Design of material architecture in structural batteries through topology optimization

Structural batteries are multifunctional materials capable of both storing electrical energy and providing structural rigidity. As such, structural batteries have the potential to enhance the efficiency of electrical vehicles by integrating the electrical and structural systems, thereby reducing vehicle weight, and potentially volume. The traditional architecture of structural batteries can be roughly described as a laminated material usually composed of a lithium compound cathodes, electrolyte, and carbon fiber anodes. Unfortunately, the energy density and stiffness properties are inherently conflicting in structural batteries, as the former benefits from the electrolyte’s fluidity and the later benefits from its rigidity. Therefore, much research has been done in developing new electrolyte materials with better trade-off between the ion conductivity and stiffness. In this talk we will discuss the use of topology optimization to improve the performance of structural batteries, and explore manufacturable material architectures to achieve this goal.