NASA/TM--2001-210217

Polymer Energy Rechargeable System

(PERS) Development Program

Richard S. Baldwin, Michelle A. Manzo, and Penni J. Dalton

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Richard A. Marsh

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio

Rao Surampudi

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

Prepared for the

39th Power Sources Conference

cosponsored by the U.S. Army Power Sources Center of Excellence,

and U.S. Army CECOM

Cherry Hill, New Jersey, June 12-15, 2000

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Glenn Research Center

May 2001

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Polymer Energy Rechargeable System (PERS)

Development Program

Richard S. Baldwin, Michelle A. Manzo and Penni J. Dalton

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Glenn Research Center

Cleveland, Ohio 44135

Richard A. Marsh

Air Force Research Laboratory

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433

Rao Surampudi

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Pasadena, California 91109

Abstract

The National Aeronautics and Space

Administration (NASA) and the Air Force

Research Laboratory (AFRL) have recently

established a collaborative effort to support

the development of polymer-based, lithiumbased cell chemistries and battery

technologies to address the next generation

of aerospace applications and mission needs.

The overall objective of this development

program, which is referred to as PERS,

Polymer Energy Rechargeable System, is to

establish a world-class technology capability

and U.S. leadership in polymer-based battery

technology for aerospace applications.

Programmatically, the PERS initiative will

exploit both interagency collaborations to

address common technology and engineering

issues and the active participation of

academia and private industry. The initial

program phases will focus on R&D activities

to address the critical technical issues and

challenges at the cell level.

Background

Rechargeable lithium-based battery

technologies offer significant performance

advantages and cost benefits for a variety of

future aerospace, as well as terrestrial

missions. Major projected advantages over

more conventional battery technologies

include reduced mass and volume of the

energy storage system, enhanced system

reliability and flexibility and lower power

system life-cycle costs. NASA is considering

the utilization of lithium-based batteries in

many future aerospace applications such as

planetary landers, planetary rovers, planetary

orbiters, Earth-orbiting spacecraft for both

geosynchronous (GEO) and low-Earth-orbit

(LEO) missions, reusable launch vehicles

(RLVs) and astronaut equipment. In addition,

the feasibility of replacing the hydraulic

Auxiliary Propulsion Unit (APU) of the existing

Space Transportation System with an

electrically controlled system that will utilize

lithium-based batteries is being assessed.

The U.S. Air Force also envisions the use of

lithium-based batteries in various

applications, such as unmanned aerial

vehicles, military aircraft and Earth-orbiting

spacecraft. Other governmental agencies,

including the Department of Energy (DOE)

and the Department of Defense (DoD), also

envision the future use of lithium-based

battery technologies to enhance or to enable

their specific mission needs.

Cell and battery requirements for future

NASA and Air Force missions span a wide

range and are determined by specific mission

NASA/TM--2001-210217 l
needs, as shown in Table 1. For example,

LEO spacecraft and planetary orbiters require

batteries that can provide greater than 30,000

cycles at up to 30-40% depth-of-discharge

(DOD). GEO applications will require a long

calendar life in excess of twenty years.

Planetary missions such as rovers and

landers require batteries that are capable of

operating at low temperatures following the

long stand time associated with travel to

reach the planet. Some aircraft and RLV

applications require high voltage and high

capacity batteries with the capability of

performing over a very wide temperature

range. Commercially available lithium-based

cells fail to meet many of the aerospace

mission requirements, and the safety of high

capacity cells and batteries is also a serious

concern for aerospace applications. State-ofthe-art lithium-ion cells need significant

performance improvements in several areas

in order to address aerospace mission needs.

In order to address the advancement of the

state-of-the-art of lithium-ion cells and

batteries to meet NASA and Air Force

mission needs, a collaborative DoD/NASA

program effort has been ongoing since 1997.

The program utilizes a technical approach

focusing on cell design optimization and the

development of advanced electrode materials

and liquid electrolytes to achieve improved

low-temperature performance and cycle life.

The program objectives include (1) the

development of high performance lithium-ion

cells and batteries along with (2) the

development of control electronics for "smart"

battery management, (3) the establishment of

production sources and (4) the demonstration

of technology readiness for various mission

applications. This program is well

established, and results obtained thus far

indicate that significant lithium-ion cell

performance improvements are being

realized.

