MATERIALS FOR

1
MATERIALS FOR CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES ARUMUGAM
MANTHIRAM Electrochemical Energy
Laboratory www.me.utexas.edu/manthiram E-mail
rmanth_at_mail.utexas.edu
2
ELECTROCHEMICAL ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES

• Alternative Energy Technologies
• Solar, wind, nuclear, hydro, geothermal, fuel
  cells, batteries, supercapacitors
• Fuel cells, batteries, supercapacitors Only
  viable option for automobiles ( 30)
• Batteries Critical for storing and efficiently
  utilizing solar and wind energies

• Chemical energy directly into electrical energy
  clean energy technologies
• Challenges high cost, safety, durability,
  operability problems

3
CURRENT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

• Lithium Ion Batteries
• - Low cost, high energy, high power materials
  (portable, vehicle, stationary)
• Proton Exchange Membrane and Direct Methanol
  Fuel Cells
• - Low cost membranes and nanostructured alloy
  catalysts
• Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
• - Low thermal expansion, high efficiency
  electrode materials
• Supercapacitors
• - Low cost, high energy electrode materials
• Solar Cells
• - Efficient, low-cost, air-stable polymer
  solar cells
• Common Theme Design, novel chemical synthesis,
  advanced
• characterization, prototype device
  fabrication, fundamental understanding
• of structure-property-performance
  relationships
• - Nanomaterials metal alloys, oxides, carbon,
  and nanocomposites

4
HIGH ENERGY CATHODES FOR LITHIUM ION BATTERIES
LiMn2O4
LiMn1.8Li0.1Ni0.1O3.8F0.2
LiMn1.8Li0.1Ni0.1O4


LiLi0.2Mn0.54Co0.13Ni0.13O2 / Nano Al2O3
LiLi0.2Mn0.54Co0.13Ni0.13O2
LiCoO2
5
NANO-ENGINEERED ANODES FOR LITHIUM ION BATTERIES
Fe3O4 nanowire
6
LOW-COST CATALYSTS MEMBRANES FOR FUEL CELLS
Low methanol permeable membranes
Low-cost Pd alloy catalysts
Low-TEC SOFC catalysts


Basic polymer (PSf-ABIm)
Acidic polymer (SPEEK)
Acid-base blend

• Narrow channel, low methanol crossover
• Vehicle hopping conduction mechanisms
• Low cost, compatible industrial polymers

Nafion
7
HYBRID ORGANIC-INORGANIC SOLAR CELLS


Interfacial prototype TiO2-P3HT hybrid solar cell

B. Reeja-Jayan and A. Manthiram, Solar Energy
Materials and Solar Cells 94, 907 (2010)

• Significantly reduces the solar cell cost
• Cu electrodes enhance the durability in air