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Understanding the Physico-Chemical Properties of Dendrimers and Branched Polymers for Applications in Sustainable Li-Air (Li-O2) and Li-Sulfur (Li-S) Energy Storage Systems


EMSL Project ID
48316

Abstract

This project will develop a fundamental understanding of branched polymers as advanced energy storage materials expanding their applications to sustainable high-energy density storage and conversion systems such as next generation Li-air, Li-sulfur batteries, and supercapacitors. For this purpose, we will exploit the superior capability of dendritic polymers to host a variety of chemical species including metal ions, organic and inorganic compounds, as well as the high degree of surface functionality which can be readily functionalized to obtain desired reaction chemistry. Specifically, we will chemically modify commercially available dendrimers and hyperbranched polymers to make them highly ionically and electronically conducting to explore their applications as electrolytes, cathode materials and catalysts in Li-air and Li-sulfur batteries. This multi-modal experimental and molecular modeling collaboration between PNNL, Nanosynthons, LLC, Caltech and SLAC will enable us to understand how the structure and chemistry of branched polymers influence the electrochemical performance of the aforementioned energy systems. We anticipate the outcome of this project will lead to the development of energy materials that embody the nanoscale properties of soft and porous dendritic nanostructures, generate new intellectual property and publications in top peer-reviewed journals. Completion of this project will enable us to obtain a predictive understanding of novel branched polymers with desired structure and properties to enhance the performance of advanced energy systems in order to support the needs of DOE and the nation in sustainable energy applications.

Project Details

Project type
Large-Scale EMSL Research
Start Date
2014-10-01
End Date
2015-09-30
Status
Closed

Team

Principal Investigator

Priyanka Bhattacharya
Institution
University of Dayton Research Institute

Team Members

Joshua Robinson
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Badri Shyam
Institution
Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

Donald Tomalia
Institution
Nanosynthons LLC

Xiaolin Li
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Lelia Cosimbescu
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Vijayakumar Murugesan
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Radha Motkuri
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Zimin Nie
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

William Goddard
Institution
California Institute of Technology

Related Publications

Bhattacharya P, MI Nandasiri, D Lv, AM Schwarz, JT Darsell, WA Henderson, DA Tomalia, J Liu, J Zhang, and J Xiao. 2016. "Polyamidoamine Dendrimer-Based Binders for High-Loading Lithium-Sulfur Battery Cathodes." Nano Energy 19:176-186. doi:10. 1016/j. nanoen. 2015. 11. 012
Estevez L ,Reed D M,Nie Z ,Schwarz A M,Nandasiri M I,Kizewski J P,Wang W ,Thomsen E C,Liu J ,Zhang J ,Sprenkle V L,Li B 2016. " Tunable oxygen functional groups as electro-catalysts on graphite felt surfaces for all vanadium flow batteries" ChemSusChem 9(12):1455-1461. 10.1002/cssc.201600198
Qian J, WA Henderson, W Xu, P Bhattacharya, MH Engelhard, O Borodin, and J Zhang. 2015. "High Rate and Stable Cycling of Lithium Metal Anode." Nature Communications 6:Article No. 6362. doi:10.1038/ncomms7362