Electrochemical Processes on Electrodes to Improve Battery Performance

A goal of our work on interfacial processes on electrodes is to develop an understanding of the mechanisms and kinetics of surface reactions at the electrode/electrolyte interface. This understanding is critical for understanding thermal and chemical stability of active materials such as cathodes, or in the nanofabrication of nanostructures. There is a need for more stable, less toxic and inexpensive materials to sustain the increasing demand for electrochemical devices for portable electronics, energy storage, or solar energy panels. We have been working on the cathode of the lithium ion batteries. Previously we studied the irreversible surface reactions of LiMn2O4 (lithium manganese oxide, LMO). Presently, we study the modification of the LMO surface by deposition of nanoscale thick layers of materials, such as electroactive nanoparticles or monolayers of polymers, and determine the effect of the surface modifications. As mentioned previously, we have used electrochemical deposition to fabricate arrays of nanocables with a gold/tellurium composition. This process is kinetically controlled and we have investigated the kinetics of electrochemical deposition of tellurium with SPR and electrochemical AFM. We have been able to deduce a mechanism of growth of smooth tellurium films in the presence of cadmium ions.