Recovery Act - Scale-up of the Nanomanufacturing of Coated Powders for Superior Battery Electrode Materials

There is significant opportunity for energy efficiency improvements in the industrial and manufacturing sectors in the U.S., both from the production and consumption perspective. Higher energy density battery materials will play a role in both, through improved storage of electricity from renewable sources, the enabling of electric vehicles, and through the development of longer lasting, higher power batteries for small personal devices. In order to insure that the U.S. remains the leader in the global manufacturing sector, it is imperative that known nanotechnology-enabled solutions be scaled-up such that the generational gains that will be made by first-to-market products, are made by U.S. companies and use flexible, responsible, lean manufacturing techniques. A nanotechnology-enabled route to produce superior battery electrode materials with enhanced dispersability and improved corrosion resistance has been developed, and can be applied to many types of batteries. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: This Phase I proposal includes the two-pronged approach of the validation of a novel nanomanufacturing process, and the simultaneous provision of nano-encapsulated particles with enhanced dispersability and corrosion resistance to the market leader in the alkaline battery market. The follow-on Phase II work will involve the construction of a series of inexpensive, modular, high-throughput reactors to achieve production levels of tons per year. This technique can not only revolutionize the battery industry, but can also supplant many existing particle coating processes that are energy intensive and waste significant amounts of raw materials due to the `overbuilding