Two DOE Vehicle Technologies Win 2012 R&D 100 Awards

R&D Magazine's R&D 100 Awards recently recognized two technologies supported by the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO). An independent panel of judges confers these awards on what they view as the past year's most outstanding technology developments with promising commercial potential. The awards, which are now in their 50th year, have highlighted many of the successes achieved by the Department's national laboratories in moving basic research results into commercial products. The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's (EERE) news page describes all of the EERE projects chosen for this year's awards and the VTO Awards and Patents page describes VTO's past R&D 100 awards. The 2012 R&D 100 awards recognized these VTO accomplishments:

High-Energy Concentration-Gradient Cathode Material for Plug-in Hybrids and All-Electric Vehicles (Argonne National Laboratory). Argonne and several partners have developed a novel high-energy and high-power cathode material for use in lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries especially suited for plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles. It provides much higher energy and longer life than any other Li-ion cathode material, and as such is also ideal for batteries in hybrid vehicles and a wide range of consumer electronics applications.

Graphene Nanostructures for Lithium Batteries, co-developed with Vorbeck Materials Corp. of Jessup Md. and Princeton University (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory). Small quantities of graphene—ultra-thin sheets of carbon atoms—can dramatically improve the performance and power of lithium-ion batteries. Graphene Nanostructures could lead to the development of batteries that last longer and recharge quickly, drastically reducing the time it takes to charge a smartphone to as little as ten minutes and charging an electric vehicle in just a few hours.