Title of the talk: Electrolytes and interfaces in batteries: Why are they important, how do we improve and control them?
Electrolytes and related interfaces govern the battery cell kinetics both in liquid and solid state and as such are the key materials to be developed in the future. For most of new battery technologies, enabling metal anodes is necessary for reaching high energy densities. In the first part of my talk, I will focus on our understanding of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) growth and ion transport on alkali and alkaline earth metal anodes with liquid battery electrolytes. In addition, I will talk about the possibility to form thin artificial SEIs and their implication in standard and solid-state batteries. In the second part of my talk, I will cover ion transport models in liquid, polymer and composite electrolytes and how can we improve the relevant electrochemical parameters including room temperature ionic conductivity and cationic transference number. Finally, I will discuss possible double layer formation on electrode surfaces.
Short bio: Jelena Popovic-Neuber is an Associate Professor in Battery Technology at the Department of Energy and Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology. She studied colloid chemistry at Max Planck Institute for Colloids and Interfaces/University of Potsdam, Germany (Dr. rer. nat., 2011) and chemical engineering at the University of Belgrade, Serbia (Dipl. ing., 2008). After graduation, she spent 11 years as a staff scientist/group leader at Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart, Germany. Her scientific interests lie in the cross-section of experimental and theoretical electrochemistry and materials science, focusing on physicochemical investigation of ion conduction mechanisms in materials for electrochemical energy storage, mostly battery electrolytes, electrodes and interphases.
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