To address the electrochemical energy

storage needs for the next generation of

aerospace applications, advanced lithiumbased cell chemistries that are coupled with

solid-state and/or polymer-based component

concepts are envisioned to be missionenhancing and mission-enabling

technologies. For such future applications,

the energy storage subsystem must have

minimal mass, while meeting the power

requirements of the spacecraft or of the

mission-specific device. The current view is

that no single cell chemistry will optimally

meet all aerospace mission needs. The

successful development of such advance

technologies will also have significant impact

on commercial and terrestrial applications.

PERS Program Overview

Recently, NASA and the AFRL have

expanded collaborative efforts to support the

development of polymer-based, lithium-based

cell chemistries and battery technologies in

order to address future aerospace mission

needs. The overall objective of this

development program, which is referred to as

PERS, Polymer Energy Rechargeable

System, is to establish a world-class

technology capability and a U.S.-based

manufacturing resource that will ensure U.S.

leadership in polymer-based battery

technology for aerospace applications. Once

developed, this technology is envisioned to

be superior to other conventional battery

technologies.

Advanced lithium-based cell chemistries

coupled with polymer-based component

concepts offer numerous advantages over

battery systems employing a liquid

electrolyte. An all-solid cell design, which

contains no free liquid, offers inherent safety

advantages, e.g., no internal pressure

buildup, and affords a reduction in system

complexity. As the same high unit cell

voltages that are exhibited by lithium-based

liquid electrolyte cells are achievable, higher

specific energies and energy densities,

coupled with lower self-discharge rates, are

also projected improvements for solid

electrolyte cell concepts. A flexible shape

factor in cell design will enable integration of

the energy storage system with structural or

other subsystem entities. Also, the

NASA/TM--2001-210217 2
exploitation of polymer film-based

manufacturing technologies is projected to

result in significant production cost

reductions.

The PERS program will address both nearterm and far-term R&D issues and technical

challenges that are critical for successful

development of the polymer-based battery

technology. The initial phases of the program

will focus on the development of the critical

cell components in order to achieve

necessary levels of performance. This

includes the development of solid polymer

electrolytes, the development of anode and

cathode materials that are compatible with

the electrolyte and the achievement of

desired electrode/electrolyte interfacial

properties. The programmatic approach to

be taken for this critical component

development is to support as many novel

R&D concepts and technical approaches as

are viable. Some examples of far-term

issues and needs are component/cell scaleup, cell/battery designs to address specific

applications, complex charge control

requirements, subsystem integration issues,

thin-film fabrication technologies and the

establishment of appropriate manufacturing

processes.

The primary near-term PERS program focus

is to support the development of a solid

polymer electrolyte(s) that exhibits the

technical performance necessary for

achieving a viable cell/battery. The

electrolyte performance requirements include

(1) an ionic conductivity of -10 .3 S/cm or

higher in the desired operational temperature

range (e.g., -40°C to +65°C), (2) a lithium-ion

transport number approaching unity, (3)low

interfacial impedance, (4) chemical

compatibility with electrode materials, (5) a

large window of electrochemical stability, (6)

low electronic conductivity, (7) good

dimensional and thermal stability and (8)

mechanical properties that allow scale-up of

the manufacturing process. Electrolyte

chemistries and concepts under

consideration include (1) polymer electrolytes

based on "solvent-free" binary salt

complexes, (2) cation-conducting

polyelectrolytes, (3) polymer-ceramic

composites, (4) inorganic-organic hybrids and

(5) hybrid/gelled systems.

Envisioned as a multi-year effort with initial

programmatic emphasis on the development

of critical cell components and technologies,

the PERS program is structured as a

collaborative and cooperative national

interagency technology development

initiative. This approach will not only

leverage existing government-sponsored

related R&D programs, but it will ensure the

effective utilization of government funding,

skills and resources to address technology

and engineering issues of mutual interest. In

February 2000, an Interagency PERS

Program Working Group meeting was held to

aid in creating the collaborative

intragovernmental relationships that are

currently being defined and pursued. This

forum was invaluable in assessing current

R&D programs, identifying key technical

issues, and discussing areas of mutual

interest for collaboration.

As previously mentioned, the initial phases of

the PERS program will focus on addressing

the key technology issues and challenges

that exist at the cell and component level. In

addition to exploiting interagency

collaborations, this will be accomplished

programmatically by (1) the effective

utilization of internal NASA and AFRL

facilities, resources and expertise in

electrochemistry, battery technology, polymer

chemistry and materials science and (2) the

collaborative and interactive involvement of

both academia and private industry. Several

fundamental research investigations in

support of the PERS program objectives are

in progress, and, recently, a major solicitation

seeking new R&D opportunities to pursue has

been publicly announced.

