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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/S001298/2
Title: 2-Dimensional Materials for Novel Battery Electrodes
Principal Investigator: Cullen, Dr PL
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
ISIS Thomas Swan
Department: School of Engineering & Materials Scienc
Organisation: Queen Mary University of London
Scheme: EPSRC Fellowship - NHFP
Starts: 05 April 2020 Ends: 01 January 2023 Value (£): 418,627
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Energy Storage
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Energy
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
There is an urgent need for the development and manufacture of advanced batteries for the electrification of vehicles in order to enable long, energy efficient trips on a single, fast charge with minimal loss of capacity and exceptionally high safety standards. Critical to achieving this aim is improving the capability of battery technology. The UK requires a home-built industry in lithium ion batteries. To achieve this objective, the UK government has initiated the Faraday Challenge (£246M over 5 years) and Faraday Institution, which have highlighted materials innovation as an essential ingredient for realising batteries of the future.

During my career to date, I have developed a transformative new technology which allows for the scalable production of novel layered compounds from undamaged liquids containing undamaged, individualised 2-dimensional (2D) materials that can act as building blocks to achieve engineered battery electrodes with significantly improved capacity, durability and power to enable the widespread electrification of vehicles. Importantly, and in contrast to most competing methods, the process of fabricating the single layered materials is truly scalable. Part of the innovation process of this project will be to accelerate commercialisation of these 2D materials through creation of a UCL spin-out company to manufacture 2D materials on a large scale.

The Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) has set targets for electrical energy storage, to increase energy and power density whilst reducing price. Novel Lithium-ion and sodium-ion electrodes with increased capacity and kinetics that are cost efficient can contribute to this goal. In this project, working in the Department of Chemical Engineering, UCL, I will create new layered material constructs for battery electrodes, which will be tuned to the needs of the electric vehicle manufacturers. These novel layered material electrodes will be developed from lab scale to pilot scale in collaboration with Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG). Novel in-situ characterisation techniques will be developed for advanced characterisation of battery materials. Thomas Swan Ltd. will assist with knowledge in the scale-up of solutions of 2D materials, and provide commercial materials. IP will be developed in both the synthesis of the novel layered materials and the scaled-up processing steps required for optimised electrode performance in a car battery.

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