Building infiltration – the uncontrolled leakage of air in and out of a building envelope – accounts for a significant portion of the heating and cooling energy for buildings and is estimated to account for nearly 4% of all energy use in the United States. Infiltration can be measured on residential and small commercial buildings using whole building pressurization (blower door) testing after construction is complete, but there is no affordable method for testing larger buildings while under construction or when construction is complete. While building energy codes are changing to set maximum limits of infiltration on new construction, the code changes will not require testing of new commercial construction because of the difficulty involved.

The Acoustic Building Infiltration Measurement System (ABIMS) uses acoustic methods to locate and quantify leak locations on building envelopes. It can be used for buildings of all sizes and can be used while the envelope is still under construction. The technology should allow future commercial building energy code to require infiltration testing on commercial building and allow for affordable quantification of the energy savings benefits of weatherization and infiltration sealing of commercial buildings.

The ABIMS system is being commercialized under the name Sonic Leak Quantifier or SonicLQ. SonicLQ recently won funding from the DOE Lab Corp program to help support commercialization of the technology.

The Invention

Argonne has developed new thin-film, transparent conducting oxide (TCO) coatings for large panel displays and photovoltaic (PV) cells. 

These new TCO coatings are deposited using atomic layer deposition (ALD). ALD employs gaseous precursors to make thin films with thicknesses from atomic mono layer to micron dimensions. This process enables atomic-level control over film thickness and composition, and eliminates line-of-sight or constant-exposure constraints which limit conventional film deposition processes. 

Argonne has scaled up the ALD process and successfully demonstrated conformal coating of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) TCO over 3D nano- and micro-structures at this scale. 

Benefits 

• Improves flat-panel performance due to thinner, more transparent conductive coatings; 
• Reduces materials consumption and expense due to improved coating precision; 
• Provides uniform coating of complex, 3D nano-structures such as electrodes for next-generation PV cells; 
• Eliminates line-of-sight or constant-exposure constraints which limit conventional film deposition processes; and 
• Reduces product rejection resulting from defect free coatings. 

Applications and Industries 

• Photovoltaics 
• Electronics

Developmental Stage 

Proof of concept. The production cost analysis showing advantages over state-of-the-art manufacturing has not yet been completed by Argonne. While the coating process has been demonstrated at scale, the performance of a flat panel display or PV cell has not been physically demonstrated in a full scale device. 

The Invention 

Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have developed a method for creating a new class of platinum multi-metallic catalysts that are not only compositionally stable but also exhibit an advantageous electronic structure with enhanced catalytic properties. 

Using this process, researchers created an alloy of platinum and one or more transition metals (such as cobalt, nickel, iron, titanium, chromium and others). Next, they modified the near surface layers by annealing, which induces formations known as nanosegregated surfaces. These surfaces vastly improve performance by overcoming kinetic limitations for the oxygen reduction reaction. The result is a catalyst particularly advantageous for use in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. 

In the energy industry, fuel cells are rapidly becoming an important component. However, the high cost of manufacturing the platinum catalyst—a required element in a fuel cell—makes fuel cells relatively non-competitive in the commercial world. So far, such catalysts have not been able to demonstrate the performance and life expectancy consistent with a fuel cell’s long-term operation. Argonne’s invention overcomes this limitation. 

Benefits 

• Enhanced catalytic properties that drive improved performance, 
• Greater stability 
• Greater cost-effectiveness 

Applications and Industries 

• Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells 
• Energy storage devices, such as metal-air batteries 
• Magnetic storage devices 
• Automotive industry 

Developmental Stage 

Proof of concept 

• Method to compensate anode for initial irreversible capacity loss 
• Enables lithium- deficient cathode materials through lithium source 

An as-prepared cathode for a secondary battery, the cathode including an alkaline source material including an alkali metal oxide, an alkali metal sulfide, an alkali metal salt, or a combination of any two or more thereof.

The Invention 

A process that includes suspending/dissolving an electro-active material and a carbon precursor in a solvent; and then depositing the carbon precursor on the electro-active material to form a carbon-coated electro-active material. 

The method avoids the high temperature, pressure and manufacturing extremes of conventional chemical vapor deposition and other pyrolysis methods of preparation. When carbon-coated metal oxides (for electro-active materials) are prepared, the metal oxide often reduces to the metal species. Argonne’s method can produce carbon-coated metal oxides without the problems associated with reductions. The carbon precursor can be graphene, graphene oxide, carbon nanotubes, their derivatives or a combination of any two or more such carbon precursors. 

Benefits 

• Carbon-coated materials can be charged and discharged faster than non-coated materials. 
• Using this method, the metal oxide will not reduce to the metal species when coated with carbon. 
• Carbon-coated cathode materials have improved electronic conductivity. 
• With its high capacity and high current rate, carbon-coated materials are ideal for use in lithium batteries for plug-in and electric vehicles. 

Applications and Industries 

Coatings for electrodes used in batteries for 

• Electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; 
• Portable electronic devices; 
• Medical devices; and 
• Space, aeronautical, and defense-related devices. 

