Type: Fundamental and applied research project of the Latvian Council of Science
Agreement No: Nr. lzp-2020/1-0391
Duration: 2021 - 2023
Project Leader: Dr.chem. Guntars Vaivars
Project partners: University of Latvia, Faculty of Chemistry
Total budget: 300 000 EUR
ISSP UL budget: 214 530 EUR
Project description:
The development of lithium batteries changed such areas as an electric transport and electrical grid stabilisation devices. However, the new technology is limited by lithium and cobalt resources. At the same time the sodium resources are abundant and practically not limited. It renew the interest on sodium-ion batteries. Sodium ion conducting electrolyte is a basic component of them. Solid electrolytes would be more technological as currently used liquid ones and they are relevant for next generation batteries- sodium-ion polymer batteries. It is planned in this project to develop the new electrolytes for sodium-ion polymer batteries – the membranes based on polymer composites with ionic liquids. The advantage is a possibility to combine in one material both liquid and solid properties. Ionic liquid synthesis will be focused on developing innovative materials with a high and selective sodium ion transport as well as decreased hygroscopicity of the final composite. At the end of project the new membranes will be used for sodium-ion polymer batteries prototype.
The tasks of ISSP UL:
- Polymer membrane composites with ionic liquids: synthesis, characterization.
- Characterization in electrochemical cell with metallic sodium, assembly of prototype electrochemical cell.
Project progress
2021. January- December
Imidazolium based ionic liquids synthesized at Faculty of Chemistry (University of Latvia). The structure and electrical properties have been characterized at Institute of Solid State Physics for pristine ionic liquid and after dissolving sodium salt. It was done in a glove-box. The ionic liquid with sodium salt was used for preparing the composite SPEEK membrane and based on that the solid sodium-ion battery prototype. The characteristics of the sodium-ion battery have been monitored.