Research Projects

The increasing energy demand necessitates the development of more efficient and safer energy storage devices (ESDs). Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are the most commonly used due to their high energy density, low self-discharge rates, and long life cycle. However, their safety is compromised by their flammability and dendritic growth. Solid-state batteries are emerging as next-generation ESDs, with solid polymer-electrolytes (SPEs) showing excellent mechanical and safety properties but low ion conductivity. Understanding the ion-conductivity mechanism and the impact of microscopic properties on ion dynamics is crucial for improving SPEs' ion conductivity. Characterizing local structures and dynamics in SPEs is a complex problem due to their non-crystalline, highly dynamic, and multiphase systems. Solid-state NMR spectroscopy offers unique capabilities to study non-crystalline materials with site-specific local structural and dynamical details. However, existing pulse sequences perform suboptimally in the presence of large anisotropic interactions. This project aims to use advanced NMR instrumentation and pulse sequences to study SPEs in detail, focusing on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-based electrolytes and their recent derivatives that show promising properties for the next generation of SPEs. The project will implement newly designed and existing advanced NMR pulse sequences to characterize local structures, phases, and dynamics and their impact on Li-ion dynamics in SPEs.

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