High Rate Capability Battery Materials via Topochemical Polymerization in Metal-Organic Frameworks

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Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are　widely　used　in　mobile　phones,　laptop　computers　and　hybrid　electric　cars,　owing　to　their　superior energy density　compared　to　other　forms　of　portable　electric　energy　storage.　　However,　advances　in　battery　technology, particularly with regards to improving power density, are still required to replace fossil fuels as the primary energy source for cars and enable widespread use for renewable energy storage.This research aims to create new lithium storage materials with high energy density and high power density, using the concepts of modular metal-organic frameworks (MOF) and topotactic polymerization. The MOF, lithium terephthalate, was recently discovered to stably store up to 300mAh/g - similar to current graphitic electrodes - but, owing to low electronic conductivity, it suffers from poor rate capability but poor stability.In order to create a material that combines the benefits of lithium terephthalate and PA, a new MOF will be designed that can undergo topotactic polymerization to create conducting PA within a framework of lithium-storing terephthalate units. Furthermore, the soft chemical synthesis routes and cheap precursor materials used will be attractive for commercialization in future micro- and macro-scale battery technology.