Extended Network: The Global Challenge Network in Batteries and Electrochemical Energy Devices

Electrochemical devices are already part of our day-to-day lives, particularly Li-ion batteries that have transformed modern life through their ubiquitous application in consumer electronics. In the future, these devices will play an increasing role in our lives, from batteries that will power our cars and buses to fuel cells that will provide grid independent electricity. The UK has played a crucial role in the discovery and development of these devices, and through continuing cutting edge research at universities, national labs and companies, remains at the forefront of electrochemical device research.

In order to extend and optimise and the application of these devices in a range of environments, fundamental improvements to our understanding of the fundamental processes occurring in batteries are essential. Large-scale facilities research is essential to achieve this, using a range of techniques at neutron, synchrotron and high performance computing facilities.

Utilising a range of neutron, x-ray or HPC techniques in isolation provides opportunities to improve understanding of batteries - by combining the strengths of world leading practitioners across a range of complementary techniques and facilities we will have a unique opportunity to rapidly advance the field, and thorough our partnerships with industry translate this leading research into commercial reality.

Since 2013, the STFC Global Challenge Network in Batteries and Electrochemical Energy Devices (the Network) has helped to strengthen the UK research community active in this area, seed new research and collaborations, and through its advocacy has promoted the UK as a world leader in this field. In Phase 2 we seek to consolidate this success, and by provision of research funding, in addition to Networking and Training opportunities, to make substantive contributions to electrochemical device research.

This proposal will bring together world leading researchers and industrial partners tackling some of the most important issues in electrochemical energy devices. The impact of the research will be widespread and ultimately lead to the development and proliferation of higher performance devices, this will be achieved through world-class research, dissemination of best practice and defined routes for stakeholder engagement.

In order to maximize the impact of this proposal for members, industry, the wider research community and ultimately society in general, we have defined key goals and enabling activities for dissemination. These include frameworks for stakeholder engagement and a dedicated Co-I to promote and facilitate industrial engagement, IP generation and technology transfer. We have extended the membership of our steering committee to include focal points for engagement with key networks and doctoral training centres, and international institutions as well as theme champions for key techniques. We will continue to champion early career development through schemes including the Early Career Award.

Network goals will be achieved with defined frameworks for:

Promoting industrial engagement
Engaging beneficiaries outside the direct research community
Knowledge Exchange and technique standardisation
Linking to other relevant networks and institutions
Promoting UK science on an international stage
Informing future research funding
Facilitating cross-network collaboration
Enhancing and extending network membership