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At least 163 records · Page 9

Quantifying Graphite Solid-Electrolyte Interphase Chemistry and its Impact on Fast Charging

The solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) enables the remarkable capacity retention of lithium-ion batteries, yet a comprehensive quantitative description of the SEI composition remains elusive. Using a combination of differential electrochemical mass spectrometry and mass spectrometry titration, we quantify graphite SEI components formed under electrolytes of varying salt concentrations. We find that, regardless of salt concentration, a conversion of initially deposited lithium ethylene dicarbonate to monocarbonates (likely lithium ethylene monocarbonate) and noncarbonate species occurs, and the extent of this conversion increases with electrolyte aging. Here, we additionally demonstrate that as the concentration increases (up to 2.0 M LiPF6), the SEI becomes progressively thinner with more LiF and less solid carbonates deposited. Finally, we reveal that less dead lithium formation and less solid carbonate deposition occur during prolonged fast charging for higher-concentration electrolytes. Because of the advantages imparted by a thinner SEI, the onset state of charge for lithium plating for the 2.0 M electrolyte is later than that predicted by a standard electrochemical model, underscoring the importance of explicit SEI effects in future electrochemical models.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Defect–Concentration–Mediated T–Nb 2 O 5 Anodes for Durable and Fast–Charging Li–Ion Batteries

Metastable orthorhombic niobium pentoxide (T-Nb 2 O 5 ) is a promising anode to fulfill the requirements for high-rate Li-ion batteries (LIBs). Stoichiometric T-Nb 2 O 5 is plagued by low electric conductivity and particle pulverization after repeated charge/discharge processes. In this work, oxygen vacancies are implanted into T-Nb 2 O 5 particles via acid immersion of Nb 2 O 5 ·nH 2 O with the formation of Lewis acid sites. The multiple characterizations and simulations reveal the lengthening of Nb–O bonds, and the transformation from NbO 7 pentagonal bipyramids and NbO 6 tetragonal bipyramids in T-Nb 2 O 5–x . The enrichment of oxygen vacancies endows T-Nb 2 O 5–x with higher electric conductivity, better electrochemical kinetics, larger pseudocapacitive contribution. O-doped graphitic C 3 N 4 is creatively proposed as a trace oxygen pump to repair excessive oxygen vacancies, and it also serves as a sacrifice template for Nb 2 O 5–x growth to construct a porous and monolithic electrode network. Defect-modulated Nb 2 O 5–x displays extraordinary cycling stability (164 mAh g –1 at 5 C after 1100 cycles), high capacity retention (104 mAh g –1 ) at an ultrahigh rate (25 C), and large areal capacity (0.74 mAh cm –2 ) under high mass loading (4 mg cm –2 ). The practical prospect is proved by Nb 2 O 5–x /LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 full cells with high average platform (2.12 V) and high specific capacity (229 mAh g –1 ). Finally, the oxygen-defect modulation strategy on oxide anodes provides an alternative solution to fast-charging and durable LIBs.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Towards extreme fast charging of 4.6V LiCoO 2 via mitigating high-voltage kinetic hindrance

High-voltage LiCoO 2 (LCO) is an attractive cathode for ultra-high energy density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in the 3C markets. However, the sluggish lithium-ion diffusion at high voltage significantly hampers its rate capability. Herein, combining experiments with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we demonstrate that the kinetic limitations can be mitigated by a facial Mg 2+ +Gd 3+ co-doping method. The as-prepared LCO shows significantly enhanced Li-ion diffusion mobility at high voltage, making more homogenous Li-ion de/intercalation at a high-rate charge/discharge process. The homogeneity enables the structural stability of LCO at a high-rate current density, inhibiting stress accumulation and irreversible phase transition. When used in combination with a Li metal anode, the doped LCO shows an extreme fast charging (XFC) capability, with a superior high capacity of 193.1 mAhg -1 even at the current density of 20C and high-rate capacity retention of 91.3% after 100 cycles at 5C. In conclusion, this work provides a new insight to prepare XFC high-voltage LCO cathode materials.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Control, Fault Management, and Grid Support Functionality of an MV AC-DC Solid State Transformer based EV Extreme Fast Charging Station

Electric vehicles (EVs) have become increasingly popular in recent times while revolutionizing the consumer and commercial transportation market. The development of charging infrastructure has become one of the priorities for increasing the adoption of EVs. Extreme fast charging (XFC) technology can reduce the so-called ’range anxiety’ of consumers as they significantly reduce the charging time. With the advent of wide band-gap (WBG) power devices and improvement in power electronic converters, medium voltage (MV) solid state transformer (SST) based XFC system has the potential to replace the traditional XFC stations because of the lower footprint, ease of installation, enhanced control feature, and better system efficiency. The control system design is one of the critical aspects of the SST development process. Careful consideration and detailed analysis are required to find out suitable control method for the SST based on its topology among different centralized and decentralized control architectures. Also, the control parameters selection and potential improvement to the transient response of the controller ought to be investigated. Another major concern of the SST is different types of internal fault which reduces the overall reliability of the XFC system. As a result, designing a robust protection system is essential. Among different fault modes, open circuit switch faults have received significant attention as an active research area because of their likelihood and severe effects on converters. Therefore, the power stages used in the XFC system require functional and accurate open circuit switch fault management methods. An equally significant aspect of this SST based XFC is its compatibility in a microgrid where there is no synchronous generator present. When the grid is not available, the XFC SSTs can provide grid forming capability and continue supplying the critical loads in islanded mode. The transition between grid connected and islanded mode, especially the grid resynchronization process has to be carefully performed for the safety of the microgrid components. The challenges posed by the aforementioned issues have inspired the work done in this dissertation. Here, a 13.2 kV, 1 MVA, AC/DC SST for the XFC system is examined and a comparative analysis is conducted to select the control architecture based on feasibility of implementation and performance. A detailed control parameter design process is demonstrated considering the sensor dynamics and delay. The selected decentralized control method is augmented by introducing a novel sensor-less load current feedforward method to provide better voltage regulation at the DC bus during a change of load. Next, in the fault management section, a hierarchical failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) is proposed to enable a systematic design of the internal fault protection of the XFC SST as there are limited examples in the literature regarding the analysis of the safety and design of the protection of a power electronic converter system. Novel open circuit switch fault management methods for the converters in the system are presented. Finally, XFC SST based MV microgrid operations in grid connected mode and islanded mode are explored. A secondary control method for grid resynchronization is presented and a design process of control parameters is shown to ensure the stability of the secondary voltage and frequency regulation.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

Medium Voltage Solid State Transformer for Extreme Fast Charging Applications

A modular and scalable solid state transformer (SST) with direct medium voltage (MV) AC connectivity is proposed to enable DC extreme fast charging (XFC) of electric vehicles. Single-phase-modules (SPMs), each consisting of an active-front-end (AFE) stage and an isolated DC-DC stage, are connected in input-series-output-parallel (ISOP) configuration. The modular hardware is co-designed with decentralized control of the DC-DC stages where voltage and power balancing are achieved by each SPM using only its local sensor feedback; a centralized controller (CC) regulates the low voltage (LV) DC bus through the AFE stages without any sensor feedback form the SPMs. The controller architecture contrasts sharply with the prior art for MV AC to LV DC SSTs where high-speed bidirectional communication among SPMs and a CC are required for module-level voltage and power balancing, which severely limits the scalability and practical realization of higher voltage and higher power units. Detailed small-signal analysis and controller design guidelines are developed. Furthermore, a soft start-up strategy is presented. The proposed converter and control structure are validated through simulation and experimental results.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Interface chemistry informs about cathode and anode degradation during fast charging

