You will develop operando scanning TEM (STEM) and EELS approaches to
characterize adsorption phenomena and the formation of the electric double
layer with the highest spatial resolutions reported. You will use roomtemperature
ionic liquids (ILs) as electrolytes and test their
(1) structuring in nanoconfined environments of different dimensionality (e.g.,
inside carbon nanotubes, 3D porous carbons),
(2) behavior under applied bias in confinement.
Spatially resolved data from STEM and EELS will be correlated with volumetric
measurements from NMR and operando XPS, enabling direct observation, and
quantification of charge storage mechanisms in electrode materials and
processes of electrolyte degradation. In cooperation with DC5, who performs
complementary atomistic simulations, you will work towards obtaining a
comprehensive insights in the structure and dynamics at S-L interfaces at
different states of charge.