Symposium EN07-Solid-State Alkali-Metal Batteries

Solid state batteries (SSBs) based on alkali-metal (Li, Na, Mg, etc) chemistry have attracted much attention from both academia and industry in last decade. They are considered as a promising alternative for conventional Li-ion batteries in a number of important applications (e.g. electrified transportation and grid storage), owing to the enhanced safety properties and potentially much higher energy density. For instance, SSBs with Li metal anodes have the potential for specific energy >500 Wh/kg, energy density >1500 Wh/L; SSBs with Na metal anode have the potential for specific capacity> 1100 mAh/g, energy density ~ 400-500 Wh/kg, and potential lower cost due to abundant raw material reserves on earth. After a decade of extensive research efforts, many novel high-performance solid electrolyte materials have been discovered and reported. So far, there are significant challenges in structure/interface design, device fabrication, and materials processing and manufacturing of SSBs. The anodes and cathodes in solid-state could impart significant stresses at interfaces; and the interplay between stresses, electrochemistry, interfacial and layer structures could lead to morphological evolution of the layers to form interphases and chemo-mechanical degradation during cycling. In addition, fast charging such as in automotive applications could drive the SSBs towards early performance degradation with reduced reliability and safety margins. Moreover, manufacturing challenges also impede the practical application of SSBs towards to commercialization.

This symposium aims to provide an interdisciplinary forum for colleagues from both academia and industry, to address the fundamental and technological aspects and the challenges involved in the development of SSB devices and characterizations. Key focus areas of the symposium include: development of new solid electrode materials, new device fabrication methodologies, fast charging of SSBs, in-operando and in-situ characterization of interfaces and layer morphologies, and multiscale electrochemical modeling to analyze the performance and safety aspects of SSBs, manufacture methods and life cycle analysis, etc.

Topics will include:

Alkali-metal anode (Li, Na, Mg, etc) for SSBs;
New cathodes and cathode-electrolyte composites for SSBs;
Electrode/electrolyte interface design and studies;
Interfacial stability, stresses, defect formation and failure mechanism
Theoretical understanding of SSBs (simulation and modeling for materials and battery system, e.g. DFT, MD, multi-physics modeling)
System safety and regulatory requirement for large-scale implementation;
Advanced processing and manufacturing towards to scale-up mass production;
Advanced characterizations (in situ and inoperando techniques) for SSBs;
Impact of fast charging on electrochemical degradation and failure;