Developmental Stage 

Proof of concept 

The Invention 

Two processes are provided. In the first process, an electro-active material is heated and exposed to a reducing gas to form a surface-treatment layer on the electro-active material. The reducing gas comprises hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, an alkane, an alkyne, or an alkene. The process also includes introducing an inert gas with the reducing gas. The surface-treated, electro-active material may be used in a variety of applications such as in a rechargeable lithium battery. 

The second process includes mixing an electro-active material and a reducing agent to form a surface treatment layer on the electro-active material; and then removing the reducing agent. Removal includes vacuuming, filtering, or heating. The reducing agent is hydrazine, NaH, NaBH₄, LiH, LiAlH₄, CaH₂, oxalic acid, formic acid, diisobutylaluminium hydride, zinc amalgam, diborane, a sulfites, dithiothreitol, or Sn/HCl, Fe/HCl. The partially reduced electro-active material can be used in a variety of applications such as a rechargeable lithium battery, a primary lithium battery, or a secondary lithium battery. 

Benefits 

Increased electrical conductivity of cathode materials, which improves the rate capability of the material. By this process the battery can be charged or discharged faster without losing its electrochemical performance. 

Applications and Industries 

Coatings for electrodes used in batteries for 

• Electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; 
• Portable electronic devices; 
• Medical devices; and 
• Space, aeronautical, and defense-related devices. 

Developmental Stage 

Proof of concept 

The Invention 

A process to modify the surface of the active material used in an electrochemical device. The modification agent can be a silane, organometallic compound, or a mixture of two or more of such compounds. Both negative and positive electrodes for lithium-ion batteries can be made from the surface-modified active materials. Surface modification can be accomplished by either adding the agent to a non-aqueous electrolyte used in constructing a battery, or by treating the materials in a gas phase or in a solution. 

Benefits 

• Increased safety and life of lithium-ion batteries, as the surface modification prevents a catalytic reaction in lithium-ion cells that generates hydrogen gas, which can lead to substantial power fade of the cell and potential explosions. 
• Includes methods and molecules as additives that enable electrode modification.

Applications and Industries 

Coatings for electrodes used in batteries for 

• Electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; 
• Portable electronic devices; 
• Medical devices; and 
• Space, aeronautical, and defense-related devices.

Developmental Stage 

Reduced to practice 

2012 R&D 100 Award Winner

The Invention 

A unique method to control the composition gradient of materials in lithium-ion cathodes. The material particles created using this method are nickel-rich on the inside for a high capacity battery, and manganese-rich on the exterior surface for increased safety and stability. 

The process includes combining a first transition metal compound with a second transition metal compound to form a transition metal source solution, and combining that solution with a precipitating agent to form a precursor solution. The radius of precipitating particles consists of a transition metal oxide core and at least two layers of transition metal oxide. The particles have a transition metal concentration gradient in which the ratio of the first transition metal to the second transition metal is inversely proportional to the radius of the particle over at least a portion of the radius. The transition metal used in the first and second transition metal compounds include manganese, cobalt, nickel, chromium, vanadium, aluminum, zinc, sodium, titanium or iron. The first and second transition metal compounds can also include, but are not limited to, metal sulfates, nitrates, halides, acetates or citrates. 

Benefits 

• Creates a gradient of different materials for increased safety and stability; 
• Gradient runs throughout the entire radius of the particle; 
• Particles are ideally small, 10-20 microns in size; and 
• Leads to high-capacity batteries. 

Applications and Industries 

The particles can be used to create composite cathodes in batteries for 

• Electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; 
• Portable electronic devices; 
• Medical devices; and 
• Space, aeronautical, and defense-related devices. 

Developmental Stage 

Reduced to practice 

Technology Overview 

Argonne’s family of manganese and lithium rich materials includes a range of cathode structures, including layered-type structures, spinel-type structures, rocksalt-type structures, and combinations thereof. For example, ​“layered-layered-spinel” materials with high-rate and stable voltage that are composed of lithium manganese nickel oxides have been discovered and can be used to replace high-energy multi- component ​“layered-layered” type or single-phase high-rate spinel-type structures for lithium cells and batteries. 
See Surface structures, treatments and coatings for high-voltage lithium metal oxide electrodes for complementary surface treatment and coating technologies. 

Benefits 

• These new material compositions provide substantially higher capacities than state-of-the-art layered lithium/cobalt/nickel/oxide materials, such as nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC).
• Due to the spinel component, these cathodes are endowed with high power where they can be charged and discharged rapidly. 
• The multi-component nature of these materials can be optimized in the phase space in the figure according to the manufacturer’s needs. 
• Manganese is less expensive to use and more chemically benign than cobalt or nickel. Either low-cost elements and/or other elements may be doped into the structure to provide better performance, at a lower cost, as needed.

Applications and Industries 

Electrodes used in batteries for: 

• Electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles,
• Stationary energy storage systems,
• Portable electronic devices, 
• Medical devices, and 
• Space, aeronautical, and defense-related devices. 

Developmental Stage 

Ready for commercialization.