Recent highlights
Research activities
Our first goal is to develop novel materials and to improve existing materials for Li/Na-ion batteries. We apply different synthetic routes, such as sol-gel chemistry, mechano-synthesis, solid-state synthesis under various controlled atmospheres, and microwave synthesis to control the morphology and to obtain the most promising electrochemical performances of the investigated systems. We have also the capability of realizing thin film growth of solid electrolyte, cathode and anode materials for applications e.g. in micro-batteries or to be used as model electrodes. The thin films growth are performed in our UHV cluster connected to the XPS spectrometer and equipped with RF sputtering, e-gun evaporators under various gas atmosphere.
Our second goal is to elucidate the electrochemical reaction mechanisms by applying post mortem or operando measurements by combining a wide range of techniques in-house or at big facilities dedicated to surface and bulk characterization. We have developed electrochemical cells for liquid-based and all-solid-state batteries for operando X-ray diffraction, neutron diffraction, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS in transmission, TEY and TFY modes), X-ray tomography, X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (XPEEM), X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) etc. Many of our activities are supported by our industrial partners.
Open positions
Scientist (Tenure Track) for next generation solid-state batteries
Contact Mario El Kazzi mario.el-kazzi@psi.ch
Group members
- Dr. Mario El Kazzi, Group Head, Google Scholar, ORCID
- Linfeng Xu, PhD student (SNF-Sinergia)
- Jinsong Zhang, PhD student (SNF-Sinergia)
- Dr. Valerie Siller, Postdoc (SNF-Sinergia) Google Scholar, ORCID
- Dr. Ramasamy Hari Vignesh, (EU SPRINT project) Google Scholar, ORCID
- Adil Baiju, PhD student (joint project between ENE, NUM & PSD)
- Robin Wullich, PhD student
- Dr. Kriti Kriti, Postdoc (EU SPRINT project) Google Scholar
- Dr. Charles Edward Soulen, Postdoc (EU HighMag project)
- Dr. Weicheng Hua, Postdoc
- Luoting Li, PhD Student (EU HighMag project)
- Bianca Alves, PhD Student (joint project with Oerlikon Surface Solution)
Recent publications
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Lelotte B, Siller V, Pelé V, Jordy C, Gubler L, El Kazzi M, et al.
Toolkit for spectral and multivariate statistical analysis of XPEEM images for studying composite energy materials
Surfaces and Interfaces. 2025; 73: 107490 (18 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfin.2025.107490
DORA PSI -
Zhang J, Wullich R, Xu L, Siller V, Schmidt TJ, El Kazzi M
Impacts of key physical parameters on the cycling of thin metallic lithium in sulfide-based all-solid-state batteries
Journal of Power Sources. 2025; 655: 237999 (16 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2025.237999
DORA PSI -
Wullich RN, Lelotte B, Pelé V, Jordy C, Gubler L, El Kazzi M
Optimized LiNbO3 sol-gel coatings for NCM622 in sulfide-based all-solid-state batteries: Insights into synthesis, uniformity, and electrochemical performance
Electrochimica Acta. 2025; 536: 146750 (10 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2025.146750
DORA PSI -
Lelotte B, Vaz CAF, Xu L, Borca CN, Huthwelker T, Pelé V, et al.
Spatio-chemical deconvolution of the LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2/Li6PS5Cl interphase layer in all-solid-state batteries using combined X-ray spectroscopic methods
ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. 2025; 17(9): 14645-14659. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.4c19857
DORA PSI -
Štefančič A, Vaz CAF, Baster D, Müller E, El Kazzi M
Converting the CHF3 greenhouse gas into nanometer-thick LiF coating for high-voltage cathode Li-ion batteries materials
ChemSusChem. 2025; 18(9): e202402057 (12 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.202402057
DORA PSI -
Kravchyk KV, Battaglia C, Siller V, Lelotte B, Kazzi ME, Morzy J, et al.
Building Solid-State Batteries: Insights from Swiss Research Labs
Chimia. 2024; 78(6): 403-414. https://doi.org/10.2533/chimia.2024.403
DORA PSI