REALSEI · opeRando chEmical spAce- and time-resoLved quantification of Solid Electrolyte Interphase in hard carbon anode for sustainable sodium-ion batteries
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2021-06-01 → 2023-09-30
- EU contribution
- €183,473
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
opeRando chEmical spAce- and time-resoLved quantification of Solid Electrolyte Interphase in hard carbon anode for sustainable sodium-ion batteries
Problem/Issue Being Addressed: REALSEI aims to pioneer real-time visualization of the Solid Electrolyte Interphase (SEI) formation on hard carbon anodes in sodium-ion batteries, a process largely unexplored at the local electrochemical level. Importance for Society: The urgency of our work is evident in the need to limit global warming to 2.7°C by 2100, requiring a tripling of global grid energy storage capacity by 2050. A transformative breakthrough is imperative, and that lies in the development of a low-cost, sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries. The 'Beyond-Lithium' batteries, specifically sodium-ion-based systems, hold immense promise. Bio-waste mesoporous hard carbon (BHC) emerges as a leading candidate—an abundant, low-cost, and recyclable anode material. BHC's adoption in beyond-lithium batteries could usher in the next generation of sustainable energy storage solutions. Overall Objectives: REALSEI's primary mission is to establish a comprehensive operando time- and space-resolved characterization methodology. This transition from bulk to surface analytical characterization relies on high-resolution X-ray techniques, both lab-based and synchrotron-based. The ultimate goal is the real-time visualization and quantification of SEI species on hard carbon. The project unfolds in three main objectives: • O1: Optimization of HC materials synthesis and characterization. • O2: Evaluation of HC electrode performance in sodium-ion batteries. • O3: Visualization of operando SEI growth using High Resolution X-ray Spectrometry and protocol validation. These objectives have been successfully met within the project timeline.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
The goal of REALSEI is to visualize for the first time in real-time the Solid Electrolyte Interphase formation at the hard-carbon (HC) anode in a Na-ion battery (NIB). Local electrochemical processes occurring at the solid-liquid interface of Na-ion batteries are currently largely unexplored. To keep global warming around 2.7°C by 2100, the installed global grid energy storage capacity needs to be tripled by 2050. A technological breakthrough is required to meet this challenge: we need a low cost and sustainable alternative to Li-ion batteries. Thanks to recent advances, the so-called ‘beyond-lithium’ batteries (BLB) such as K+ and Na+ based systems could be an everyday reality. Bio-waste mesoporous hard carbon (BHC) is one of the most promising anode materials as a universal ion host for BLBs. The use of BHC as a low-cost and recycled solution in BLBs might provide the breakthrough required and give rise to the next generation of batteries. However, uncontrolled SEI formation limits the large-scale application of BHC in BLBs, in particular for Na-ion batteries (NIBs), the most mature and promising. For NIBs, the SEI is still an unresolved issue that limits its long-term stability. REALSEI wants to establish a comprehensive operando time- and space- resolved characterization methodology to transit from bulk (transmission mode) to surface analytical characterization (grazing incidence mode) based on lab and synchrotron high-resolution X-ray techniques which will results for the first time in a comprehensive visualization and quantification of the species forming the SEI in real-time on HC. REALSEI will apply principles of physics and electrochemistry and its results will have substantial scientific, technological, and societal impact.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZA · RomaCoordinatorItaly
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union