UC San Diego

Batteries are a crucial component in the transition to renewable energy required to combat catastrophic climate change. The development of rechargeable batteries is a multi-scale issue requiring understanding and innovation from atomistic material science all the way through international infrastructure and financial modeling. At each scale of development, multi-faceted approaches to design and innovation are required, ranging from quantum mechanical modeling through electrochemical and mechanical engineering to economic analyses.In this thesis, a top-down approach is used, exploring economics of large-scale batteries for grid use, moving through mechanical design of housing for battery cells using novel electrolytes, and finally electrochemical design and molecular level characterization of these novel electrolytes. At the grid scale, models of storage connected to the California energy grid are used to show how the duty-cycles (power profiles) of different applications affect different battery chemistries. Critical tradeoffs between battery chemistries, energy applicability and revenue generation in various markets on the California grid are revealed. Accurate revenue measurement can only be achieved if realistic battery operation in each application is considered. At the cell scale, methods, systems and devices are described for implementing electrochemical energy storage devices using novel liquefied gas solvents in the conventional and manufacturable 18650 form-factor for next-generation Li-metal batteries and beyond. An enhanced safety feature inherent in liquefied gas electrolytes is also demonstrated. Finally, at the molecular scale, the viability of using difluoromethane as the primary liquefied gas solvent which has lower pressure, lower flammability and improved maximum temperature operation characteristics. The multi-scale approach used in this dissertation provides insight and understanding to a range of battery storage technologies and helps to lower the risk of adoption of a novel class of electrolytes for next-generation batteries.