
Battery Electrodes and Cells
The primary goal is the development of a safe, environmentally benign, and cost effective electrochemical energy storage with high energy density. The research work focuses equally on the scientific fundamentals, essential for the development of new technologies, and on the analysis of ageing and safety relevant aspects of current industrial batteries. The investigated systems include both lithium-ion and post-lithium-ion batteries.
Projects
- Metallic Lithium as Negative Electrode
- Silicon-Carbon Composites
- NCM Cathode Materials and Interfaces
- Lithium-Sulphur Batteries
- Na-ion Battery Materials and Interfaces
Team
- Dr. Sigita Urbonaite-Trabesinger, Group Head
- Dr. Lukasz Kondracki, Postdoc
- Dr. Thi Thu Diêu Nguyen, Postdoc
- Dr. Kumar Yalamanchili, Visiting scientist
- Samuel Gatti, PhD student
- Dr. Rahul Parmar, Postdoc
Former Team Members
Anastasia Efthymiadou | 2022-2023 | IAESTE intern | Lithium deposition rate study for battery electrodes by thermal evaporation | |
Eric Winter | 2019-2023 | PhD thesis | Fundamental Understanding of Critical Parameters Enabling Lithium Metal Batteries | |
Lucie Rivet |
2022 | CEA | Semester project |
Understanding thermal deposition of lithium metal |
Mohammed Srout | 2021-2022 | Postdoc | Li-metal batteries | |
Laura King | 2021-2022 | The University of Edinburgh | Master Thesis | Anode‑free cells for high performance lithium metal batteries |
Samuel Gatti | 2021-2022 | University of Freiburg | Exchange student | Na-ion batteries |
Mariano Briccola | 2021 | ETH Zurich | Semester project | Enabling nitrate additives in carbonate electrolytes for Li metal batteries |
Julian Stropp | 2021 | ETH Zurich | Semester project |
NaxLiyMn1-yO2 cathodes and the influence of superstructure on Na-ion battery performance |
Leiting Zhang | 2018-2021 | Postdoc | ||
Hieu Quang Pham | 2019-2021 | Postdoc | ||
Simon Schneider | 2018-2021 | PhD student |
Model-based assessment of stationary energy storage in batteries and implications for materials research |
|
Samuel Steiner | 2020 | ETH Zurich | Semester project |
Synthesis & characterization of Li-doped manganese oxide cathodes for Na-ion batteries |
Ambra van Liedekerke | 2020 | ETH Zurich | Master Thesis |
Correlation Between Crack Formation and Structural Evolutions in Li[NixCoyMny]O2 Layered Oxide Cathode Materials during Charge and Discharge Process |
Leon Skarjan | 2020 | Heidelberg University | IAESTE intern |
Synthesis of novel sodium-ion cathode materials |
David McNulty | 2018-2020 | Postdoc | Inverse-opal structures for rechargeable battery applications | |
Maximilian Schuster | 2018-2020 | PSI/ETH Zurich | PhD Project | Sodium aqueous batteries |
Emanuele Di Giovani | 2019-2020 | Engineer | Evaluation of commercial batteries | |
Chrysi Tsolakidou | 2019 | Aristotle University of Thessaloniki | IAESTE intern | Operando gas analysis in Na-ion batteries |
Kai-Hsuan Hung | 2019 | CSC, Taiwan | Visiting scientist | |
Christoph Bolli | 2015-2019 | Postdoc | OEMS applications for positive electro-active materials for Li-ion batteries | |
André Müller | 2019 | TU Braunschweig | Master thesis | Investigation of the Influence of Different Binders on the SEI of a Lithium-ion Battery by Means of OEMS |
Eibar Flores | 2016-2019 | PSI/ETH Zurich | PhD thesis | Development of operando diagnostics for Li-ion cathodes by Raman spectroscopy |
Fabian Jeschull | 2017-2019 | Postdoc | Si as capacity enhancing electrode additive; dynamic EIS; Si-graphite composites | |
Paul Kitz | 2017-2019 | PSI/ETH Zurich | PhD thesis | A New Perspective on Interphase Formation in Li-ion Batteries by Combined EIS & EQCM-D |
Robin Bühler | 2019 | ETHZ | Semester project | Surface Modifications on Si Particles for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications |
Victor Landgraf | 2018-2019 | Imperial College London/ETH Zurich | Master thesis | Inverse Opal Derived Cathodes for Lithium-Sulfur Cells |
Lorenz Olbrich | 2019 | ETHZ | Semester project | |
Juliette Bilaud | 2018 | Postdoc | Metallic lithium anodes | |
Yuri Surace | 2017-2018 | Postdoc | High Capacity Carbon-Based Composite Anode Active Materials for Lithium-Ion Battery Electrodes | |
