The research on new energy storage technologies, both for portable and stationary applications, has become an urgent need for the transition from the existing energy model to a more sustainable one based on renewable energies. Three emerging technologies, lithium/sodium-ion batteries, lithium/sodium-ion hybrid capacitors and lithium/sodium-O2 batteries, have the ability to meet this demand and revolutionize the energy storage industry.

Our work focuses on the development of new materials with potential applications in the three mentioned technologies. Based on the experience accumulated in our group in the synthesis and characterization of advanced materials, we develop new series of families of materials that allow improving the efficiency of these electrochemical devices. Specifically, the systems explored are:

Cathodes: polyanionic compounds and transition metal layered oxides.

Anodes: Si-based composites and carbon derivatives from biomass residues.

Electrolytes: new formulations in glyme-type solvents, ceramic materials and inorganic/polymeric type composite materials.

Characterization of the different materials comprises powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy (SEM/TEM), magnetic and hyperthermia measurements and Electron Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. The electrochemical measurements are conducted using coin-cell and Swagelok-type cells. In addition, post mortem studies of the cycled electrodes are performed by EPR and XPS techniques in order to further analyze the evolution of the materials.