Here, the aim of this study is to examine the development and makeup of the Solid Electrolyte Interphase (SEI) and Cathode Electrolyte Interphase (CEI) in lithium-ion batteries during rapid charging. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and depth profiling, we investigate the chemical modifications occurring on the electrode surfaces during the initial formation and subsequent fast charge-discharge cycles. Our research shows that the anode's SEI initially comprises a thin layer rich in ketones, which then transforms into a thicker layer dominated by carbonaceous compounds during rapid charging cycles. Following assembly, lithium fluoride (LiF) quickly becomes a key element of the SEI, and its presence continues to grow substantially during the formation cycle, remaining the primary component throughout subsequent cycles. Initially, the cathode forms a thin oxide layer rich in ketones, with no noticeable carbonaceous CEI. The CEI primarily comprises LiF, which experiences an increase during the formation cycle and retains a thin layer of carbon coating after the initial rapid discharge. These findings show how the interphase layers impact the performance and stability of lithium-ion batteries, especially during fast charging for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles.

Fast charging↗

Suppressing strain propagation in ultrahigh-Ni cathodes during fast charging via epitaxial entropy-assisted coating

Surface reconstruction and the associated severe strain propagation have long been reported as the major cause of cathode failure during fast charging and long-term cycling. Despite tremendous attempts, no known strategies can simultaneously address the electro-chemomechanical instability without sacrificing energy and power density. Here we report an epitaxial entropy-assisted coating strategy for ultrahigh-Ni LiNi x Co y Mn 1-x-y O 2 (x ≥ 0.9) cathodes via an oriented attachment-driven reaction between Wadsley-Roth phase-based oxides and the layered-oxide cathodes. Further, the high anti-cracking and anti-corrosion tolerances as well as the fast ionic transport of the entropy-assisted surface effectively improved the fast charging/discharging capability, wide temperature tolerance and thermal stability of the ultrahigh-Ni cathodes. Comprehensive analysis from the primary and secondary particle level to the electrode level using multi-scale in situ synchrotron X-ray probes reveals greatly reduced lattice dislocations, anisotropic lattice strain and oxygen release as well as improved bulk/local structural stability, even when charging beyond the threshold state of charge (75%) of layered cathodes. Layered Ni-rich oxide cathodes are susceptible to challenges with surface reconstruction and strain propagation, limiting their cyclability. The authors propose a solution involving oriented attachment-driven reactions, utilizing Wadsley-Roth nanocrystals and layered oxide to induce an epitaxial entropy-assisted coating, effectively addressing these issues.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Ion temperature and rotation fluctuation measurements with ultra-fast charge exchange recombination spectroscopy (UF-CHERS) in the DIII-D tokamak

An upgraded detector and several optimizations have significantly improved the Ultra-Fast Charge Exchange Recombination Spectroscopy (UF-CHERS) diagnostic sensitivity to ion temperature and parallel velocity fluctuations at turbulence relevant spatio-temporal scales. Normalized broadband ion temperature and parallel velocity fluctuations down to x̃x∼1% (x = Ti, v∥) and up to ∼450 kHz have been measured in a variety of plasmas. The multi-field nature of the CHERS technique also allows measurements of the cross-phase angles of the fluctuating fields. UF-CHERS is optimized to observe emissions from the electron exchange reaction between intrinsic C6+ and hydrogenic neutral beam injected particles near 529 nm. UF-CHERS consists of two chords separated by ∼1 cm radially, less than the turbulence correlation length in DIII-D plasmas, which enables correlated measurements to suppress incoherent electronic and photon noise. The optical components of the spectrometer include a volume-phase-holographic grating with >90% transmission between 528 and 530 nm and f/2 200-mm lenses, selected to maximize the optical efficiency and photon flux. Diffracted light from each chord is collected in eight spectral bins, each with a bandwidth of ∼0.25 nm, and detected and amplified by chilled avalanche photodiodes and custom high-gain, wide bandwidth low-noise preamplifiers to achieve the optimal signal-to-noise ratio. The resulting signals are digitized at 1 MHz, 103–104× faster than the conventional CHERS diagnostics. Spatial coverage is achieved by repositioning a motorized fiber tray between plasmas. UF-CHERS measurements will advance the understanding of turbulent ion transport and contribute to the validation of transport models and simulations.

