Interface Phenomena in Solid-State Batteries

The Young Investigator Group “Interface Phenomena in Solid-state Batteries” of Helmholtz Institute Münster focuses on utilizing (spectro)electrochemical methods to understand interfaces and interphases in solid-state batteries.

Prospects of Solid-State

Lithium solid-state batteries have garnered a lot of attention by researchers in the past years. This shift in research focus is driven by the discovery and implementation of sulfide-based solid lithium-ion conductors in half- and full-cells. However, the long-term performance of such systems is hindered by processes at interfaces in the cells, where the understanding of the nature and effect of these interfacial phenomena, that govern the net ionic and electronic transport, as well as the various chemo-electro-mechanical degradation mechanisms, is limited.

Specific Methods

The Young Investigator Group focuses on the utilization of various electroanalytical methods, including impedance spectroscopy, for studying and clarifying the role of interfaces and interphases in these systems. Electrochemical results are coupled with chemically-specific spectroscopic methods, for example Raman spectroscopy, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and photoelectron spectroscopy to obtain a complete picture of these complex systems.

To help mitigate some of the intrinsic problems of sulfide-based solid electrolytes, the researchers are systematically studying the viability of various hybrid composite approaches, e.g. polymer-solid electrolyte composites, liquid electrolyte-solid electrolyte composites and novel cathode chemistries.

Publications:

ACS Applied Energy Materials 2021, (4)9, DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.1c01917

CM Chemistry of Materials 2021, 33, DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.1c01755

ACS Energy Letters 2020, 5, DOI: 10.1021/acsenergylett.9b02764

ChemElectroChem 2020, 7, DOI: 10.1002/celc.201901627

CM Chemistry of Materials 2019, 31, DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.9b01550

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2019, 11, DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b19973

The Journal of Chemical Physics 2018, 148, DOI: 10.1063/1.5016300