Priv.-Doz. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Engelbert Portenkirchner
Battery Technologies
We study interfacial processes to elucidate the reaction pathways and mechanisms that occur at the solid/liquid interface during electrochemical energy conversion and storage processes. The group's research approach is based on the development and application of in-situ and ex-situ analytical techniques applied to systems of increasing complexity. These range from monocrystalline model electrodes studied under idealised conditions to more complex but well-defined nanostructured materials that could be used in real fuel and electrolysis cells or battery environments.
Proposal for a closed-loop process for sustainable organic sodium ion batteries based on electrode materials made from polyaromatic hydrocarbons that can be extracted from natural resources and recycled.
A compostable battery, produced at low cost and with the same performance as conventional lithium-ion batteries: what sounds like the perfect solution could be a reality in a few years' time. Our group is working on developing a battery based on organic materials and sodium ions. These are materials that have a high theoretical capacity, can be produced cheaply, are non-toxic and biocompatible, which in turn offers the great advantage that batteries produced in this way can be recycled more easily.
Schematic summary of the currently discussed theories on the mechanism of Li-ion storage in SiC: inactivity, intercalation, reversible conversion and irreversible conversion.
Batteries with higher capacity have been an important goal in battery research at least since the advance of electromobility. We focus our research on new materials that could make this possible. As fundamental researchers, we therefore want to identify and characterise the general mechanism of lithium-ion storage in materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) through a careful, systematic design of the materials.