Carbon-Based Materials Development for Sulfur Cathodes and High-Capacity Lithiated Silicon Anodes in LiSi-S Batteries

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The reduction of global warming, decreasing emissions from combustion engines, and sustainable energy are the imperatives of our times. Thus, the demand for high-energy density batteries is increasing in an effort to accelerate global electrification. Currently, electric vehicles (EVs) rely on lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, however, there is an urgent requirement for longer range EVs that can truly displace combustion engines. To do this, an increase in battery energy density and cycle life is sought by developing materials with improved capacity compared to commercial materials. A promising alternative to Li-ion technologies are lithium-sulphur (Li-S) batteries thanks to their high theoretical capacity. However, pure Li metal anode in Li-S batteries may be a potential safety risk due to the formation of Li dendrites which may result in an internal short-circuit. Alternative anode materials may eliminate this issue; among all the anodes, Si-based candidates show one of the highest theoretical capacities. The application of lithiated Si and S as the anode and cathode (LiSi-S) has not yet shown high capacity and viability due to a lack of material investigation. The goal of this project is to develop a novel S cathode, lithiated Si anode and assemble a LiSi-S battery with a capacity of at least 600 mAh/g and a cycle life of >500 cycles. The anode will be based on Si nanowires in order to mitigate the volumetric expansion during cycling. The cathode will have incorporated S in highly porous material to improve the cycle stability and suppress electrode material damage during cycling. All materials used will satisfy conditions of sustainability, low-cost, and safety. The ambitious project will be conducted in three different research groups in Ireland, Czechia, and Slovakia. This prestigious fellowship will provide a platform of renowned subject experts, and exposure to international collaborators will provide a unique opportunity to grow as an independent researcher.