SPEED: Super high Power And Energy Electrode Designs For Metal-ion Batteries

Started

Other Power and Storage Technologies(Energy storage)

Basic and strategic applied research

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Professor E Kendrick
Metallurgy and Materials
University of Birmingham

Dr S Samanta
University of Birmingham

Standard

EPSRC

01 July 2024

30 June 2026

24 months

£206,086

Energy

West Midlands; West Midlands

UKRI MSCA

Professor E Kendrick, Metallurgy and Materials, University of Birmingham
Dr S Samanta, University of Birmingham

The project 'Super High Power and Energy Electrode Designs for Metal-ion Batteries' (SPEED) is focused to demonstrate a sustainable 'Hybrid Battery' (HB) technology by combining materials which demonstrate different charge storage mechanisms in a single device, decoupling energy and power. High surface area materials store charge as an electric double layer capacitance (EDLC) and redox- active materials can store charge in the bulk particles, such as in batteries. If suitable green principles are used from concept through to end-of-life and recycling, the materials' life cycle can be optimised. SPEED will highlight the integration of renewable energy generation, emission reduction, e-mobility with improved resource efficiency targeted for the European Union (EU) aim of Net Zero by 2050. This novel concept has enormous potential to overcome the drawbacks of both supercapacitors and batteries such that high power and high energy density can be achieved in a compact system with improved charging rates. Sustainability will be addressed through materials choice, using abundant materials such as Aluminium, Sodium, Magnesium, Iron and Manganese rather than critical materials such as Lithium, Cobalt and Graphite. Multi-material concepts which combine the different surface area materials, and ion transport combinations will be used to maximise performance properties. High-charge aluminium ions will be used for high surface charge storage, whereas sodium ions for bulk charge storage. A lab-based prototype will be developed to underpin the fundamental understanding of hybridised technology for long-term industrial and emerging technologies. Devices fabricated using this composite will provide an enhancement in the frontiers of science & technology associated with the aim of clean energy usage leading to economic prosperity for all

07/01/26