Morphology and Crystallinity Effect in Electrode Materials for Rechargeable Batteries
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Claire Xiong
Increasing demands for energy storage systems are driving innovative research in design, synthesis, and processing of materials. Although the Li-ion battery (LIB) is one of the leading battery technologies and the major power source for portable electronics and electrified automation, it falls short of meeting the demands for high energy and high power. The aim of this project is to explore a new electrochemical synthesis paradigm to create novel nanoscale electroceramic materials through electrochemically-driven phase transformations for superior energy/power density and stability in energy storage systems. We will establish the correlation between size, shape, and degree of crystallization with the phase transformation of nanostructured metal oxides. We will study the size and crystallinity effect systematically by preparing amorphous metal oxide nanoparticples (NPs) with various sizes to observe the degree of crystallization during electrochemical cycling.
Role of Participant(s):
The participant(s) will synthesize nanomaterials with members of Dr. Xiong’s lab. The electrode materials will be characterized via SEM, TEM, and XRD; and they will be tested electrochemically in half-cells to evaluate their performance. Students will obtain experience in nanomaterials synthesis as well as advanced structural and electrochemical characterization. Students will have the opportunity to present their work in national conferences and publish their work in peer-reviewed journals.