CORROSION RESEARCH CENTER Sensors and Batteries

The control of nanometer scale structures and the preparation of nanometer scale composite materials are attracting the attention of the researcher in the chemistry and physics fields. As new molecular structures for specific purposes can be designed by the fine chemistry, materials with unique characteristics can be realized by designing nanometer scale composites or materials.

Our activity in nano-scale materials is oriented to the preparation of high performance intercalation materials for rechargeable lithium batteries. We are exploring the possibility to approach the three critical factors of any intercalation compound, electronic conductivity, ionic conductivity and electrochemical reaction rate, through the formation of nanocomposite cathodic materials based on vanadium pentoxide and a conductive polymer. Vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅) has been proposed as cathode materials in electric energy storage batteries for its high electrode potential and capacity. Aerogels of V₂O₅ (ARG) are materials characterized by high porosity with a solid phase thickness in the nanometer scale (10 ~ 50 nm). They were showed to be almost free by lithium diffusion limitation during the electrochemical insertion and release processes because of the very short diffusion length of intercalant cation in the V₂O₅ solid phase. To enhance the electronic conductivity of the ARG using conducting polymer with nanometer size structure control. The addition of nanometer thick conducting polymer, which has electronic conductivity with ionic transparency, layer covering this fine structure will gives the electronic pass throughout the ARG particle without loosing the merits of ARG.

We succeed to polymerize pyrrole monomer in ARG without destroying ARG nanometer-scale fine structure by regulating the polymerization rate with a temperature control. The polypyrrole was found to be deposited on the pore-walls inside the ARG particles. No evidencies of large clusters of polypirrole or intercalation of the latter between the V₂O₅ layers were found. The resultant ARG- Polypyrrole nanocomposite material showed improved electrochemical performances compared to the bare ARG.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

D.B. LE, S. Passerini, J. Guo, J Ressler, B.B. Owens and W.H. Smyrl, "High Surface Area V₂O₅ Aerogel Intercalation Electrodes", J. Electrochem. Soc. 143, 2099 (1996).

T. Momma, S. Passerini, W. H. Smyrl, Meeting Abstracts of 191st Spring Meeting of the Electrochemical Society, Vol. 97-1, p. 838, No. 636(1997).

ABOUT THE CORROSION RESEARCH CENTER

CRC FACULTY

CRC RESEARCHERS AND STAFF DIRECTORY

CRC AREAS OF RESEARCH

• Aqueous Corrosion
• Atmospheric Corrosion
• Fuel Cells
• High Temperature Corrosion
• High Resolution Techniques
• Sensors and Batteries

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