Nanoionics
Lead Research Organisation:
University of St Andrews
Department Name: Chemistry
Abstract
Ion transport through solids is one of the most fundamental processes in solid state science. The phenomenon is crucialto the function of many devices including fuel cells and batteries as well as sensors, displays and the emerging topic ofnanoionic electronic devices. The first two examples are key energy conversion and storage technologies underdevelopment in the effort to mitigate CO2 emissions and hence address Global Warming.The study of ion transport in solids is known as solid state ionics and embraces solids that support ionic conductivity ( e.g.F- conduction in CaF2) and mixed ionic/electronic conductivity or intercalation compounds ( e.g. the positive electrode inlithium batteries, LiCoO2). Since Faraday first discovered ion transport in solids, investigation has focused on bulk solids(composed of micron-sized particles). However, there are now numerous examples demonstrating that nanoionicmaterials (ionic materials composed of nanometre-sized particles) can exhibit profoundly different behaviour comparedwith their bulk counterparts, including greatly enhanced or even unique properties. Intercalation of Li is impossible intobulk beta-MnO2 but facile in mesoporous beta-MnO2. The conductivity of LiI is raised by 3 orders of magnitude to 2.6x10-4 S/cm at RT when combined with Al2O3 in a nanocomposite. Scientifically, nanoionic materials represent an importantnew frontier in solid state ionics but one that is poorly understood. Nanoionic materials are important because they havethe potential to deliver the step change in performance essential for many devices, including energy storage devices. Forexample, nano-LiFePO4 materials are used as the cathode in a new generation of rechargeable lithium batteries in orderto deliver the high power necessary for applications such as hybrid electric vehicles.It is not the purpose of the proposal to explore the practical applications of nanoionic materials in devices. Indeed wecontend that exploring the extent to which nanoionic materials could be used in applications is hindered by a lack offundamental understanding. The challenge is to understand the science of nanoionics. What is the origin of the muchenhanced properties of nanoionic materials? What are the factors that control and influence the concentration andmobility of charge carriers in nanoscale materials? What is the role of electroneutrality breakdown near the surface, strainin the near surface region, structural distortions near the surface and distortions due to mismatch at interfaces? How doesshape (e.g. nanotubes) as well as size influence solid state ionic properties? Such understanding would represent asignificant scientific advance in an important and topical area in solid state ionics. Developing the scientific understandingof nanoionics is an essential pre requisite for the academic/industrial communities to explore and exploit the very specialproperties of nanoionic materials e.g. in rechargeable lithium batteries.Work to date on nanoionics has been carried out by individuals, using individual techniques and on individual systems. Tomake progress it is necessary to assemble a team thus bringing together the essential expertise in computer simulation,synthesis of nanomaterials, structure determination and physical measurements, and to apply this combination of skills toa range of model systems spanning the major classes of solid state ionic materials. This is what we propose to do andwhy we seek a programme grant.The UK has a traditional strength in solid state ionics with a number of excellent groups. The programme grant wouldcontribute to maintaining the UK's international prominence and help set the international agenda in the field.A new generation of students would be trained in the field, capable of working seamlessly across the traditionalexperimental/computational divide and on a wide range of methods and skills
Organisations
Publications
Zhang W
(2018)
Degradation Mechanisms at the Li10GeP2S12/LiCoO2 Cathode Interface in an All-Solid-State Lithium-Ion Battery.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Brutti S
(2012)
TiO 2 -(B) Nanotubes as Anodes for Lithium Batteries: Origin and Mitigation of Irreversible Capacity
in Advanced Energy Materials
Ren Y
(2012)
Nanoparticulate TiO2(B): an anode for lithium-ion batteries.
in Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
Maranski K
(2014)
Synthesis of poly(ethylene oxide) approaching monodispersity.
in Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
Ren Y
(2012)
Ordered mesoporous metal oxides: synthesis and applications.
in Chemical Society reviews
Tompsett D
(2013)
Nanostructuring of ß-MnO 2 : The Important Role of Surface to Bulk Ion Migration
in Chemistry of Materials
Gentili V
(2012)
Lithium Insertion into Anatase Nanotubes
in Chemistry of Materials
Pourpoint F
(2012)
New Insights into the Crystal and Electronic Structures of Li 1+ x V 1- x O 2 from Solid State NMR, Pair Distribution Function Analyses, and First Principles Calculations
in Chemistry of Materials
Ren Y
(2012)
Transformation of mesoporous Cu/Cu2O into porous Cu2O nanowires in ethanol
in CrystEngComm
Ren Y
(2012)
Mesoporous LiFePO4 as a cathode material for rechargeable lithium ion batteries
in Electrochemistry Communications
Kahk J
(2014)
The electronic structure of silver orthophosphate: experiment and theory
in J. Mater. Chem. A
Kasemchainan J
(2018)
All-Solid-State Batteries and their Remaining Challenges
in Johnson Matthey Technology Review
Andreev Y
(2016)
Size and shape of graphene layers in commercial carbon blacks established by Debye refinement
in Journal of Applied Crystallography
Ren Y
(2012)
Ordered mesoporous NiCoMnO4: synthesis and application in energy storage and catalytic decomposition of N2O
in Journal of Materials Chemistry
Morgan B
(2012)
Absence of a space-charge-derived enhancement of ionic conductivity in ß|?- heterostructured 7H- and 9R-AgI
in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter
Hua X
(2015)
The Morphology of TiO2 (B) Nanoparticles.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Andreev YG
(2014)
The shape of TiO2-B nanoparticles.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Ren Y
(2013)
A solid with a hierarchical tetramodal micro-meso-macro pore size distribution.
