Control and impact of moisture content in solvents used in electrolytes for Li-O2 batteries

• Grant number: 20/05626-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2020
• End date: August 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Gustavo Doubek
• Grantee: Guilherme Eduardo Ignacio
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Company: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ)
• Associated research grant: 17/11958-1 - CINE - Advanced Energy Storage Division, AP.PCPE

Abstract

The development of energy storage devices has been a focus on the development of reliable renewable energy solutions. In this context, lithium-O2 batteries deserve special attention because, even though they present a theoretical capacity about one order of magnitude higher than lithium-ion batteries, their development into a commercially available solution comes with many challenges. Among these challenges, in aprotic batteries, the control of moisture content in the system, mainly in the electrolyte, deeply influences the working principles and the performance of the battery. Therefore, this undergraduate research project aims to investigate the kinetics of water adsorption using 3Å zeolite from solvents (DMSO and TEGDME) used in the electrolyte composition. Deep discharge trials followed by morphological characterization of electrodes will provide information to determine the influence of the water content in the discharge process. Results of adsorption kinetics will be used to precisely control the production of advanced energy storage devices and will optimize the use of molecular sieves in this process. Moreover, the study of the discharged batteries will provide relevant information to the research group and to the development of more reliable lithium-air batteries.