This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop low-cost manufacturing processes of Vanadium Nitride (VN) based asymmetric supercapacitors. The approach is to combine the synthesis of nanostructured VN with its deposition on a current collector substrate. The combined synthesis and deposition process reduces manufacturing costs and capital equipment expenses. The direct deposition of thin layers of active material on the current collector minimizes the impedance and maximizes peak power capabilities. The plan is to investigate laser sintering of thin layers of vanadium oxides and laser assisted nitridation, assess technical performance of the resulting thin VN electrodes in an asymmetric supercapacitor, and identify design factors critical to performance enhancement and optimization.
The broader/commercial impact of this project will be the potential to provide a low-cost deposition method that will revolutionize the manufacturing of asymmetric, high energy density supercapacitors for automotive and smart grid applications. This technology is expected to reduce the cost of supercapacitors by 30% and improve the asymmetric cell energy density by 25%.
Supercapacitors offer a combination of energy and power that complements other electrochemical storage and conversion devices including batteries and fuel cells. Currently available commercial supercapacitors fall short of targets established for large-scale applications including power management for electrified vehicles during acceleration and regenerative braking, back-up power for telecommunications, and peak power buffering for renewable energy sources such as wind turbines. According to a report by Frost and Sullivan (2009) and based on customer feedback, the cost must be decreased by at least a factor of two and the energy density doubled for broad market acceptance. The principal performance and cost driver is associated with the electrode materials and the manufacturing processes. Inmatech is developing next generation supercapacitor devices that incorporate low-cost, high-performance materials in proprietary designs. These devices use aqueous electrolytes that are safe (non-flammable) and inexpensive. Upon completion of the Phase I from NSF we have confirmed the feasibility of novel manufacturing processes that combine synthesis of nanostructured Vanadium Nitride (VN) with its deposition on a current collector substrate for the purpose of significantly lowering the manufacturing cost by at least 30%. Dry processing of binderless electrodes streamlines manufacturing processes, minimizes capital equipment expenses and improves energy efficiency. These improvements will enable markets for supercapacitors to rapidly expand.
