Project Highlights
High-Energy and High-Power Quasi-Solid State Lithium Batteries for Subsea Applications
Subsea System InstituteBatteries often fail in extreme heat or cold—but what if they didn’t have to? This project is developing next-generation lithium batteries that can safely power equipment in harsh environments like deep-sea oil platforms. Inspired by cutting-edge materials science, these new batteries are designed to handle high temperatures and pressure without losing performance or safety.
Project Significance & Impact
Most batteries work best at room temperature, but offshore oil and gas operations face extreme heat, pressure, and constant environmental stress. This project is creating a new kind of battery that can survive and perform in those tough conditions—keeping critical systems running without interruption.
By using advanced materials that combine ceramics and special liquids, these batteries are safer, longer-lasting, and more powerful. They could help reduce equipment failures, lower maintenance costs, and support the growing demand for autonomous systems in deepwater energy production. It’s a major step toward more reliable and resilient offshore infrastructure.
Project Outcomes
Project Details
Li-ion batteries (LIBs) have long been limited to ambient temperatures and the internal electrochemical reactions and operating LIB’s has proven to cause thermal fluctuations that have led to battery explosions and safety issues. While past efforts to address these issues were focused on thermal management strategies, we have found that the performance and safety of LIBs at both low and high temperatures is inherently deep-rooted to their respective materials components, such as electrode and electrolyte materials, and the so-called solid-electrolyte interphases. In particular, there is no existing electrolyte chemistry that covers large temperature ranges, and devices are only stable and reliable at room temperature. Our group has successfully demonstrated that the complete replacement of a conventional liquid electrolyte and the polymeric separator with a single quasi-solid composite electrolyte can extend the temperature range of supercapacitors to 200oC and of LIBs to 150oC. These quasi-solid composites constitute a new class of electrolytes and are formed by the combination of ceramic nanomaterials and high-boiling point organic solvents and room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs). Such an electrolyte system allows us to utilize high energy density metallic lithium as the anode without compromising on safety.
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