SBIR Phase I: A unique aerogel-based separator technology for safety and ultrafast charging of batteries

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will improve battery market and contribute towards the shift to affordable and clean energy solutions. The company’s novel aerogel membrane separator exhibits performance characteristics that address the major limitations of existing batteries. The enhanced durability and stability provided by the membrane make batteries highly suitable for electric vehicles (EVs) and other applications, such as mobile phones, tablets, drones, cordless power tools, and e-bikes.

Electric vehicles offer the most likely solution to reduce the environmental impact of transport in the US by contributing towards a significant reduction in the usage of fossil fuels and the subsequent emissions of greenhouse gases. This technology seeks to improve the overall lifespan of batteries and ensure that they can endure rigorous usage conditions, thereby increasing the reliability and range of EVs, while decreasing the frequency and time of charging and battery replacement.

Similarly, in the realm of electronics, the extended battery life translates into enhanced device performance, reduced downtime, and ultimately improved user experience.

This SBIR Phase I project examines the technical feasibility of the company’s aerogel technology as a separator membrane. This membrane is formed by a unique 3-dimensional orientation and functionalization of hexagonal boron nitride sheets (h-BN) combined with boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs). Current separators are limited by poor thermal stability, subsequently causing the battery industry to face challenges such as long charging times, safety risks associated with high heat generation rates, and low battery performance due to the lack of enough energy capacity.

This solution allows for ultra-fast charging (extending the battery rating to 10C) and improved safely (allowing batteries to operate up to 200 °C), while enhancing cyclability, capacity, and power density. The research activities that will allow characterization of the aerogel are functionalization of the membrane with various chemical moieties to enhance ion conductivity, internal series resistance, and lithium plating resistance and investigation and testing of the aerogel pore size formation for a uniform size distribution to prevent lithium plating and penetration of active particles, while maximizing ionic conductivity.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.