‘Data-Driven’ Design Could Lead to Improved Lithium-Ion Batteries
April 25, 2017 | Purdue UniversityEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Purdue University is working with MIT and Stanford University in a project funded by the Toyota Research Institute to improve rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and accelerate their integration into electric and hybrid vehicles.
Purdue’s part of the four-year effort is to better understand the fundamental science governing how a battery’s internal architecture impacts energy storage, recharging speed and reliability, said Edwin García, a Purdue professor of materials engineering.
Advanced multi-scale modeling and simulations will be used to guide experiments aimed at improving the design of electrodes called cathodes and anodes, which contain particles made of emerging materials such as lithium iron phosphate or lithium cobalt oxide.
While the Purdue researchers will focus on theory, they will collaborate with their Stanford and MIT counterparts to guide the design of experiments based on insights from modeling. Data from the experiments will then, in turn, be used for input and validation to refine modeling, with the ultimate goal of solving key limitations in today’s rechargeable batteries.
“This work is data-driven, and we want to learn how the nano-scale structure affects a material’s macro-scale behavior and overall battery performance,” García said. “We will use data to come up with better models and to better understand the basic science of materials at the atomic scale.”
The porous electrodes must contain just the right density and design of particles for optimal performance and diffusion of lithium ions, which are contained in an electrolyte liquid or gel.
“Using the analogy of chocolate chip cookies, the chips are the battery particles, which contain the energy, and the dough represents the space between particles,” he said. “You can’t have too few or too many chips, so there is a sweet spot there that you are aiming for.”
The three universities are sharing $10 million as part of a $35 million initiative by Toyota. The project began in early April.
“It’s very unusual for a project funded by industry to span four years and support theoretical research, so you have to give Toyota credit for its dedication to solving this problem,” García said. “This is an opportunity to develop the necessary fundamental scientific foundation to correlate materials’ chemistry, properties and performance and unravel the complexity in existing and emerging battery materials.”
Researchers will observe the changing microscopic details of the particles as a battery charges and discharges.
The project will involve two Purdue graduate students.
“They will be directly involved with experimentalists at Stanford and MIT, actually influencing the design of the experiments, and for modeling students that’s very unusual,” García said. “That’s a huge gain intellectually for the students.”
Suggested Items
Signal Integrity Expert Donald Telian to Teach 'Signal Integrity, In Practice' Masterclass Globally
04/17/2024 | PRLOGDonald Telian and The EEcosystem announce the global tour of "Signal Integrity, In Practice," a groundbreaking LIVE masterclass designed to equip hardware engineers with essential skills for solving Signal Integrity (SI) challenges in today's fast-paced technological landscape.
Designing Electronics for High Thermal Loads
04/16/2024 | Akber Roy, Rush PCB Inc.Developing proactive thermal management strategies is important in the early stages of the PCB design cycle to minimize costly redesign iterations. Here, I delve into key aspects of electronic design that hold particular relevance for managing heat in electronic systems. Each of these considerations plays a pivotal role in enhancing the reliability and performance of the overall system.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
04/12/2024 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007As we publish this week’s most-read news, the I-Connect007 team is wending its way home from an eventful and productive week at IPC APEX EXPO in Anaheim, California. We’ve posted a variety of dispatches from the show this week, released 73 realtimewith.com video interviews (and counting), and also gathered the content and updates you’ll be looking for in the upcoming issue of Show & Tell… IPC APEX EXPO 2024.
Material Insight: The Importance of Standards for the Chip Packaging Industry
04/12/2024 | Dr. Preeya Kuray -- Column: Material InsightI had the great pleasure of recently attending the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) CHIPS R&D Chiplets Interfaces Technical Standards Workshop. The purpose was to bring together technical experts across industry and academia to deliberate one of the most pressing technological matters of 2024: chip packaging standards.
What’s New in Design Education at IPC APEX EXPO?
04/11/2024 | Kelly Allen, IPC Training ManagerKelly (Kel) Allen shares her thoughts on the educational offerings at IPC APEX EXPO and beyond. In this interview, she discusses some of the newest classes taking place during the conference in Anaheim, covering everything from design, fab, and assembly through mil/aero, test, and supply chain issues.