Today’s U.S. economy is dangerously dependent on foreign oil, and this problem is exacerbated because heavily populated developing countries are expanding their economies and becoming more energy intensive. Air quality and global climate impact are other major concerns with this continuing dependence on dwindling fossil fuel sources. As a result, the RD of clean energy storage and conversion technologies that provide a permanent solution are urgently needed.

Among the various existing energy storage technologies, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries have been considered as effective solution to the increasing need for high-energy density electrochemical power sources. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries offer energy densities 2-3 times and power densities 5-6 times higher than conventional Ni-Cd and Ni-MH batteries, and as a result, they weigh less, take less space, and deliver more energy. In addition to high energy and power densities, lithium-ion batteries also have other advantages, such as high coulombic efficiency, low self-discharge, high operating voltage, and no “memory effect”.

Novel electrospun nanofibers with functional properties can dramatically alter surface reaction rates and charge transport throughout the batteries, causing significant improvement in energy storage efficiency. The design of functional nanofiber materials for alternative energy systems is a way to develop a wide range of new technologies for a healthy future. Here, we present our work on the development of advanced functional nanofibers and the integration of these materials into rechargeable lithium-ion batteries to achieve high system performance.