Multifunctional Power-Generating and Energy-Storing Structural Composites for U.S. Army Applications
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Multifunctional Power-Generating and Energy-Storing Structural Composites for U.S. Army Applications Joseph T. South, Robert H. Carter, James F. Snyder, Corydon D. Hilton, Daniel J. O’Brien, and Eric D. Wetzel U.S. Army Research Laboratory Weapons and Materials Research Directorate Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005-5069 ABSTRACT Many U.S. Army systems, such as ground vehicles and fully equipped soldiers, are comprised of multiple subcomponents which each typically perform unique functions. Combining these functions into single, multifunctional components could reduce mass and improve overall system efficiency. In particular, creating structural materials that also provide power generating or energy storing capacity could provide significant weight savings over a range of platforms. In this study, structural composite batteries, fuel cells, and capacitors are proposed. To ensure performance benefits, these multifunctional composites are designed so that the materials involved in power and energy processes are also load bearing, rather than simply packaged within monofunctional structural materials. Fabrication and design details for these multifunctional systems, as well as structural and power/energy performance results, are reported. Critical material properties and fabrication considerations are highlighted, and important technical challenges are identified. INTRODUCTION The performance of many U.S. Army systems depends on the efficient use of material mass and volume. In particular, many components on these systems are often dedicated to power generation and energy storage. Examples include next-generation ground vehicles, which will utilize hybrid powertrains requiring large banks of batteries; unmanned aerial vehicles, whose range and speed are currently limited by battery life; and individual soldiers, who’s sensing and communication equipment requires both continuous and burst power requirements. Many of these systems also include significant amounts of structural and/or armor materials. Therefore, important system-level reductions in mass and volume are possible by creating multifunctional materials that simultaneously offer both power generation or energy storage capabilities with structural or armor properties [1,2]. In this paper, we provide three examples of multifunctional power-generating and energystoring materials: structural lithium-ion batteries, structural proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, and structural capacitors. These systems are deliberately designed so that material elements participating in power or energy processes are also carrying significant structural loads, a necessary condition for achieving mass savings through multifunctional design. In contrast, designs that simply package non-structural power or energy materials within conventional structural materials would provide only secondary benefits such as ruggedization or improved form factors. Structural lithium-ion batteries
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Structural lithium-ion batteries can be constructed by combining ion-conductive pol
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