Fabrication and Modeling of Thick Alkali-Ion Electrodes
Kedi Hu, Chemical Engineering
Abstract: Energy storage systems are necessary to bridge intermittency and enable the use of low-cost renewable energy in place of fossil fuels for grid-scale electricity generation. In alkali-ion batteries, thick electrodes can minimize inactive material use to increase energy density and decrease costs but face challenges in performance and manufacturability. In this work, solvent-free fabrication methods are adopted for thick electrode fabrication, and combined with physics-based models to explore mass transport limitations that arise from high concentration polarization, which can lead to poor rate performance and premature cell failure. Through a combination of experimental and theoretical approaches, this dissertation provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and overcoming the transport limitations that hinder the commercialization of thick electrodes.
