(159f) Transport Processes in Batteries: A Synergistic Research Direction for Membrane Scientists

From electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles gaining a foothold in the automotive market to the 787 airline and Galaxy Note 7 battery fires, battery technology has, for better or worse, found itself in the popular spotlight in recent years. This spotlight is likely to shine increasingly brighter, as improvements in lifetime and size of portable electronic devices will make batteries and battery research more prevalent in mobile and stationary (e.g., distributed storage of wind and solar energy) applications in the coming decade. Nevertheless, the 787 and Galaxy Note 7 incidents highlight an interesting dichotomy in battery research: although decades of development have allowed rechargeable batteries to be used in advanced applications, our understanding of how to design a safe, high energy density, low cost rechargeable battery still needs to be improved. Designing materials that allow improved mass and charge transport processes, while maintaining low cost and high safety, is critical to this cause. This talk will provide a basic introduction to battery technology, focusing on the most common battery chemistry, Li-ion. The second part of the talk will outline the importance of ion transport properties through the battery’s primary components, namely its porous electrodes and separator, particularly highlighting the challenges and opportunities that exist for polymer and ceramic-based ion conductors.