Chairs
Professor Peter Bruce FRS, University of Oxford, UK
Professor Peter Bruce FRS, University of Oxford, UK
Peter’s research interests embrace materials chemistry and electrochemistry, especially lithium and sodium batteries. Recent efforts have focused on the synthesis and understanding of new materials for lithium-ion batteries, on understanding anomalous oxygen redox processes in high capacity Li-ion cathodes, the challenges of the lithium-air battery and the influence of order on the ionic conductivity of polymer electrolytes. His research has been recognised by a number of awards and fellowships, including from the Royal Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the German Chemical Society and The Electrochemical Society. He was elected to the Royal Society (UK Academy of Sciences) in 2007 and the Royal Society of Edinburgh (Scottish Academy of Sciences) in 1994. As well as directing the UK Energy Storage Hub, SUPERGEN, Peter leads a major research consortium on lithium batteries, is a member of the Science, Industry and Translation and Planning and Resources Committees of the Royal Society.
09:00-09:30
Interfaces in solid-state batteries and solid oxide fuel cells
Professor Jürgen Janek, University of Giessen, Germany
Abstract
The thermodynamics and kinetics of solid/solid interfaces are critical for the function of solid-state devices. In this presentation, the current status of research on interfaces in solid-state batteries will be briefly reviewed and compared to the current understanding of interfaces in solid oxide fuel cells. Recently, solid-state batteries are considered as a potential next generation energy storage [1-3], competing with conventional lithium ion batteries. Interestingly, major hurdles on the way to commercialisation have still to be overcome, and the kinetics of interfaces needs to be improved. In particular, the lithium metal anode is a key issue, as it is also the cathode interface where oxidation of solid electrolytes may take place. It is interesting to compare the development of solid-state batteries, which has only started a few years ago, with the development of solid oxide fuel cells. On the route to commercial products, the electrode interfaces and the design of stable electrodes, that offer low impedance kinetics was also a key step towards success, in addition to the development of superior solid electrolytes. Professor Janek’s results will be presented, highlighting the current status of lithium solid electrolytes with high conductivity, the role of interface coatings and natural interphases, as well as the influence of chemo-mechanics on the properties of full battery cells.
References
1. J Janek and WG Zeier, Nat Energy 1 (2016) 16141
2. Y Kato, S Hori, T Saito, K Suzuki, M Hirayama, A Mitsui, M Yonemura, H Iba, and R Kanno,
Nat Energy 1 (2016) 16030
3. Y J Nam, D Y Oh, S H Jung, and Y S Jung, J Power Sources 375 (2018) 93
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Professor Jürgen Janek, University of Giessen, Germany
Professor Jürgen Janek, University of Giessen, Germany
Jürgen Janek holds a chair for Physical Chemistry at Justus-Liebig University in Giessen, Germany, and is scientific director of BELLA, a joint lab of BASF SE and KIT in Karlsruhe/Germany. He received his doctoral degree in the field of physical chemistry of solids under supervision of Hermann Schmalzried and Alan B Lidiard. He was visiting professor at Seoul National University, Tohuku University/Sendai and Université d´Aix-Marseille, and received several awards for his scientific work. His research in physical chemistry of solids and electrochemistry spans a wide range from fundamental transport studies in mixed conductors and interface phenomena to in situ studies in electrochemical cells. Current key interests include all-solid state batteries, lithium- and sodium-based batteries and new solid electrolytes. He is particularly interested in kinetics at interfaces and in situ techniques. Jürgen Janek holds 12 patents and is author of about 300 peer-reviewed papers in a wide range of journals.
09:45-10:15
Nanoscale effects and interfaces in lithium batteries
Professor Linda Nazar, University of Waterloo, Canada
Abstract
While it is widely acknowledged that traditional Li-ion batteries, which work on the principle of reversible storage of electrons and Li-ions in bulk materials, are approaching their limits, the question is: what real opportunities lie beyond? This presentation will focus on the challenge to find better electrochemical energy storage systems that go “beyond Li-ion” batteries. Topics will encompass multivalent intercalation batteries, solid-state batteries, and cells that operate on the basis of “conversion” chemistry rather than conventional intercalation chemistry. These represent new technologies that could meet the needs for high energy density and/or high power storage, yet many barriers remain to realising their full promise. They require cleverly designed nanomaterials for the electrodes, different electrolyte strategies than those used for Li-ion batteries and advanced electrode architectures based on nanostructured design. Guiding materials development also requires developing a fundamental understanding of the underlying chemistry of redox processes, which will be a focus of this lecture.