Flora Scott | 2018 | University of Manchester & University of British Columbia | IAESTE intern | Carboxylic acids as buffers in aqueous silicon electrode slurries – electrochemistry and infrared studies |
Reto Suter | 2018 | ETH Zurich | Semester project | Morphology and Electrochemistry of Graphite Electrodes with Silicon as Capacity Enhancing Additive |
Rokas Paulius Petrauskas | 2017 | Vilnius University | IAESTE intern/Master thesis | Si–C Composites for High-Energy Li-ion Battery Negative Electrodes |
Neal Cardoza | 2017 | Purdue University | ThinkSwiss internship | Polysulphide analysis in catholytic Li–S cells |
Tiphaine Schott (Poux) | 2014-2017 | Postdoc | Li–S Battery; Mettalic lithium anodes; Silicon–graphite and tin-oxide–graphite composites | |
Jan Dundálek | 2016 | University of Chemistry and Technology | IAESTE internship | Understanding the Role of Carbon Properties for Enhanced Li–S Battery Performance |
Joanna Conder | 2013-2016 | PSI/ETH Zurich | PhD thesis | Asymmetrically Functionalized Separator for Lithium–Sulfur Battery with Polysulfide Barrier Properties |
Hai-Jung Peng | 2013-2016 | PSI/ETH Zurich | PhD thesis | Unravelling the Cell Aging Phenomena in Aprotic Lithium-Nickel-Cobalt-Manganese-Oxide batteries |
Markus Gehring | 2016 | RWTH Aachen University | Semester project | Polysulphide-based Li–S Battery |
John Boland | 2015 | The University of Dublin, Trinity College Dublin | Senior Sophister project | Finding the Perfect Carbon for Li–S Batteries |
Maximilian Tornow | 2015 | ETH Zurich | Semester project | Synthesis of Tunable Porous Carbons and Their Application in Batteries |
Iván García Torregrosa | 2012 | Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse III | Internship | Investigation of Polymer Electrolytes for Li–S Batteries |
Master and Semester Project Availability
For motivated students we can always offer a possibility to perform their Semester and Master project on the one of the topics listed above under Projects. For more information please contact Dr. Sigita Trabesinger.
Selected Publications
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Jeschull F, Zhang L, Kondracki Ł, Scott F, Trabesinger S
Interphase formation with carboxylic acids as slurry additives for Si electrodes in Li-ion batteries. Part 1: performance and gas evolution
Journal of Physics Energy. 2023; 5(2): 025003 (16 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7655/acbbed
DORA PSI -
Jeschull F, Pham HQ, Ghamlouche A, Thakur PK, Trabesinger S, Maibach J
Interphase formation with carboxylic acids as slurry additives for Si electrodes in Li-ion batteries. Part 2: a photoelectron spectroscopy study
Journal of Physics Energy. 2023; 5(2): 025002 (21 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7655/acbbee
DORA PSI -
Srout M, Carboni M, Gonzalez J-A, Trabesinger S
Insights into the importance of native passivation layer and interface reactivity of metallic lithium by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
Small. 2023; 19(7): 2206252 (10 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202206252
DORA PSI -
Surace Y, Jeschull F, Novák P, Trabesinger S
Performance-determining factors for Si-graphite electrode evaluation: the role of mass loading and amount of electrolyte additive
Journal of the Electrochemical Society. 2023; 170(2): 020510 (7 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/acb854
DORA PSI -
Winter E, Schmidt TJ, Trabesinger S
Potentiostatic lithium plating as a fast method for electrolyte evaluation in lithium metal batteries
Electrochimica Acta. 2023; 439: 141547 (13 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2022.141547
DORA PSI -
Dalkilic M, Schmidt A, Schladt TD, Axmann P, DuMont J, Travis J, et al.
Tantalum oxide coating of Ni-rich cathode active material via atomic layer deposition and its influence on gas evolution and electrochemical performance in the early and advanced stages of degradation
Journal of the Electrochemical Society. 2022; 169(11): 110537 (12 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/aca2e5
DORA PSI -
Garcia A, Biswas S, McNulty D, Roy A, Raha S, Trabesinger S, et al.
