Holistic Manufacturing of 3D Architected Electrodes for High Volumetric Conversion

A critical linchpin for cost-effective green energy and chemical production is the development of an advanced manufacturing process to mass-produce customized 3D electrodes from abundant natural resources. Exploiting 3D electrode configurations can revolutionize energy storage and conversion by achieving unprecedented volumetric capacity compared to traditional planar designs.

This work aims to generate advanced manufacturing knowledge that allows us to leverage high-throughput and high-resolution 3D polymer printing technology for fabrication of mechanically robust and highly conductive 3D carbon structures with tailorable 3D topology and engineered surface topography at scale. The entire process uses nontoxic and abundant chemicals that are readily available and produces a minimal amount of waste.

This work also provides a multidisciplinary training platform for UC Merced undergraduate and graduate students, primarily from underrepresented groups, preparing them to become forerunners in relevant STEM fields focused on green energy. Their successes will inspire others in their communities to pursue careers in STEM, consequently broadening the STEM workforce pipeline.

Outreach to local high schools will highlight the role of STEM in technological innovation, encouraging students to pursue engineering degrees.

This work will focus on the manufacturing of high-density, high-resolution polymer struts with customizable architecture using vat based photopolymerization methods. Subsequent carbonization will produce 3D carbon replicas of 3D polymer structures. Followed by growing 1-dimensional carbon nanofibers on top of the graphitized 3D carbon surfaces, 3D architected carbon-based electrodes will be generated.

These electrodes will exhibit continuous mass transport conduits arranged hierarchically at both micro and nano scales to enable maximized loading of active materials such as redox centers or electrocatalysts. This work will establish structure-property relationships to develop 3D electrodes with exceptional volumetric capacity, significantly enhancing the performance of existing technologies like batteries and fuel cells while reducing costs by eliminating inactive components and binders.

The new 3D electrode platform also will unlock new possibilities for applications that can drive the technologies needed for a more sustainable chemical manufacturing industry.

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.