Ester and Carbonate-Based Low Temperature Electrolytes in High Specific Energy and High Power 18650 Li-Ion Cells for Future NASA Missions

摘要

NASA continues to have an interest in developing high specific energy and high power rechargeable batteries that can operate well over a wide temperature range. Concepts for applications that could be enabled or enhanced by such technology include: (i) future Mars landers, (ii) future Mars rovers, including a possible Mars Sample Return mission, and (iii) future planetary aerial vehicles, where high specific energy, high power and wide operating temperature range is desired. Future missions to some of the distant icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn are also anticipated to benefit from improved ultra-low temperature rechargeable batteries with high specific energy. To meet these needs, the Electrochemical Technologies Group (ETG) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has developed a number of low temperature Li-ion electrolytes utilizing various approaches. In general, the performance targets of this work is to provide operation over the temperature range of +40°C to -60°C (delivering up to 150 Wh/kg at -40°C at reasonable rates). In addition, continuous operation at low temperatures is desired, so the cells should possess good charge characteristics without undesirable lithium plating.