaborator from ARL.

Additional news on this research published in Nature: https://energy.umd.edu/news/story/highperformance-electrolyte-solves-battery-puzzle

Related Articles:
New Sustainable Zinc Battery Design Could Address Future Energy Needs
Chunsheng Wang Presents to U.S. Government Panel on Advances in Li-Ion Battery Technology
Building Energy Innovation in Maryland
New government partner joins UMD’s Center for Research in Extreme Batteries
University of Maryland leads team awarded $7.2M from Army Research Lab
UMD Researchers Design ‘Open’ Lithium-ion Battery
New Report Recommends a Path for the Future of Maryland’s Clean Energy Economy
UMD engineers, colleagues work to triple the energy storage of lithium-ion batteries
A higher-energy, safer and longer-lasting zinc battery
NSF Grant for Battery Research

July 17, 2020


Prev   Next

Current Headlines

ECE Alum Andrew Goffin (Ph.D. ’24) Awarded Cosmos Scholars Prize

Reversal of Clean Energy Policies Could Lead to $1.1 Trillion Loss in U.S. GDP

ISR Alumnus Earns Prestigious NSF CAREER Award

Adjustable Drug Release Marks New Milestone in Ingestible Capsule Research

Celebrating a Legend: Matt Scassero's Retirement Event

UMD energy and sustainability programs highly ranked by U.S. News

ECE Ph.D. Student Samarth Chopra Receives NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

MATRIX-Affiliated Faculty Solving Challenges From Sea to Space

News Resources

Return to Newsroom

Search News

Archived News

Events Resources

Events Calendar