2021 Virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium

2021 Virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium

Understanding the Role of Conductive Binders in Li-Air Batteries

Understanding the Role of Conductive Binders in Li-Air Batteries

PROJECT NUMBER: 64 | AUTHOR: Sarena Nguyen​, Chemical and Biological Engineering

MENTOR: Steven DeCaluwe, Mechanical Engineering

ABSTRACT

The increasing interest in renewable energy sources and electric vehicles has allowed for the rapid
development of various technologies in the energy storage sector. In particular, lithium-air batteries have been studied due to their potential to increase electric vehicle range while also requiring less space. However, issues with material instability have delayed the implementation of this technology on a commercial scale. This project aims to determine an effective method to increase battery performance by implementing a conductive binder or a catalyst.
Varying the ratios of the carbon, catalyst, and binder experimentally in the battery cathode were tested to determine the optimal concentrations. The highest capacity was seen in the battery with the most carbon, while the lowest voltage gap was observed in the cell with the most catalyst. Next, the performance with respect to oxide shape formation was observed in the computational model. Future work will focus on studying the performance with varying shapes.

PRESENTATION

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Sarena Nguyen is a graduating senior in the chemical engineering department. She has been involved with undergraduate research throughout her years at Mines. She has had experience with wastewater treatment and energy storage technologies.

1 Comment

  1. Is stability a concern in your system?

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