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Professor Linda Nazar, University of Waterloo, Canada
Professor Linda Nazar, University of Waterloo, Canada
Linda Nazar, FRSC, is a Senior Canada Research Chair in Solid State Energy Materials and University Research Professor at the University of Waterloo, Canada. She is cross appointed to the departments of Chemistry, Physics and Electrical Engineering. She is a member of the Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and is an Officer of the Order of Canada. She is known for her work on energy storage materials with topics that span Li-S and Li-O2 batteries; Li-ion, Na-ion, Mg-ion and Zn-ion batteries, solid-state electrolytes, and the role that nanotechnology plays in energy materials science. Her work has earned her place on the Web of Science’s 2014, 2016 and 2017 Highly Cited Researcher Lists, and numerous professional honours and awards. Dr Nazar is a Member of the Editorial Board of several scientific journals, including Energy & Environmental Science, Angewandte Chemie, ACS Central Science, and serves on several international scientific boards and committees.
11:00-11:30
Nanostructures and interfaces of solid oxide fuel cell materials
Professor John Irvine, University of St Andrews, UK
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Professor John Irvine, University of St Andrews, UK
Professor John Irvine, University of St Andrews, UK
Professor John Irvine is Professor of Chemistry at the University of St Andrews; visiting professor at Queens University, Belfast; 1000 Talents Professor at Fujian Institute for Research in the Structure of Matter; and European Councillor for the International Society of Solid State Ionics. In 2005 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In 2008 he received the Royal Society of Chemistry Materials Chemistry Award, and the Sustainable Energy Award in 2015, and European Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Forum Schönbein Gold Medal in 2016. He has over 450 publications in refereed journals including Nature and Nature Materials. He has developed new concepts in fuel cells such as the Hybrid Direct Carbon Fuel Cell. He also has a leading role in the field of developing redox stable, coking tolerant oxide electrodes for SOFCs and discovered the first significant interstitial oxide ion conductor.
11:45-12:15
Lithionics: store energy, compute data and chemically sense environment based on lithium
Professor Jennifer Rupp, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
Abstract
Next generation of energy storage and sensors may largely benefit from fast Li+ ceramic electrolyte conductors to allow for safe and efficient batteries and real-time monitoring anthropogenic CO2. Recently, Li-solid state conductors based on Li-garnet structures received attention due to their fast transfer properties and safe operation over a wide temperature range. Through this presentation basic theory and history of Li-garnets will first be introduced and critically reflected towards new device opportunities demonstrating that these electrolytes may be the start of an era to not only store energy or sense the environment, but also to emulate data and information based on simple electrochemistry device architecture twists. The first part of the presentation focuses on the fundamental investigation of the electro-chemo-mechanic characteristics and design of disordered to crystallizing Li-garnet structure types and their description. Understanding the fundamental transport in solid state is discussed, asking the provocative question: how do Li-amorphous to crystalline structures conduct? How we can alter their charge and mass transport properties for solid electrolytes and towards electrodes is discussed. Here, the researcher firstly presents new Li-garnet battery architectures for which we discuss lithium titanate and antimony electrodes in their making, electrochemistry and assembly to full battery architectures. Secondly, new insights on degree of glassy to crystalline Li-garnet thin films are presented based on model experiments of the structure types. Here, the thermodynamic stability range of maximum Li-conduction, phase, nucleation and growth of nanostructure is discussed using high resolution TEM studies, near order Raman investigations on the Li-bands and electrochemical transport measurements. The insights provide novel aspects of material structure designs for both the Li-garnet structures (bulk to films) and their interfaces to electrodes, which we either functionalise to store energy for next generation solid state batteries or make new applications such as Li-operated CO2 sensor tracker chips. In the final part the presentation reviews in a more holistic picture how one can use such materials and change the electrochemistry from energy storage, chemical sensing to data emulation for which we see prospect for electric vehicles, the Internet of Things or hardware in artificial intelligence.
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Professor Jennifer Rupp, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
Professor Jennifer Rupp, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
Professor Jennifer Rupp is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT. Prior she was a non‐tenure track assistant professor at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, where she was holding two prestigious externally funded career grants, namely an ERC Starting Grant (SNSF) and Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) professorship from 2012 onwards. The Rupp group’s current research interests are on solid state material design and tuning of structure-property relations for novel energy and information devices and operation schemes. This ranges from alternative energy storage via batteries or catalytic convertor systems processing by smart material design solar light and CO2 to renewable synthetic fuels, or novel types of neuromorphic memories and computing logic entities for data storage and transfer beyond transistors. Here, her team goes the whole way from material design, novel processing techniques to make ceramics, cermets or glassy-type ceramic structures up to device prototypes, their operation and characteristics. She has published more than 80 papers, holds four patents, and enjoys discussing material tech trends on the theme of energy with the public, economists and policy makers, and was a frequent speaker and member of the World Economic Forum (2015 – 2017). Rupp and team received several honours and awards such as the 2017 Electrochemistry Award by BASF and Volkswagen for their battery research, keynote lecture at Nature Energy conference 2016, Top 40 international scientist under the age of 40 by World Economic Forum 2015, Spark Award for the most innovative and economically important invention of the year 2014 at ETH Zurich, Gordon Research lecture 2014, the Kepler award New Materials in Energy Technology by the European Academy of Science 2012 or Young Scientist Award by the Solid State Ionic Society.