Dr. Michal Leskes (WIS)
Department of Materials and Interfaces, Weizmann Institute of Science
The development of high energy, long lifetime energy storage systems based on rechargeable batteries relies on our ability to control charge storage and degradation processes in the bulk of the electrode and electrolyte materials and at their interface. Solid state NMR spectroscopy is in principle an excellent probe for such processes yet it is often limited in sensitivity.
In this talk, I will describe how we can overcome this limitation by the use of Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP), a process in which the large electron spin polarization is transferred to the nuclei resulting in significant boost in sensitivity. I will show how we can utilize different sources of polarization, exogenous radicals and endogenous dopants, to gain up to 104-fold increase in bulk and surface sensitivity. I will present the applications of this methodology to probe challenging interfaces and interphases in energy storage materials, where we were able to obtain structural and chemical insight at the atomic-molecular level. Such insight can be used to guide the design of new and improved energy storage materials.