One-step grown carbonaceous germanium nanowires and their application as highly efficient lithium-ion battery anodes
ACS Applied Energy Materials. 2022; 5(2): 1922-1932. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.1c03404
DORA PSI -
Pham HQ, Kondracki Ł, Tarik M, Trabesinger S
Correlating the initial gas evolution and structural changes to cycling performance of Co-free Li-rich layered oxide cathode
Journal of Power Sources. 2022; 527: 231181 (12 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2022.231181
DORA PSI -
Seidl L, Grissa R, Zhang L, Trabesinger S, Battaglia C
Unraveling the voltage-dependent oxidation mechanisms of poly(ethylene oxide)-based solid electrolytes for solid-state batteries
Advanced Materials Interfaces. 2022; 9(8): 2100704 (10 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202100704
DORA PSI -
Surace Y, Leanza D, Mirolo M, Kondracki Ł, Vaz CAF, El Kazzi M, et al.
Evidence for stepwise formation of solid electrolyte interphase in a Li-ion battery
Energy Storage Materials. 2022; 44: 156-167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensm.2021.10.013
DORA PSI -
Winter E, Schmidt TJ, Trabesinger S
Identifying pitfalls in lithium metal battery characterization
Batteries and Supercaps. 2022; 5(1): e202100145 (13 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1002/batt.202100145
DORA PSI -
Zhao W, Zou L, Zhang L, Fan X, Zhang H, Pagani F, et al.
Assessing long-term cycling stability of single-crystal versus polycrystalline nickel-rich NCM in pouch cells with 6 mAh cm−2 electrodes
Small. 2022; 18(14): 2107357 (10 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202107357
DORA PSI -
Baster D, Kondracki Ł, Oveisi E, Trabesinger S, Girault HH
Prussian blue analogue-sodium-vanadium hexacyanoferrate as a cathode material for Na-Ion batteries
ACS Applied Energy Materials. 2021; 4(9): 9758-9765. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.1c01832
DORA PSI -
Jeschull F, Trabesinger S
Fast-charge limitations for graphite anodes with Si as capacity-enhancing additive
Batteries and Supercaps. 2021; 4(1): 131-139. https://doi.org/10.1002/batt.202000177
DORA PSI -
Pham HQ, Nguyen MT, Tarik M, El Kazzi M, Trabesinger S
Cross-talk-suppressing electrolyte additive enabling high voltage performance of Ni-rich layered oxides in Li-Ion batteries
ChemSusChem. 2021; 14(11): 2461-2474. https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.202100511
DORA PSI -
Zhang L, Müller Gubler EA, Tai C-W, Kondracki Ł, Sommer H, Novák P, et al.
Elucidating the humidity-induced degradation of Ni-Rich layered cathodes for Li-ion batteries
ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. 2021; 14(11): 13240-13249. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.1c23128
DORA PSI -
Zhang L, Tsolakidou C, Mariyappan S, Tarascon J-M, Trabesinger S
Unraveling gas evolution in sodium batteries by online electrochemical mass spectrometry
Energy Storage Materials. 2021; 42: 12-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensm.2021.07.005
DORA PSI -
Armand M, Axmann P, Bresser D, Copley M, Edström K, Ekberg C, et al.
Lithium-ion batteries - current state of the art and anticipated developments
Journal of Power Sources. 2020; 479: 228708 (26 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2020.228708
DORA PSI -
Jeschull F, Surace Y, Zürcher S, Lari G, Spahr ME, Novák P, et al.
Graphite particle-size induced morphological and performance changes of graphite-silicon electrodes
Journal of the Electrochemical Society. 2020; 167(10): 100535 (13 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ab9b9a
DORA PSI -
Mcnulty D, Landgraf V, Trabesinger S
Simplifying the synthesis of carbon inverse opals
RSC Advances. 2020; 10(40): 24108-24114. https://doi.org/10.1039/d0ra03693e
DORA PSI -
Mcnulty D, Landgraf V, Trabesinger S
The importance of sulfur host structural preservation for lithium-sulfur battery performance
Journal of Materials Chemistry A. 2020; 8(48): 26085-26097. https://doi.org/10.1039/d0ta08690h
DORA PSI -
Pham HQ, Mirolo M, Tarik M, El Kazzi M, Trabesinger S
Multifunctional electrolyte additive for improved interfacial stability in Ni-rich layered oxide full-cells
Energy Storage Materials. 2020; 33: 216-229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensm.2020.08.026
DORA PSI -
Ting M, Burigana M, Zhang L, Finfrock YZ, Trabesinger S, Jonderian A, et al.
Impact of nickel substitution into model Li-rich oxide cathode materials for Li-ion batteries
Chemistry of Materials. 2020; 32(2): 849-857. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.9b04446
DORA PSI -
Yin W, Grimaud A, Rousse G, Abakumov AM, Senyshyn A, Zhang L, et al.
