BATTERY TECHNOLOGIES
Batteries and supercapacitors are among the most efficient, practical and, increasingly cost-effective forms of short- term energy storage. To support increased uptake of battery technology, industry requires batteries that are low cost, have high energy and power densities (particularly for transport applications), are safe, and can be well managed, both during operation and at the end of their useful life.
High energy batteries with better safety and lower cost
Several promising rechargeable battery technologies offer high energy density, better safety and lower cost than current state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries, including lithium–air, lithium–sulphur, sodium-ion and solid-state batteries. However, these technologies present a number of technical challenges, including lithium dendrite growth, sluggish lithium oxide electrocatalysis, dissolution of sulphides, and slow ionic conduction in solid state electrolytes. Importantly, large scale manufacture of these battery types requires the adoption of entirely different configurations compared to current state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries. Building on research into materials and electrolytes from UTS, UNSW and Deakin University, the team will translate these research findings into a new generation of batteries with targeted energy densities for small- to large-scale applications that are more affordable, safer and more reliable.
Supercapacitors
Many battery applications require rapid fluctuations in electrical supply and demand, which can significantly reduce battery life, thereby increasing system costs. To overcome this problem, batteries can be integrated with supercapacitors, which provide high efficiency and very high power density over millions of cycles. The key challenge of supercapacitors is low energy density. Our PO DST is interested in developing supercapacitors with higher energy density for transport and defence applications. Our team is leading research into high-energy supercapacitors using fast mixed conductors, which store more energy for a given volume and weight, allowing fabrication of more powerful supercapacitors for a range of energy storage systems. By transforming the unused surfaces and volumes of structure components into energy storage, system weight can be greatly reduced.
Modelling and analysis for SOC and SOH prediction of Li-ion batteries in real-world use scenarios
To maximise their value and reduce systems costs, batteries must be properly managed. Knowing the state-of-charge (SOC) and state-of-health (SOH) response of a battery can greatly assist in its intelligent control and integration with distributed power generation, and inform reuse and recycling of spent batteries. We are developing and testing realistic scenarios for simulated (and real-world) accelerated life-cycle analysis. Selected Li-ion battery systems will be employed and compared within Deakin University’s on-campus microgrid facility, then tested and chemically analysed.
PROF. GUOXIU WANG
Theme Leader
Professor Guoxiu Wang is the Director of the Centre for Clean Energy Technology and a Distinguished Professor at University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia.