Metal Nanowires for Applications in the Li-ion Battery

The main aim of this research project is to develop new electrode materials which can be used in the lithium-ion battery to increase its efficiency and safety. The demand for such materials is extremely high as existing lithium-ion batteries are at the li mit of their capacity. They fall short of delivering high power and capacities for applications in electric vehicles. Furthermore, they have a recurring safety concern regarding overheating.These limitations and problems can only be solved by designing ne w materials. This is the primary objective of this research work. A nanomaterials approach will be used in the design of the new materials. Three different materials will be considered. These will include copper nanowires, titanium nanowires and a particu larly novel hybrid material which combines the properties of copper and titanium.The main R&D challenge to be faced in this project is concerned with the fabrication of the hybrid material. This work will be carried out with the Energy Conversion research group at SINTEF where there is excellent expertise in lithium-ion battery research and all the necessary facilities are available to support the project and bring the work to a successful conclusion.This research work has the potential to create new elec trode materials for the lithium-ion battery, which will have better charging capacities and good intercalation properties. At present lithium-ion batteries have a poor cycle life, meaning the capacity of the cell diminishes over time. There is also the pr oblem that existing lithium-ion batteries are unsuitable for large scale applications due to their high cost of production and lack of sufficient power. The materials we propose in this project have the potential to produce batteries with larger recharge capacities and power output. By increasing the effective surface area of the electrodes and improving the structure to incorporate more active materials we have the capacity to produce smaller, safer batteries.