Kelsey Hatzell, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, has received a National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development grant.
The five-year, $515,600 grant— Understanding Interfaces in Solid State Energy Storage Systems and Cross-Disciplinary Education—begins June 1, 2019.
Advanced lithium-ion batteries for vehicles and for renewable electricity grid storage could improve domestic energy security but performance gaps in cost and battery life limit their use. The main cause of battery failure is undesirable chemical side reactions inside the device that are difficult to quantify and to understand.
Hatzell will conduct fundamental research on advanced solid-state hybrid electrolytes that show potential for greater energy density while remaining safe to use.
“These hybrid electrolytes could replace liquid organic electrolytes that have had issues with long cycle life and high energy densities. The active material’s (lithium ion) transport within the electrolyte and to the electrode is not fully understood in these hybrids,” Hatzell said.