Development of New Coordination Polymers for High-Performance Calcium Storage

Details

Supervisors

Vlad, Alexandru

Faculty

Faculté des sciences

Degree label

Master [120] en sciences chimiques, à finalité approfondie

Abstract

Due to the increasing demand for energy and electric vehicles, interest in energy storage systems is continuously growing. Among the systems currently available, lithium-ion batteries are the most promising ones because of their low unit energy cost and high energy density. However, regarding the predicted consumption of lithium in the years to come and considering the fact that lithium reserves are not unlimited, there could be a shortage of lithium in the near future. Several technologies have been developed to relieve lithium-ion batteries. In the recent years, promising results engendered a massive interest in rechargeable calcium batteries. Calcium-metal batteries are especially promising due to being based on abundant elements, having high volumetric energy, and foremost being safer as compared to Li metal-based batteries. However, these high promises and expectations are tempered by a series of challenge, among which, the lack of a Ca-ion cathode material with high voltage and reversibility, casting uncertainty about the future of this battery technology. Recent developments in the host laboratory have proved the reversible Ca-ion extraction and insertion in a sulfonamide coordination polymer material. With only a cobalt-based cathode being studied so far, this project intends to further unlock the sulfonamide coordination polymer chemistry for Ca storage. The work focuses on 3 main directions: (i) the substitution of cobalt with a sustainable metal, without affecting the performances of the material, (ii) advanced structural characterization of these sulfonamide coordination polymers, and (iii) a deeper study of the redox mechanism. Several metals have been investigated and the electrochemical performances of the corresponding sulfonamide coordination polymers are evaluated. The most promising candidates have subsequently been studied in depth by using advanced characterization methods (XANES, EXAFS, and electrochemical studies) in order to answer the two last aims.