The active involvement of the academic and

business communities in the PERS program

fundamental R&D activities is presently being

addressed via the mechanism of a NASA

Research Announcement (NRA). This

NASA/TM--2001-210217 3
solicitation for research proposals for open

competition focuses on the development of

the polymer electrolyte and other cell

components of interest to meet envisioned

cell-level performance requirements. All

polymer-based cell chemistries and concepts

are being considered, and successful offerors

will be expected to be able to substantiate

incremental progress in demonstrating

technical feasibility by meeting short-term

milestones within their PERS-supported

programs.

Several NASA-funded, short-term

fundamental research investigations that

support the PERS program R&D objectives

have been initiated within the past several

years. The focus of these investigations is to

evaluate a diversity of solid polymer

electrolyte chemistries and conceptual

approaches and to perform a preliminary

assessment of the "practical" technical

feasibility of utilizing these exploratory

materials for "liquid-free" lithium-ion transport

in lithium-based rechargeable cells. The

results of these investigations will be made

available in the open literature, as

appropriate.

Although still in its infancy, the NASA/Air

Force PERS program is committed to the

achievement of the future realization of a

world-class technology capability and U.S.

leadership in polymer-based battery

technology. This realization will address

NASA and DoD far-term mission needs, as

well as supporting the advancement of

energy storage technologies for existing

aerospace applications.

Parameter NASA

Rovers

Nominal Voltage 14 28

BOL/EOL Capacity (AE D 7 20

Temp Range (°C) -30 to -20 to

+45 +45

Life (Cycles) >500 >500

Discharge Rate C/5 to C/5 to

1C 1C

Charge Rate C/5 to C/5 to

C/2 C/2

DOD (%) 50 50

NASA AF AF AF NASA

Landers Aircraft Aircraft GEO GEO

(A) (n)

270 28 100 28

20 20 50 20

-40 to -40 to -5 to -5 to

+65 +65 +30 +30

1,000 1,000 1,500 1,000

C C 2C/3 2C/3

C C C/20 C/20

50 50 75 75

(max) (max)

AF AF NASA

UAVs LEO LEO/Plan

Orbiter

100 28 28

200 50 20

-40 to + 65 -5 to -5 to +30

+30

1,000 30,000 >30,000

C C C

C C/2 C/2

50 25 30 - 40

Table 1. Cell and battery requirements for NASA and Air Force aerospace missions.

NASA/TM--2001-210217 4

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May 2001 Technical Memorandum

4. TITLE AND SUbTiTLE

Polymer Energy Rechargeable System (PERS) Development Program

6. AUTHOR(S)

Richard S. Baldwin, Michelle A. Manzo, Penni J. Dalton, Richard A. Marsh,

Rao Surampudi

7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field

Cleveland, Ohio 44135 -3191

9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Washington, DC 20546-0001

5. FUNDING NUMBERS

WU-755-20-O0-00

8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION

REPORT NUMBER

E-12336

10. SPONSORING/MONITORING

AGENCY REPORT NUMBER

NASA TM--2001-210217

11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

Prepared for the 39th Power Sources Conference cosponsored by the U.S. Army Power Sources Center of Excellence,

and U.S. Army CECOM, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, June 12-15, 2000. Richard S. Baldwin, Michelle A. Manzo, and

Penni J. Dalton, NASA Glenn Research Center; Richard A. Marsh, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson

Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio 45433; and Rao Surampudi, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California 91109.

Responsible person, Richard S. Baldwin, organization code, 5420 216--433-6156.

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Subject Categories: 20, 27 and 07 Distribution: Nonstandard

Available electronically at ht_://gltrs._rc.nasa._ov/GLTRS

This publication is available from the NASA Center for AeroSpace Information, 301-621-0390.

13. ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 words)

12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) have

recently established a collaborative effort to support the development of polymer-based, lithium-based cell chemistries

and battery technologies to address the next generation of aerospace applications and mission needs. The overall

objective of this development program, which is referred to as PERS, Polymer Energy Rechargeable System, is to

establish a world-class technology capability and U.S. leadership in polymer-based battery technology for aerospace

applications. Programmatically, the PERS initiative will exploit both interagency collaborations to address common

technology- and engineering issues and the active participation of academia and private industry. The initial program

phases will focus on R&D activities to address the critical technical issues and challenges at the cell level.

14. SUBJECT TERMS

Space power; Electrochemistry; Batteries; Polymer

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