Low-cost and long-duration energy storage must be deploy at a large scale to support the massive integration of renewable energy technologies into the electricity grid. The Electrochemical Materials and Systems group withing the Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry develops electrochemical energy storage technologies to satisfy the stringent performance and cost requirements of grid-level electricity storage. We conceptualize, build, and operate electrochemical cells in the laboratory.
We focus on technologies such as redox flow batteries and metal-air batteries and perform fundamental research to correlate the role of battery materials with the device performance in practical applications. Specific examples include iron-based, vanadium-based, organic, hybrid and iron-air battery technologies.
Porous electrode design
Our research focuses on understanding the role of porous electrode structures on the performance of redox flow batteries. We employ electrochemical modelling of porous electrodes (e.g. pore network modelling, finite element methods) to correlate the 3D structure of the materials with the device performance. Furthermore, we couple these pore-scale models with genetic algorithms and topology optimization routines to predict ideal electrode geometries.
Building on these computational efforts, we develop synthetic methods to make porous electrodes for implementation in flow batteries. Examples include the use on non-solvent induced phase separation to produce electrode materials with highly controlled three-dimensional structures. Other methods include 3D printing of polymer precursors followed by carbonization to form conductive structures with engineered mass transport properties.
Electrochemical interfaces in batteries
The interface between the electrode surface and the electrolyte determines many performance-determining properties such as the kinetics, selectivity, and durability. Our group develops coating and functionalization methods to engineer the electrode interfaces using organic molecules and polymers. We use these functional groups to accelerate reaction kinetics, suppress secondary reactions, and enhance durability of materials.
Advanced diagnostics
Traditional electrochemical diagnostics are based on measuring the voltage response to an applied current (or vice versa). However, our ability to deconvolute the underlying thermodynamic, kinetic, and transport processes is still quite limited and is often challenged by the interdependence of multiple processes on the same few variable parameters. Our group develops advanced diagnostic techniques to visualize key properties (e.g. concentration, saturation) in operando electrochemical cells. We employ neutron imaging, X-ray tomographic microscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to correlate macroscopic electrochemical performance with local variations in key properties.