Selenium impregnated monolithic carbons as free-standing cathodes for high volumetric energy lithium and sodium metal batteries

Topic of lecture: Selenium impregnated monolithic carbons as free-standing cathodes for high volumetric energy lithium and sodium metal batteries

Lecturer: Prof. David Mitlin, doctoral advisor at Clarkson University, United States

Abstract: Selenium – lithium (Se-Li) and selenium – sodium (Se-Na) metal systems are emerging as very attractive candidates for “next generation” batteries due to their low cost and high energy. In this work we devised a highly scalable and inexpensive method to effectively double the energy per volume of Se-Li and Se-Na cells by creating monolithic electrodes instead of the usual loosely packed nano or micro powders. Meanwhile the unique architecture based on filling the void space between carbonized cellulose allowed for excellent power and cycling characteristics, as favorable as in state-of-the-art nanostructured materials. In parallel, we performed a detailed electroanalytical study on the Se-Li vs. Se-Na systems and came to a remarkable conclusion that the two are nearly identical. This was a fully confirmed but certainly an unexpected finding, since Na diffuses much more sluggishly than Li in most other battery materials.

Time of Lecture: Thursday, May 10, 2018 10:00-12:00 a.m.

Location of Lecture: State Key Laboratory A403

About the lecturer: David Mitlin, professor and doctoral advisor at Clarkson University. Dr. Mitlin graduated from UC Berkeley, majoring in materials science. He is engaged in researches in new energy storage cells and devices. He holds 5 U.S. patents and has published 130 papers with an annual citation of 1,500 times and an H factor of 42. He is appointed as the chief editor of Journal of Materials Science and vice chief director of Sustainable Energy & Fuels (RSC).

Professor David Mitlin

Host organizations: Department of Science and Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation