CORROSION RESEARCH CENTER Sensors and Batteries

The intercalation materials may be generally classified as layered (universal), as channel or tunnel (specific) hosts or as versatile amorphous hosts. Lithium is intercalated reversibly into many host materials without causing major alterations of the structure of the host.

We are investigating vanadium pentoxide aerogel (V₂O₅ ARG) as an intercalation host material for rechargeable batteries. After preparing the gel by ion exchange, the water in the gel is replaced by an organic solvent. We dry the V₂O₅ "organogel" at supercritical conditions to produce an aerogel which retains the highly porous, pillared structure. Tests have shown that some carbon remains after drying the intermediate organogel. We believe these remnants act as pillars between the V₂O₅ layers, increasing the reversibility of the intercalation reaction, and enhancing the thermodynamic properties of the material. We are exploring the possibility of tuning the pillaring by using different intermediate organic solvents, such as 1,4-dioxane and acetonitrile.

We have studied dip coated thin films of V₂O₅ ARG. The intermediate organic solvent used was acetone. Complete reversibility of the pillared V₂O₅ was demonstrated. A specific capacity for lithium intercalation surpassing 500 mAhr/g and specific energy of 1600 Whr/kg was reported. All these results make V₂O₅ ARG a very promising cathode for reversible lithium batteries. We also showed that V₂O₅ ARG is a true univrsal host able to intercalate polyvalent cation such as magnesium, zinc and aluminum.

Currently, we are attempting to extend the thin film research to a more practical pellet form.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Le, D.B., Passerini, S., Tipton, A., Owens, B.B. and Smyrl, W.H., "Aerogels and Xerogels of V₂O₅ as Intercalation Hosts", J. Electrochemical Society , 142(6), L102(1995), also cited in TECH HIGHLIGHTS (Interface Vol. 4, No. 4, 1995).

Le, D.B., Passerini, S., Guo, J., Ressler, J., Owens, B.B. and Smyrl, W.H., "High Surface Area V₂O₅ Aerogel Intercalation Electrodes", J. Electrochemical Society , 143(7), 2099-2104(1996).

Passerini S., Le, D.B., Smyrl, W.H., Berrettoni, M., Tossici R., Marassi R., Giorgetti M., Solid State Ionics, submitted for publication (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

CURRENT NEWS