There are many potential equipment platforms both commercial and military that require enabling battery technology with a specific energy greater than 400 watt hours per kilogram. These platforms include electric vehicles, high altitude airships, and electrically powered unmanned aerial vehicles all of which have the potential to significantly affect the United States commercial and military economies.
Mobile Energy Products Inc. (MEPI) is developing advanced bipolar lithium ion cell chemistry that has the potential to bring into being batteries that have a specific energy greater than 400 watt hours per kilogram. MEPI is working with the Energy Storage Research Group (ESRG) of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey to develop such a chemistry based on nanocomposite materials.
The cell chemistry when incorporated into MEPI bipolar lithium ion technology is expected to yield batteries that can produce power over a wide temperature range at reasonable current rates. Although initial testing indicates that cells with a moderate cycle life will be initially produced, it is expected that the nanocomposite material has the potential with further development to produce cells which have long cycle life and good shelf life which will allow the batteries to have a long useful life.
Because the bipolar lithium ion fabrication technology is based on proven commercial processes and utilizes inexpensive raw materials the batteries are expected to be cost competitive in the commercial and military markets.
This paper will present design data that will show the characteristics and the capabilities of the advanced bipolar lithium ion cells to meet the requirements for developing batteries which can enable batteries with a specific energy greater than 400 watt-hours per kilogram over a range of temperatures.