Truong, D. D. (ORCID:0000000285732539)↗

Extreme fast charging of commercial Li-ion batteries via combined thermal switching and self-heating approaches

Abstract The mass adoption of electric vehicles is hindered by the inadequate extreme fast charging (XFC) performance (i.e., less than 15 min charging time to reach 80% state of charge) of commercial high-specific-energy (i.e., >200 Wh/kg) lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Here, to enable the XFC of commercial LIBs, we propose the regulation of the battery’s self-generated heat via active thermal switching. We demonstrate that retaining the heat during XFC with the switch OFF boosts the cell’s kinetics while dissipating the heat after XFC with the switch ON reduces detrimental reactions in the battery. Without modifying cell materials or structures, the proposed XFC approach enables reliable battery operation by applying <15 min of charge and 1 h of discharge. These results are almost identical regarding operativity for the same battery type tested applying a 1 h of charge and 1 h of discharge, thus, meeting the XFC targets set by the United States Department of Energy. Finally, we also demonstrate the feasibility of integrating the XFC approach in a commercial battery thermal management system.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Macro Analysis to Estimate Electric Vehicles Fast-Charging Infrastructure Requirements in Small Urban Areas

Electric vehicles (EVs) are known to reduce emissions and fossil fuel dependency. However, the limited range, long charging time, and inadequate charging infrastructure have hampered the adoption of EVs. The current EV charging infrastructure planning studies and tools require detailed information, extensive resources, and skills that can be a significant barrier to urban areas for finding the required charging infrastructure to support a targeted EV market share. This study generates regression models to estimate the number of direct current fast charging stations and the chargers to support the EV charging demand for urban areas. These models provide macro-level estimates of the required infrastructure investment in urban areas, which can be easily implemented by policy-makers and city planners. This study incorporates data obtained from applying a disaggregate optimization-based charger placement model, developed recently by the same authors, for multiple case studies to generate the required data to calibrate the macro-level models, in the state of Michigan. This simulated data set includes the number of charging stations and chargers for each market share, technology advancement scenario, and the transportation network topology. The results show that the number of charging stations reduces with battery size and charging power and increases with EV market share and the road network lane length. The number of chargers reduces with charging power, whereas it increases with battery size, EV market share, and vehicle miles traveled in the system. The model developed here can be applied to any state having urban characteristics and weather conditions similar to Michigan.

Engineering↗

Cybersecurity for Fast Charging EV Infrastructure

The integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into electric grid operations can potentially leave the grid vulnerable to cyberattacks from both legacy and new equipment and protocols, including extreme fast-charging infrastructure. This paper introduces a co-simulation platform to perform cyber vulnerability analysis of EV charging infrastructure and its dependencies on communications and control systems. Grid impact scenarios through linkages to power system simulation tools such as OpenDSS and vehicle infrastructure-specific attack paths are discussed. An adaptive platform that assists with predicting and solving evolving cybersecurity challenges is demonstrated with a cyber-energy emulation that accelerates the analysis of cyberattacks and system behavior.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS,POWER TRANSMISSION AND↗

Cybersecurity for Electric Vehicle Fast-Charging Infrastructure

The integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into electric grid operations can potentially leave the grid vulnerable to cyberattacks from both legacy and new equipment and protocols, including extreme fast-charging infrastructure. This paper introduces a co-simulation platform to perform cyber vulnerability analysis of EV charging infrastructure and its dependencies on communications and control systems. Grid impact scenarios through linkages to power system simulation tools such as OpenDSS and vehicle infrastructure-specific attack paths are discussed. An adaptive platform that assists with predicting and solving evolving cybersecurity challenges is demonstrated with a cyber-energy emulation that accelerates the analysis of cyberattacks and system behavior.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Correlating wavelength dependence in LiMn2O4 cathode photo-accelerated fast charging with deformations in local structure

