Materials Engineering for High-Energy-Density Batteries: Challenges and Breakthroughs

Materials Engineering for High-Energy-Density Batteries: Challenges and Breakthroughs

Dr. Soheil Mohtaram [Lead Guest Editor]

University of Shanghai for Science and Technology,

Shanghai 200093, China

Email: s.mohtaram@usst.edu.cn, mohtaramsoheil@gmail.com  

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=eQ7b95wAAAAJ&hl=en

Dr. Soheila Kookalani [Co-Guest Editors]

Department of Engineering

University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Email: sk2268@cam.ac.uk

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=iYefYfkAAAAJ&hl=en  

Dr. Saman Momeni [Co-Guest Editors]

School of Science and Engineering,

Sharif University of Technology, Iran.

Email: saman_momeni@alum.sharif.edu

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=wnfP4dgAAAAJ&hl=en

Background:

Materials Engineering for High-Density Energy Storage offers a comprehensive exploration of techniques and strategies to enhance the performance of next-generation batteries. The lithium cobalt oxide battery, recognized as the lithium-ion battery with the highest energy density, finds widespread application in watches, vehicles, laptops, cellphones, and various small devices. Diversifying battery capacity and power density is addressed through innovative anode battery materials, including lithium titanate (LTO), titanium oxide, activated carbon, carbon black, powdered graphene, conductive additives, mixed metal nanocomposites, and surface-functionalized silicon. This process involves creating granules by shredding constituent components, followed by a drying phase. Key elements such as aluminum, copper, polymers, and a black, powdery combination containing essential raw ingredients (lithium, nickel, manganese, cobalt, and graphite) are generated during manufacturing. Li-ion battery technology currently leads in energy density, surpassing other cutting-edge storage methods. The production of Li-ion batteries (LIBs) necessitates vital raw ingredients, including graphite, cobalt, manganese, and lithium. The rising importance of lithium-ion battery (LIB) cell manufacturing for automobiles, driven by the increasing deployment of electric vehicles, underscores the significance of various metals like nickel, cobalt, aluminum, manganese, and lithium in LIBs. These metals are integral to the anode, cathode, and electrolyte components of the battery. Addressing the simultaneous challenges of increasing energy density and optimizing battery lifespan is a primary focus in battery design, where Li-ion chemistry has achieved superior combinations compared to prior technologies.

Technological advancements have introduced notable challenges such as labor and material shortages, construction delays in gigafactories for large-scale battery production, and competition for resources in the supply chain. Ensuring dependability, effectiveness, and safety is paramount. Lithium-ion batteries face the risk of thermal runaway, a chemical process triggered by factors like overvoltage and high temperatures. A prominent contemporary challenge lies in the significant electrochemical performance degradation of LIBs at low temperatures, resulting in energy and power loss, charging difficulties, lifetime degradation, and safety concerns. An upcoming development to monitor is the emergence of "solid-state" batteries, which substitute ceramics or other solid materials for the liquid electrolyte in lithium-ion batteries. Additionally, cutting-edge lithium-sulfur batteries represent a significant advancement, offering the potential to store up to five times more energy at half the cost of conventional lithium-ion batteries. This special issue on Materials Engineering for High-Energy-Density Batteries: Challenges and Breakthroughs invites researchers, scientists, and experts in the field to contribute their latest findings, innovative research, and insights addressing the critical issues and breakthroughs in materials engineering for high-energy-density batteries.

Topics covered:

5. Current Obstacles and Developments in High-Capacity Li-Rich Cathode Materials for Elevated Energy Density
5. Exploring Opportunities and Constraints of Solid Organic Electrolytes in the Quest for High-Energy-Density Lithium Metal Batteries
5. Perspectives and Recent Advancements in High-Energy Layered Oxide Cathode Materials
5. Advancements in Energy Chemistry Engineering for the Next Generation of Lithium Batteries
6. Navigating the Promise and Reality of High Energy Density Post-Lithium-Ion Batteries
5. Trends in Affordable, High-Power, and High-Energy Density Lithium-Ion Batteries
5. Expanding Horizons: Sulfidic Battery Cells with High Energy Density
5. Innovative Design Approaches for Aqueous Zinc Cells with High Energy Density
5. Beyond Lithium-Ion: The Extended Commercialization Journey of High-Energy Batteries
5. Exploring the High Potential of Energy Density Capacitors
5. Revolutionizing Energy Storage: High Energy Density Batteries with Lithium and Air-Stable Inorganic Solid-State Electrolytes
5. Recent Strides in Aqueous Rechargeable Batteries: High Voltage and Great Energy Density

Professional biograph of each guest editor:

Dr.Soheil Mohtaram currently holds the position of Research Fellow at the School of Energy and Power Engineering, situated at the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (USST) in Shanghai, China. In addition to his research role, he serves as a respected Advisory Board Member for the journal "Thermal Science and Engineering Progress," published by Elsevier. His research pursuits are profoundly rooted in the quest for clean and highly efficient energy conversion systems. His scholarly inquiries encompass intricate facets such as pioneering cycle innovations, judicious selection of optimal working fluids, rigorous optimization of system parameters, and the meticulous design of components within energy systems. These research avenues are intricately aligned with applications in waste heat recovery, solar energy harnessing, and geothermal energy systems.

Dr.Soheila Kookalani holds the position of research associate at Cambridge University, where she is actively engaged in the "Reuse of Structural Steel in Construction (RESTOR)" project. Her research is characterized by a multifaceted skill set, spanning the disciplines of architecture, civil engineering, and computer science. She specializes in leveraging machine learning-based computing and generative models to enhance structural design and optimization. Her overarching mission is to seamlessly integrate state-of-the-art technologies into the construction sector, fueled by a deep-seated commitment to advancing sustainable building practices.

Dr. Saman Momeni received his Ph.D., M.Sc., and B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, Iran. He has published several research articles in peer-reviewed journal conferences, and he has taught several courses at universities at the graduate and undergraduate levels. As a professional engineer, Dr. Momeni has extensive experience in mechanical engineering, including oil and gas.

Submission procedure

Prospective authors are invited to submit their papers by following the instructions on the website of Journal of New Materials for Electrochemical Systems (JNMES):

https://www.iieta.org/Journals/JNMES/Instructions%20for%20Authors

You can send directly your manuscript to the lead guest editor: Dr. Soheil Mohtaram. Email: s.mohtaram@usst.edu.cn, mohtaramsoheil@gmail.com

The submitted manuscripts should not have been previously published, nor should they be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere.