Eunice Cunha
INEGI, Portugal
Title: Designing Solid Polymer Electrolytes and Electrodes for Structural Batteries
Biography
Biography: Eunice Cunha
Abstract
The development of novel transportation systems is highly dependent on energy and sustainability. Considering the impact of fossil fuels, global warming and widespread pollution, the need for green, renewable, and alternative energy sources and storage systems is vital. The combination of solid-state batteries and structures has been studied and presented as an innovative solution that will enable novel electric mobility. A structural composite battery can reduce packaging and installation apparatus, improving the ratio between the stored energy and mass of the system, enabling novel safe and robust solutions.
In this work, carbon fibres, recognized for their outstanding strength- and stiffness-to-weight ratio, will be studied simultaneously as the electrode and as the structural reinforcement. Additionally, the substitution of traditional liquid electrolytes by stable polymeric solid electrolytes composites will be explored. Solid polymer electrolytes are non- flammable materials that are not only capable of carrying mechanical loads and withstanding thermal variations, but also capable of providing high energy efficiency at a competitive cost. The next generation of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite structural batteries will result in a considerable overall mass-saving and show great potential to revolutionize the future design of electric mobility.