This KEW technology concerns a smart, thermally-responsive polymer based high performance electrolyte for safe, reliable, and cost-effective applications of large format lithium-ion batteries in grid energy storage. The electrolyte has a self-management safety mechanism that can detect both localized and global overheating and thermal runaway in the large lithium-ion battery and automatically shut off or substantially slow down the battery operation to prevent thermal failure and the associated hazardous conditions and safety issues. Compared to traditional electrolytes in lithium batteries that are unstable and flammable, the application of this thermally stable, high performance electrolyte will substantially increase the thermal management capability of large lithium-ion batteries, reduce the potential for overheating and thermal runaway, increase the battery lifetime, reduce the battery replacement and disposal costs, make the battery reliable for electrical grid application, enhance the integration of renewable energy into the grid, improve the competitiveness of renewable energy production sources, improve the grid quality and performance, and bring energy and cost savings to utility companies and end-users.
The development and use of KEW's highly efficient, cost-effective, and smart thermally responsive electrolyte will provide a comprehensive solution to the safety and performance issues of lithium-ion batteries for grid-scale energy storage applications. While exhibiting a high conductivity and thermal and chemical stability at normal operating temperatures, the smart electrolyte substantially reduces its ion conductivity when the temperature increases beyond the specific threshold, thereby inhibiting battery operation at elevated temperature where thermal instabilities occur. The battery returns to normal operation when the temperature decreases to the operation range. This cost effective and highly efficient electrolyte prevents the potential thermal failure, improves the battery safety, and increases the battery lifetime. The successful development and commercialization of this electrolyte technology will expedite the widespread application of large scale lithium-ion batteries in energy storage systems.