Sub-project 8.1

Design of new cooling materials and systems for more durable and safer batteries

Theme 3

High-power lithium-ion battery modules for large-scale energy storage systems must simultaneously keep operating temperatures low and dissipate large amounts of heat generated by internal electrochemical reactions. Excessive heat leads to elevated cell temperatures, which in turn reduces battery performance, accelerates degradation and increases safety risks. Conventional cooling systems often consume additional power, require complex system designs and may suffer from coolant leakage, all of which limit their practicality and long-term reliability.

In partnership with PCI Green and CI Chu’s team, this project will develop a new passive battery cooling system based on phase change inhibited (PCI) materials, which exhibit ultrahigh thermal conductivity compared with conventional cooling materials and systems. By achieving more uniform temperature distribution across cells, the PCI-based system is expected to greatly reduce the risk of thermal runaway, improve the efficiency of energy storage systems and extend battery lifetime. The project will also explore modular PCI cooling designs, supported by multiphysics modelling and data-driven optimisation, to create scalable solutions for future large-scale energy storage applications.

Sub-project 8.3

Development of seawater battery from recycled cathode materials

Theme 3

Lithium-ion batteries are the most popular rechargeable batteries for energy storage systems. However, they pose significant safety risks, including the potential for fire and explosions due to battery failure. Also, the recycling process for lithium-ion and sodiumion batteries is costly, energy-intensive and can lead to significant environmental pollution.

Exploring alternatives and substitutes of lithium-ion batteries as sustainable energy systems is thus imperative to meet the rapid growth of electrification and renewable energy utilization in electric vehicles, portable electronics, and decentralized smart grids. Seawater is a naturally available and abundant resource that covers > 70% of the Earth’s surface and the majority of the Australian population live near the ocean.

Using seawater as the electrolyte in rechargeable seawater batteries to replace the hazardous and toxic organic electrolytes can offer exceptional environmental adaptability and safety. Seawater batteries also use cheap and abundant transition metals as the electrode materials. In addition, this system can provide reliable energy solutions for remote locations and individuals with limited mobility. Enhancing the overall resilience and sustainability of energy storage technologies is critical for supporting less mobile and disabled people in emergency situations.