Project description
Testing lithium batteries using conductive covalent organic framework cathode materials
Used to power electric vehicles and store renewable energy, Li-ion batteries (LIBs) can help reduce carbon emissions. However, LIBs are based on transition metal oxide cathodes. This means they have limited energy density, and it also raises environmental concerns. The EU-funded ELECTROCOFS project will explore organic materials as alternative electrodes because of their high theoretical capacity, resource availability and sustainability. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged in the past few years as promising organic electrode materials due to their outstanding chemical and structural versatility. The overall goal is to design new conductive redox-active COFs as cathode materials to enhance LIBs’ electrochemical performance.
Objective
A major breakthrough in chemistry and materials science has been the development of Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs), which show great potential for storing energy from renewable sources and as the power sources for electric cars. However, commercially available LIBs are based on transition metal oxide cathodes, presenting limited energy density and raising relevant environmental concerns. Organic materials have received much attention as alternative electrodes because of their high theoretical capacity, resources availability and sustainability. In particular, Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs) have emerged in the past few years as promising organic electrode materials due to their high stability, high ionic conductivity and outstanding chemical and structural versatility. Low electrical conductivity remains the main bottleneck for real applications of COFs as electrode materials, usually addressed by adding in large amounts of conductive carbon additives that decrease the energy density of the battery.
The overarching objective of this project is to design and synthesize new conductive redox-active COFs as cathode materials to enhance LIBs electrochemical performance. The specific goals are:
a) To design a new family of stable redox-active COFs built from unexplored building blocks to achieve an optimal balance between capacity, electrical conductivity and porosity.
b) To investigate the role of the linkages, building blocks, doping, pressure, anisotropy and morphology on the electrical conductivity, unravelling the fundamental mechanisms of charge transport in COFs.
c) To manufacture and test lithium batteries using conductive COFs cathode materials, assessing the influence of the processing techniques on the electrochemical performance.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsHost institution
15782 Santiago De Compostela
Spain