Grant: Canada Research Chairs

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are dominating current electric vehicles (EVs) and portable electronics markets, but are not considered really sustainable, due to the high cost, severe safety issues, and potential environmental impacts during the fabrication and disposal progresses. The overarching goal of the proposed research by Dr. Xiaolei Wang is to develop low-cost, high-performance, safe and reliable battery technologies that make real and essential contributions to circular economy and sustainability. To achieve the goal, Dr. Wang will lead his research team focusing on: i) designing new and efficient strategies for recycling and upcycling of LIBs electrodes; (ii) developing next-generation alternative battery technologies, particularly rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs), to LIBs and validating the performance; and (iii) exploring new engineering technologies for large-scale production of advanced energy materials and electrodes, and fabricating batteries prototypes towards practical applications. Energy materials play a key role in determining battery performance, Dr. Wang and his team will focus on developing new materials and understanding correlations of material microstructure with their intrinsic electrochemical behaviours. The above mentioned objectives will be completed by: 1) realizing regeneration of lithium transition metal oxides cathode materials and graphite anode materials from spent LIBs via direct re-lithiation strategies; 2) designing and developing new energy materials with excellent and reversible zinc-ion storage capability for ZIBs; and 3) validating and optimizing battery performance at full cell level and extreme conditions for potential commercialization and practical application. Dr. Wang will make great contribution to the new strategies and new materials as well as new concept on batteries making real and essential contributions to sustainability, which is also the novelty of this proposed research. The successful completion of the proposed research will not only advance knowledge of materials science, chemistry, electrochemistry, nanotechnology and clean energy technology but also provide new battery-related technologies, holding great potential in practical applications and making significant contributions to climate change, sustainability, and the society.