in Nature communications
Bottke P
(2014)
Li ion dynamics in TiO2 anode materials with an ordered hierarchical pore structure--insights from ex situ NMR.
in Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP
Morgan B
(2012)
Lithium intercalation into TiO 2 (B): A comparison of LDA, GGA, and GGA+ U density functional calculations
in Physical Review B
Morgan B
(2014)
Molecular dynamics simulation of ionic transport at coherent interfaces in fluorite heterostructures
in Physical Review B
Morgan BJ
(2014)
Relationships between atomic diffusion mechanisms and ensemble transport coefficients in crystalline polymorphs.
in Physical review letters
Morgan BJ
(2011)
Effects of lattice polarity on interfacial space charges and defect disorder in ionically conducting AgI heterostructures.
in Physical review letters
Liu Z
(2013)
Nanostructured TiO2(B): the effect of size and shape on anode properties for Li-ion batteries
in Progress in Natural Science: Materials International
Armstrong A
(2014)
Polymorphism in Li 2 M SiO 4 ( M = Fe, Mn): A Variable Temperature Diffraction Study
in Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie
Description | for a non-specialist audience. This work undertaken in this project focused on the understanding of ion transport in nanoioic materials for lithium ion batteries. This has led to the development of several new materials including non stiochiometic LiFeSiO4 and fundamental understanding of Lithium ion transport in LiVO2 anodes. Additional work has focused on ionic conduction in polymer electrolytes which could provide new battery technologies with improved safety. This work identified the fundamentals underlying several topical battery chemistries. |
Exploitation Route | Understanding of this kind is of great importance to other researchers of new materials but also for industrial research. Many of our findings will be impacting research a large battery companies particularly those designing batteries for high rate applications such has power tools. |
Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Electronics,Energy,Transport |
Description | Findings had been disseminated to various industrial partners and beneficiaries in the transport/automotive sector via our links within the SUPERGEN consortia and this has informed the direction of battery development for hybrid and fully electrified vehicles. The research aided establishment of research links and collaboration between the Bruce group and a number of leading international car manufacturers which are ongoing, and support the development of new battery systems and related industries. The research has informed and produced roadmaps for next-generation energy storage development, and some of the investigators have advised government bodies in this area of energy storage both in the UK and in Brussels. |
First Year Of Impact | 2012 |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Chemicals,Electronics,Energy,Transport |
Impact Types | Economic,Policy & public services |
Description | Dyson |
Amount | £2,652,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Dyson |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2014 |
End | 12/2017 |
Description | Integrate |
Amount | £1,531,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | OMS |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2015 |
End | 03/2019 |
Description | Modentech international studentship |
Amount | £121,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Modentech |
Sector | Private |
Country | Switzerland |
Start | 09/2016 |
Description | Cafe Nano lecture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | n/a |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Presentation to an All-Party Parliamentary Climate Change Group event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Presentation to an All-Party Parliamentary Climate Change Group event, 'Energy storage and the transition to a low carbon economy', Houses of Parliament, London, July 2016 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.policyconnect.org.uk/appccg/news/energy-storage-and-transition-low-carbon-economy-summary |
Description | Radio 4 Programme on Mitigating Air Pollution in Cities |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | "Putting Science to Work" Radio 4 Programme on Mitigating Air Pollution in Cities, with Jim Al-Khalili. As described in the BBC website: As the recent VW scandal reminds us, the exhaust from petrol and, in particular, diesel cars are damaging our health. So what can science do to help? Jim Al-Khalili invites three scientists into the studio to explain how their research or technology could help reduce pollution from dirty car exhausts. Professor of Chemistry, Tony Ryan makes the case for smart materials that absorb noxious gases. If only everyone could treat their jeans with nanoparticles that that clean up the air as they walk around town. Professor Clare Grey and her team are working on the next generation of batteries for electric cars. And engineer, Bernard Porter is a champion of hydrogen fuel cells. So, which technology is best designed to help us reduce air pollution in our cities? Who deserves the lion's share of Jim's imaginary pot of research funding to help us tackle this problem?. Outcome - lion share of funding allocated to CPG |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06rxyct |
Description | Robotics and Autonomous Systems |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | PGB was organiser. The Royal Society hosted a one off, high-level conference on the subject of robotics and autonomous systems. The conference brought together national and international scientists, technologists and leaders from across academia, industry and government, to scope the long-term vision (20 to 30 years) and challenges in this exciting and rapidly developing field. Presentations and discussion sought to define actions required to ensure maximum impact for society from robotics and autonomous systems. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |