The Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR government held the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus (RAISe+) Scheme Signing Ceremony on 28 May 2024 and announced the results of the Scheme’s first round of review.
A research project from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has been awarded RAISe+ funding, showcasing the University’s commitment to promoting excellence in research and innovation, and to creating impact in the community by translating its world-class scientific research into real-world applications.
The funded project, titled “Pilot and Mass Production of Next-Generation Composite Current Collectors for Mobility and Energy Storage Batteries (New Materials and New Energy)”, is led by Prof. Zijian ZHENG, Chair Professor of Soft Materials and Devices and Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology.
This project aims to develop an ultrathin, ultralight, flexible and durable composite film to serve as a current collector (CC) for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) and future solid-state Li batteries, aiming at boosting their energy density. The CC is an essential component for the conduction of electrons during the charge/discharge process in LIBs.
However, CCs do not contribute to the energy storage in batteries. Therefore, reducing their thickness and weight is an efficient approach to improving the energy density of batteries, a consistent goal in the battery industry over the past decades. Currently, commercial LIBs use copper and aluminum foils as CCs in the anode and the cathode, respectively, the densities of which are thus high. Further reduction of the thickness or weight of metal foils has encountered a bottleneck due to mechanical reliability and processibility. The composite CC developed by the group is 80%~85% lighter and 65%~80% thinner than the current metal foils, with a cost reduction of 40%~60%. Importantly, compared to metal foils, the composite CC better maintains electron and thermal conductivity, chemical and electrochemical stability, and compatibility with various electrode materials. It increases the gravimetric energy density of LIBs by 20%~25% and the volumetric energy density by 9%~12%.
