Project Description

Current lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) suffer from moderate energy density, limited cycle life, and safety issues. Lithium (Li) metal has received huge attention as a promising anode candidate due to its high theoretical capacity, the lowest negative potential, and its potential as next-generation energy storage devices (such as Li-S and Li-O2 batteries), where Li metal electrode is essential for the system. However, systemic issues, which are mainly associated with Li dendritic growth and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer, result in poor electrochemical performances and safety problems (e.g. short-circuit). We plan to study lithium dendrite suppression mechanisms via interfacial ion-flux control for high-capacity Li metal anodes. This will include fundamental understanding of the morphology-transport-interface interactions via a combined approach including high-resolution computational modeling, electrochemical experiments and materials chemistry.  

Start Date

June 1, 2021

Postdoc Qualifications

Promising candidates shall have a Ph.D. in mechanical/ chemical engineering, chemistry or materials science, with a solid research background in electrochemical science and engineering (computational modeling, characterization, materials processing).

Co-Advisors

Partha Mukherjee, ME, mukher28@purdue.edu

Vilas G. Pol, ChE, vpol@purdue.edu

References

D. Dysart, J. C. Burgos, A. Mistry, C.-F. Chen, Z. Liu, C. N. Hong, P. B. Balbuena, P. P. Mukherjee, V. G. Pol, “Towards Next Generation Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: Non-conventional Carbon Compartments/Sulfur Electrodes and Multi-scale Analysis”, J. Electrochem. Soc. 2016, 163 (5) A730-A741.

R. A. Adams, A. Varma, V. G. Pol, “Mechanistic Elucidation of Thermal Runaway in Potassium-Ion Batteries”, J. Power Sources, 2018, 375,131-137.

A. Mistry and P. P. Mukherjee, “Precipitation – Microstructure Interactions in the Li-Sulfur Battery Electrode,” Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 121, 26256 (2017).

Z. Liu and P. P. Mukherjee, “Mesoscale Elucidation of Surface Passivation in the Lithium-Sulfur Battery Cathode,” ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 9, 5263 (2017).

C.-F. Chen, A. Mistry, and P. P. Mukherjee, “Probing Impedance and Microstructure Evolution in Lithium−Sulfur Battery Electrodes,” Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 121, 21206 (2017).

Z. Liu, P. Balbuena, and P. P. Mukherjee, “Revealing Charge Transport Mechanisms in Li2S2 for Li-Sulfur Batteries,” Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, 8, 1324 (2017).

Z. Liu, P. Balbuena, and P. P. Mukherjee, "Hole Polaron Diffusion in the Final Discharge Product of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries," Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 121, 17169 (2017).