Structural evolution at the oxidative and reductive limits in the first electrochemical cycle of Li1.2Ni0.13Mn0.54Co0.13O2
Nature Communications. 2020; 11(1): 1252 (11 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14927-4
DORA PSI -
Jeschull F, Surace Y, Zürcher S, Spahr ME, Novák P, Trabesinger S
Electrochemistry and morphology of graphite negative electrodes containing silicon as capacity-enhancing electrode additive
Electrochimica Acta. 2019; 320: 134602 (12 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2019.134602
DORA PSI -
Jeschull F, Scott F, Trabesinger S
Interactions of silicon nanoparticles with carboxymethyl cellulose and carboxylic acids in negative electrodes of lithium-ion batteries
Journal of Power Sources. 2019; 431: 63-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2019.05.036
DORA PSI -
Surace Y, Jeschull F, Schott T, Zürcher S, Spahr ME, Trabesinger S
Improving the cycling stability of SnO2-graphite electrodes
ACS Applied Energy Materials. 2019; 2(10): 7364-7374. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.9b01344
DORA PSI -
Berg EJ, Trabesinger S
Viability of polysulfide-retaining barriers in Li-S battery
Journal of the Electrochemical Society. 2018; 165(1): A5001-A5005. https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0021801jes
DORA PSI -
Conder J, Bouchet R, Trabesinger S, Marino C, Gubler L, Villevieille C
Direct observation of lithium polysulfides in lithium-sulfur batteries using operando X-ray diffraction
Nature Energy. 2017; 2: 17069 (7 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1038/nenergy.2017.69
DORA PSI -
Conder J, Villevieille C, Trabesinger S, Novák P, Gubler L, Bouchet R
Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of a Li-S battery: part 1. Influence of the electrode and electrolyte compositions on the impedance of symmetric cells
Electrochimica Acta. 2017; 244: 61-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2017.05.041
DORA PSI -
Conder J, Villevieille C, Trabesinger S, Novák P, Gubler L, Bouchet R
Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of a Li-S battery: part 2. influence of separator chemistry on the lithium electrode/electrolyte interface
Electrochimica Acta. 2017; 255: 379-390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2017.09.148
DORA PSI -
Schott T, Robert R, Ulmann PA, Lanz P, Zürcher S, Spahr ME, et al.
Cycling behavior of silicon-containing graphite electrodes, part A: effect of the lithiation protocol
Journal of Physical Chemistry C. 2017; 121(34): 18423-18429. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b05919
DORA PSI -
Schott T, Robert R, Pacheco Benito S, Ulmann PA, Lanz P, Zürcher S, et al.
Cycling behavior of silicon-containing graphite electrodes, part B: effect of the silicon source
Journal of Physical Chemistry C. 2017; 121(46): 25718-25728. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b08457
DORA PSI -
Schott T, Gómez-Cámer JL, Novák P, Trabesinger S
Relationship between the properties and cycle life of Si/C composites as performance-enhancing additives to graphite electrodes for Li-ion batteries
Journal of the Electrochemical Society. 2017; 164(2): A190-A203. https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0701702jes
DORA PSI -
Schott T, Gómez-Cámer JL, Bünzli C, Novák P, Trabesinger S
The counterintuitive impact of separator–electrolyte combinations on the cycle life of graphite-silicon composite electrodes
Journal of Power Sources. 2017; 343: 142-147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2017.01.055
DORA PSI -
Conder J, Forner-Cuenca A, Gubler EM, Gubler L, Novák P, Trabesinger S
Performance-enhancing asymmetric separator for lithium-sulfur batteries
ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. 2016; 8(29): 18822-18831. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.6b04662
DORA PSI -
Peng H-J, Villevieille C, Trabesinger S, Wolf H, Leitner K, Novák P
Mechanism of the carbonate-based-electrolyte degradation and its effects on the electrochemical performance of Li1+x(NiaCobMn1-a-b)1-xO2 cells
Journal of Power Sources. 2016; 335: 91-97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.10.031
DORA PSI -
Poux T, Novak P, Trabesinger S
Pitfalls in Li-S rate-capability evaluation
Journal of the Electrochemical Society. 2016; 163(7): A1139-A1145. https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0181607jes
DORA PSI -
Berg EJ, Villevieille C, Streich D, Trabesinger S, Novák P
Rechargeable batteries: grasping for the limits of chemistry
Journal of the Electrochemical Society. 2015; 162(14): A2468-A2475. https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0081514jes
DORA PSI