The growth in electrified transportation has benefited from the massive worldwide research efforts used to discover and improve electrode materials and electrolytes. Nevertheless, lithium-ion batteries still suffer from a slow-charging limitation. Recently, it has been demonstrated that white light illumination of LiMn2O4 provokes faster charging, improving the kinetics of delithiation without the use of nanostructured active materials. In this work, we probe the mechanism of photo-accelerated fast charging and show that Mn d-d electronic transitions occurring under red light illumination are largely responsible for the increased charging rate. It is further demonstrated through X-ray absorption spectroscopy methods that LiMn2O4 Mn-Mn bond distances shorten after d-electron excitation. The shrinkage in the crystal volume beneficially contributes to delithiation kinetics by lowering the resistance to lithium-ion conduction. Advanced materials that can absorb light to modulate their structure may provide us with a new mechanistic pathway to pursue for increasing charge transfer rates.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Grid-Constrained Electric Vehicle Fast Charging Sites: Battery-Buffered Options

This case study summarizes recent Joint Office of Energy and Transportation technical assistance work performed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory which involved helping a state department of transportation analyze the feasibility of a battery energy storage system solution at a grid-constrained EV charging location.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Intramolecular redox-site interplay effect on organic electrode for fast-charging and wide-temperature-range sodium-ion batteries

Organic electrode materials (OEMs) hold great promise for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to their exceptional structural tunability and sustainability. However, the development of OEMs with fast redox kinetics and robust structural integrity remains challenging, especially over a wide temperature range. Herein, we propose an effective strategy to address both sluggish redox kinetics and insufficient structural stability in OEMs by constructing an intramolecular redox-site interplay effect. This effect is demonstrated by two hexaazatrinaphthylene-carboxylate isomers, namely HATN-m-COONa and HATN-o-COONa. Systematic experimental and computational results jointly reveal the intramolecular redox-site interplay effect in HATN-o-COONa decreases the rigid π-π stacking interactions and minimizes the skeleton structural distortion, offering faster redox kinetics and enhanced structural integrity in HATN-o-COONa compared to HATN-m-COONa (without intramolecular redox-site interplay effect). Consequently, HATN-o-COONa exhibits superior rate performance (258 mA h g−1 at 10 A g−1) and enhanced cycle stability (93% after 1000 cycles at 5 A g−1) compared to HATN-m-COONa. More importantly, HATN-o-COONa demonstrates exceptional wide-temperature adaptability, ranging from -40 °C (315 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1) to 60 oC (343 mAh g-1 at 5 A g-1). This work establishes a promising design rationale for developing fast-charging and wide-temperature adaptable OEMs for energy storage systems.

Gao, Yawei [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000225672853)↗

Electrolyte Development for Fast-Charging High-Energy-Density Lithium Batteries (CRADA 482)

The high energy-density lithium (Li)-ion battery (LIB) and Li metal battery (LMB) technologies have been developed rapidly for the widespread electrification of automotive transportation sector. The projected fast growing markets call for substantial improvement of battery performance and manufacturing cost reduction. This project is to optimize and maturate previously-demonstrated novel electrolytes for both fast-charging LIBs with Gr anodes and high-energy-density LMBs to achieve long-term cycling stability at room temperature for applications in electric vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and consumer electronics.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

New High-Energy & Safe Battery Technology with Extreme Fast Charging Capability for Automotive Applications (Final Technical Report)

Being able to refill a cars gas tank when low on fuel is incredibly convenient and is a lacking feature for battery elective vehicles. New High-Energy & Safe Battery Technology with Extreme Fast Charging Capability for Automotive Applications was a research project designed to help correct this lacking feature by developing automotive sized Li-ion battery cells and demonstrating their ability to charge in under 10-minutes. To address the technical challenges Microvast, a cell manufacturer, was joined by Argonne National Labs, battery technology innovator, and BMW, a renown OEM, worked together to define and validate materials and cells for this project. By projects end, Microvast had successfully built and demonstrated a 240 Wh/kg, 35 Ah pouch cell that was capable of over 800 10-minute charge, full discharge cycles. From the outset of the project the plan was to use large amp-hour cells (ie automotive relevant sizes) to ensure the project findings and outcomes were most relevant for electric vehicle applications. The manufacture of cells was done using test manufacturing lines at Microvast and BMW that closely resemble the procedures of a Li-ion battery cell factory.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