Description du projet
Améliorer les performances et la densité énergétique des batteries
La mise au point de batteries rechargeables à haute densité énergétique est essentielle pour relever les défis énergétiques et environnementaux liés à la demande croissante d’électronique portable, de véhicules électriques et de stockage de l’énergie dans les réseaux. Toutefois, les progrès sont entravés par un manque de compréhension des processus aux interfaces électrode/électrolyte, ce qui entraîne des problèmes tels qu’une durée de vie réduite et la formation de dendrites. Le goulot d’étranglement réside dans la chimie interfaciale non résolue à l’échelle atomique, qui est due à des outils analytiques inadéquats. Dans ce contexte, le projet INTERACT, financé par le CER, utilisera la tomographie par sonde atomique et de nouvelles techniques cryogéniques pour décoder les mystères des interphases de l’électrolyte solide et ouvrir la voie à des technologies de batteries avancées.
Objectif
Developing high-energy-density rechargeable battery technologies is essential to solve energy and environmental problems. However, its development is currently impeded by a poor understanding of elementary processes occurring at electrode/electrolyte interfaces. Several long-standing issues such as short cycle life, low Coulombic efficiency and hazardous dendrite formation in batteries cannot be fundamentally solved due to the knowledge gap.
The bottleneck is that interfacial chemistry on the atomic-scale is as yet unresolved, owing to the lack of sufficiently suitable analytical capabilities. I will address this gap using atom probe tomography, coupled with a highly innovative cryogenic sample preparation and transfer platform, to provide atomic-scale insights into solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formed at the electrode/electrolyte interface.
The key open questions to answer are: i) what is the composition and elemental distribution in a stable SEI? ii) how do ions in the electrolytes affect SEI formation? iii) how does stable SEI inhibit dendrite formation? My goal is to advance fundamental understanding of SEI formation, establish its structure-property relationships, and elucidate its interplay with other elementary processes occurring at electrode/electrolyte interfaces in a lithium metal battery model system.
I will i) reveal elemental distribution and compositional details of SEI in/under different electrolytes and working conditions; ii) unveil compositional evolution of SEI and the electrolytes during charging and discharging; and iii) interrogate their roles in dendrite formation in a half and full battery cell, respectively. These unique data will shed atomistic insights into how to tailor SEI and electrode/electrolyte interfaces to mitigate long-standing issues. Furthermore, the novel cryogenic platform is not system-specific and will be applicable for studying other liquid- or solid-state-electrolyte battery technologies.
Champ scientifique
Mots‑clés
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Régime de financement
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsInstitution d’accueil
44801 Bochum
Allemagne