Projects
Projects: |
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| Reference Number | EP/P510142/1 | |
| Title | Graphene coatings on Steel for large scale battery applications | |
| Status | Completed | |
| Energy Categories | Other Power and Storage Technologies(Energy storage) 100%; | |
| Research Types | Basic and strategic applied research 100% | |
| Science and Technology Fields | PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry) 35%; PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials) 35%; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 30%; |
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| UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation | Not Cross-cutting 100% | |
| Principal Investigator |
Professor G Amaratunga No email address given Engineering University of Cambridge |
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| Award Type | Standard | |
| Funding Source | EPSRC | |
| Start Date | 01 April 2016 | |
| End Date | 31 March 2017 | |
| Duration | 12 months | |
| Total Grant Value | £98,588 | |
| Industrial Sectors | Energy | |
| Region | East of England | |
| Programme | Manufacturing : Manufacturing | |
| Investigators | Principal Investigator | Professor G Amaratunga , Engineering, University of Cambridge (100.000%) |
| Web Site | ||
| Objectives | ||
| Abstract | From burning firewood to oil, the ability to store energy and use it at our command has been responsible for the biggest transformations of humanity in the course of history. Today, electrochemical devices, namely batteries and supercapacitors which are predominantly used for portable energy, are probably the biggest limitation to the fast development of portable electrical appliances from mobile phones to cars, and significant improvements in these technologies are urgently required.Due to its low density and electrochemical stability, aluminium is often used as a current collector onto which the active material is deposited. However, the aluminium often needs to be treated and coated with carbon in order to decrease thecontact resistance with the substrate. Further, the coated aluminium is in many scenarios, placed directly onto a staineless steel casing (e.g. coin cells). Graphene coating onto steel has been shown to act simultaneously as a passivation and lowsheet resistance layer. The deposition of battery electrodes directly onto graphene coated steel could serve to reduce cost (removing the need for aluminium), as well as to minimise interfacial resistance.This key objectives of this projects1) Improve the performance (in terms of capacity and cyclability) of secondary battery systems, in particular the zinc/silver system, by using graphene as an additive in the electrode formulation. Preliminary results in the lab have shown great potential.2) To explore and demonstrate the potential of high conductivity graphene coated steel produced at TATA Steel as a substrate and current collector for energy storage applications, and in particular to test with the Zinc/silver battery and otherzinc based batteries.This proposal concerns an innovative approach to design and produce Graphene based batteries and supercapacitors with higher power capabilities (low contact resistance , high specific capacitance with fast charging time at high current density) at lower cost, by combining two technologies; namely, Graphene enhanced battery and supercapacitor electrode formulations developed at the University of Cambridge with graphene coated steel substrates developed at Tata laboratories.The work at the University of Cambridge can be summarised in the following parts:1/ The study of the electrochemical stability of graphene coated steel under various electrolytes and the determination of its potential limits2/ The optimisation of the graphene enhanced battery electrode formulation and its coating onto the steel substrate 3/ Determination of the contact resistance between the electrode and stainless steel and the optimisation of deposition conditions to minimise this.4/ The characterisation of batteries/supercapacitors produced with these electrodes 5/ The production of 'demonstrator' devices based on these | |
| Publications | (none) |
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| Final Report | (none) |
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| Added to Database | 07/10/16 | |
