Microwave processing for fast, green preparation of insertion electrodes

微波处理可快速、绿色地制备插入电极

• 批准号: EP/K029290/1
• 负责人: Serena Cussen
• 金额: $ 12.52万
• 依托单位: University of Glasgow
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2013 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FK029290%2F1
• 关键词: Microwave; processing; fast; green; preparation

The task of tackling climate change, coupled with the diminishing supplies of fossil fuels, has propelled electrochemical storage to the forefront of materials research. With the ever-increasing number of portable electronics and developments of hybrid electric vehicles, Li ion batteries are of immense importance and continued interest for our growing energy needs. Challenges remain in this critical research area, which this proposal will address. Here, I will combine the fields of energy storage and nanotechnology to provide highly crystalline nanoparticles which can be employed as positive electrodes in Li ion batteries. The electrodes to be prepared are insertion compounds; they house lithium ions which may be shuttled between the cathode (positive electrode) and anode (negative electrode) during subsequent discharge and charge cycles. Because these processes are repeated many times over, we must consider the possibility of structural degradation of these electrodes which leads to a loss of power over time. While tackling these concerns, we also want to use materials and methods which are both environmentally benign and cost effective. The research I propose in this EPSRC First Grant will tackle these important issues by using innovative synthetic methods to prepare nanoparticles of high crystallinity, which will optimise performance, together with iron (instead of the commonly used cobalt) as the redox active metal, which is both non-toxic and cheap. Traditional approaches to solid-state synthesis involve long reaction times at very high temperatures (~1000 C), often yielding large, bulk particles. Here, I will use microwaves to drive my reactions. The advantages this method provides over more traditional routes include high heating rates for faster reactions, automated control over reaction conditions, and enhanced reaction kinetics allowing for the formation of small, uniform, highly crystalline particles. Adding to the novelty of this proposal is the use of new iron alkoxide precursors as starting materials for my reactions. This is the first time such starting materials will be used in combination with microwaves to prepare battery electrodes and due to their reactivity, I expect faster reaction rates for these compounds. This could open up a new area of research since an exciting prospect of this chemistry is the possibility of designing tailored precursors which contain all desired end-material components in the future. By using these synthetic routes (microwaves in combination with alkoxides), I will develop clean routes to highly crystalline materials with little defects and therefore optimised battery behaviour. The ultrasmall sizes of these particles will decrease the diffusion pathlengths the lithium ions must travel and also increase interactions between the electrode and the electrolyte, all of which will promote efficient electrochemistry. In this manner, my group will add a new dimension to the strong research effort on energy research in the UK and establish ourselves as leaders in the field of nanoparticle development and application.

应对气候变化的任务，加上化石燃料供应的减少，将电化学存储推向了材料研究的前沿。随着便携式电子产品数量的不断增加和混合动力汽车的发展，锂离子电池对于我们不断增长的能源需求具有巨大的重要性和持续的兴趣。在这一关键的研究领域仍然存在挑战，本提案将解决这一问题。在这里，我将联合收割机结合能量存储和纳米技术领域，提供高度结晶的纳米颗粒，可用作锂离子电池的正极。待制备的电极是插入化合物;它们容纳锂离子，锂离子可以在随后的放电和充电循环期间在阴极（正电极）和阳极（负电极）之间穿梭。由于这些过程重复多次，我们必须考虑这些电极的结构退化的可能性，这会导致随着时间的推移而损失功率。在解决这些问题的同时，我们还希望使用既环保又具有成本效益的材料和方法。我在EPSRC第一次资助中提出的研究将通过使用创新的合成方法来制备高结晶度的纳米颗粒来解决这些重要问题，这将优化性能，以及铁（而不是常用的钴）作为氧化还原活性金属，这既无毒又便宜。固态合成的传统方法涉及在非常高的温度（~1000 C）下的长反应时间，通常产生大的块状颗粒。在这里，我将使用微波来驱动我的反应。该方法相对于更传统的路线提供的优点包括用于更快反应的高加热速率、对反应条件的自动控制以及允许形成小的、均匀的、高度结晶的颗粒的增强的反应动力学。增加了这个建议的新奇是使用新的铁醇盐前体作为我的反应的起始材料。这是第一次将这些起始材料与微波结合使用来制备电池电极，由于它们的反应性，我预计这些化合物的反应速度会更快。这可能会开辟一个新的研究领域，因为这种化学的一个令人兴奋的前景是设计定制的前体，其中包含所有所需的最终材料成分的可能性在未来。通过使用这些合成路线（微波与醇盐的结合），我将开发出清洁的路线，以获得几乎没有缺陷的高度结晶材料，从而优化电池性能。这些颗粒的超小尺寸将减少锂离子必须行进的扩散路径长度，并增加电极和电解质之间的相互作用，所有这些都将促进有效的电化学。通过这种方式，我的团队将为英国能源研究的强大研究工作增加一个新的维度，并将自己确立为纳米颗粒开发和应用领域的领导者。

项目成果

Fast microwave treatments of single source alkoxides for nanostructured Li-ion battery electrodes.

• DOI: 10.1039/c5cc07732j
• 发表时间: 2016-07
• 期刊: Chemical communications
• 影响因子: 4.9
• 作者: Josefa Vidal Laveda;Vibhuti Chandhok;Claire A Murray;Gary W Paterson;S. Corr

X-Ray Diffraction Computed Tomography for Structural Analysis of Electrode Materials in Batteries

• DOI: 10.1149/2.0771507jes
• 发表时间: 2015-01-01
• 期刊: JOURNAL OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL SOCIETY
• 影响因子: 3.9
• 作者: Jensen, Kirsten M. O.;Yang, Xiaohao;Billinge, Simon J. L.
• 通讯作者: Billinge, Simon J. L.

Microwave-assisted synthesis and electrochemical evaluation of VO2 (B) nanostructures.

• DOI: 10.1107/s2052520615021289
• 发表时间: 2015-12
• 期刊: Acta crystallographica Section B, Structural science, crystal engineering and materials
• 作者: T. Ashton;David Hevia Borrás;A. Iadecola;K. Wiaderek;P. Chupas;K. Chapman;S. Corr

Microwave-assisted synthesis of highly crystalline, multifunctional iron oxide nanocomposites for imaging applications

• DOI: 10.1039/c6ra11819d
• 发表时间: 2016-09
• 期刊: RSC Advances
• 影响因子: 3.9
• 作者: Marc J. Williams;E. Sánchez;Esther Rani Aluri;F. Douglas;D. Maclaren;O. M. Collins;E. Cussen;James D. Budge;Lara C. Sanders;M. Michaelis;C. Smales;J. Cinatl;S. Lorrio;Dirk Krueger;R. T. D. de Rosales;S. Corr