Self-Thermal Regulation using Metal-Insulator Transition of Vanadium Dioxide based Energy storage systems (STRIVE)

With growing concerns over energy shortages and climate change, the use of sustainable energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydropower has become increasingly important worldwide. Batteries play a crucial role in storing energy generated from these renewable sources. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are preferred for their high energy density, efficiency, long cycle life, and low self-discharge. However, LIBs have a limited safe operating range in terms of voltage and temperature. Operating outside these limits can trigger unwanted chemical reactions, leading to battery degradation, capacity loss, or, in severe cases, complete cell failure and fire. The most serious safety issue in LIBs is thermal runaway (TR), which occurs when a rapid rise in temperature and pressure inside the battery is triggered by a series of heat-releasing chemical reactions. Furthermore, thermal runaway can start in a single cell but may quickly spread to neighboring cells, potentially compromising the entire battery module.To enhance lithium-ion battery (LIB) safety under thermal stress, 'STRIVE' proposes crystalline vanadium dioxide (VO2) as a self-regulating thermal coating on electrode materials. Crystalline VO2 uniquely undergoes a sharp, reversible metal–insulator transition (MIT) from a semiconducting monoclinic (M) to a metallic rutile (R) structure near ~68 °C; its MIT temperature will be tuned via tungsten (W) doping to match battery safety thresholds. This is an endothermic transition, absorbing excess heat, reducing charge-transfer resistance, and accelerating electron transport during high-load or fast-charging conditions, then reverts upon cooling. VO2 thin films will be fabricated using femtosecond pulsed laser deposition (fs-PLD), enabling stoichiometric precision, epitaxial interfaces, and doping control. This approach offers an active alternative to passive cooling, advancing safer, high-performance LIBs for electric vehicles, grid storage, and portable electronics.