Lithium Ion Cathode Materials – FutureCat
Delivering improved EV performance demands high energy density batteries to improve range, high power densities for fast charging, longer lifetimes, and lower cost through reduced reliance on expensive metals. This requires fundamental materials discovery and characterisation to deepen our understanding of the underpinning mechanisms and mechanics, and push performance limits in a sustainable manner.
FutureCat addresses these challenges through three highly integrated research themes designing and developing near- and next-generation cathodes, from high-capacity/high-voltage oxides to sustainable alternatives avoiding supply-chain at-risk elements.
The advances the project is targeting represent significant commercial opportunities. Partnering with NPL, FutureCat is developing standardised protocols to validate discoveries. The project is joined by industry partners across the battery supply chain, with three Industry Fellows scaling-up manufacture, optimising performance through local structure manipulation and delivering technoeconomic knowhow on new cathode chemistries.
Objectives
- Deliver new compliant electrode topologies highly resistant to fracture and extend battery life through novel approaches to morphologies and microstructures.
- Develop protective coatings and new electrolyte additives to increase power densities through faster interfacial ion transport and prevent active material erosion thus extending lifetime and reducing cost.
- Discover new cathode materials through a co-ordinated computational-experimental design approach, where cation and cation-plus-anion redox-activity and increased application of earth-abundant elements will increase energy densities and reduce costs.
Project funding
£9.9M
1 October 2019 – 30 September 2023
Principal Investigator
Professor Serena Cussen
University of Sheffield
Project Leaders
Dr Alisyn Nedoma
University of Sheffield
Dr Sam Booth
University of Sheffield
University Partners
University of Sheffield (Lead)
University of Cambridge
University College London
Lancaster University
University of Oxford
Research Organisations, Facilities and Institutes
ISIS Neutron and Muon Source (STFC)
National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
+ 8 Industrial Partners
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