CFD RESEARCH CORPORATION — Department of Defense SBIR Phase II: A14-005

Description

The U.S. Army is seeking a long life energy solution that delivers high energy density, good reliability, long shelf-life, and improved safety for monitoring the health of electronic components in remote and sometime harsh locations. Current batteries can only deliver limited lifetime (perhaps 5 years) upon discharge, while our proposed technology has the ability to deliver more energy for extended duration (up to 20 years) with enhanced safety and reliability. The proposed battery will also be less sensitive to temperature, making it operational across the desired -55C to +125C temperature range. In Phase II, we will demonstrate a solid-state battery, named LONGLIFE, employing high capacity electrodes and inorganic solid electrolyte. The battery utilizes existing high capacity electrodes developed by CFDRC for long shelf-life Thermal Batteries. We will focus on developing a fully integrated prototype for delivery to the Army. The work will consist of i) synthesizing the solid electrolyte, ii) fabricating the high capacity electrodes, iii) assembling the cell and electrochemical testing of the battery, and iv) computational modeling to predict the lifetime across the desired temperature and discharge rate operating space. The LONGLIFE battery will be a safe, reliable solution providing sufficient energy for ultra-long duration applications.