Speaker
Kelly Nieto
Speaker's Institution
Colorado State University
Date
2022-12-02
Time
4:00pm
Location
Chemistry A101
Mixer Time
3:45pm
Mixer Time
Chemistry B101E
Calendar (ICS) Event
Additional Information

About the Seminar

Antimony (Sb) based electrodes are a promising anode material for sodium-ion batteries, which are an attractive energy storage system to support grid-level energy storage. These anodes have high thermal stability, good rate performance, and good electronic conductivity, but there are significant limitations to the fundamental understanding of phases present as the material is sodiated and desodiated, which limits further rational improvements to performance. Therefore, detailed investigations of the impact of the structure-property relationships on the performance of Sb electrodes are crucial for understanding how the degradation mechanisms of these electrodes can be controlled. Although significant work has gone into understanding the sodiation/desodiation mechanism of Sb-based anodes, the fabrication method, electrode composition, and experimental parameters vary tremendously and there are discrepancies in the reported sodiation/desodiation reactions.

 

Here we report that electrode fabrication techniques can dramatically impact the sodiation/desodiation reaction mechanism due to the mechanical stability, morphology, and composition of the film. In addition, we show that solution additives typically used in industrial copper platting baths can be utilized to influence the morphology and crystallinity of electrodeposited Sb anodes which then also affects electrochemical performance. These studies provide valuable insight into the tunability of alloy-based films through electrodeposition and solution additives. To conclude this talk we report our work in developing tools and characterization techniques to begin to understand the degradation and failure mechanism of alloy-based anode materials.

George Stanley, Ph.D.