Energy Materials

The Research Department Energy Materials explores electrochemical materials for sustainable energy storage, innovative water technologies, and eco-friendly recycling solutions.

The Research Department Energy Materials develops materials that can effectively transport and store ions and electrical charges across several length scales. We develop materials that can effectively transport and store ions and electrical charges across several length scales o. Important electrode materials are nanoporous carbons, oxides, carbides, and sulfides, and their hybrids. A key feature is our streamlined workflow from material synthesis, comprehensive structural and chemical material characterization, electrochemical benchmarking, and complementary in situ analysis.

A particular focus is on 2D materials, especially MXene and MBene, to enable rapid charge/discharge supercapacitors and next-next-generation sodium- and lithium-ion batteries. The reversible uptake and controlled release of ions also enables the desalination of seawater and ion separation to separate pollutants such as lead or recover valuable materials such as lithium.

We use various characterization methods, including in situ, for a comprehensive mechanistic understanding. In addition, we are increasingly using digital methods for predictive materials research and digital twinning of battery research. Our collaborations include international basic research as well as industrial projects.

Prof. Dr. Volker Presser
Head of Energy Materials

Kontakt

Deputy Group Leader
M.Sc. Jean Gustavo de Andrade Ruthes
Doctoral Student
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-218
Laboratory Safety Officer
M.Sc. Zeyu Fu
Technician
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-368
Secretary
Sylvia de Graaf
Secretary
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-501
Team Members
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-151
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-218
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-368
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-108/251
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-108/251
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-374
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-268
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-374
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-230
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-230
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-208
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-314
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-402
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-319
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-365
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-365
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-402
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-151
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-108/251
Phone: +49 (0)681-9300-268
Research

Material synthesis

Our team specializes in developing, analyzing, and applying electrochemically active materials and interfaces, focusing on integrating electrochemical activity with electrical conductivity through advanced hybrid materials. We utilize techniques such as sol-gel processes, atomic layer deposition, and electrospinning, supported by comprehensive characterization tools like electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and spectroscopy. We extend our work to in situ and in operando methods to deepen our understanding of these materials. Our expertise encompasses a wide array of materials, including carbon and 2D materials like carbon onions and MXene, as well as diverse metal oxides and conversion materials.

Energy storage

Electrochemical energy storage is at the core of sustainable technologies to store, convert, and recover energy. Our research team explores next-generation electrode materials for Sodium- and Lithium-ion batteries, advanced supercapacitors, and novel hybrid systems. A particular focus is on next-next generation electrode materials, including MXene, high-entropy materials, and nanoscaled hybrid materials. We capitalize on an array of synthesis and characterization methods to employ intercalation, conversion reactions, and alloying reactions for boosting the charge storage capacity and charge/discharge rates. Digitalization, digital twinning, and modelling of energy materials and electrode fabrication complements our research portfolio, including basic research and industrial partnerships.

Water technologies

Energy materials are not just prime candidates for electrochemical energy storage but also are gateways to novel water technologies. Via processes much like for batteries and supercapacitors, that is, redox processes (ion intercalation, alloying and conversion reactions) and ion electrosorption, we can manage the flow of ions. We can selectively immobilize and extract specific ions and drive that process not by high pressure or membrane filtration, but by electrochemical processes and ion selective materials. Our key research activities include general seawater desalination, Lithium-ion extraction, and heavy metal ion removal. Our vision is to have electrochemical processes for an array of elements and compounds for energy-efficient deionization toward circular material use, local elemental harvesting, and pollutant removal.

Publications

2024
Electrochemical recycling of lithium-ion batteries: Advancements and future directions
OPEN ACCESS Discover more
2023
Degradation analysis of tribologically loaded carbon nanotubes and carbon onions

Maclucas, Timothy | Grützmacher, Philipp | Husmann, Samantha | Schmauch, Jörg | Keskin, Sercan | Suarez, Sebastian | Presser, Volker | Gachot, Carsten | Mücklich, Frank

2023, 7 (31), 1-31.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41529-023-00346-5#additional-information

OPEN ACCESS Discover more
Thermo-Responsive Ultrafiltration Block Copolymer Membranes Based on Polystyrene-block-Poly(diethyl acrylamide)

Frieß, Florian V. | Hartmann, Frank | Gemmer, Lea | Pieschel, Jens | Niebuur, Bart-Jan | Faust, Matthias | Kraus, Tobias | Presser, Volker | Gallei, Markus

Macromolecular Materials Engineering , 2023, 308 (11), 2300113.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/mame.202300113

OPEN ACCESS Discover more
Polyacrylonitrile-containing amphiphilic block copolymers: self-assembly and porous membrane formation

Gemmer, Lea | Niebuur, Bart-Jan | Dietz, christian | Rauber, Daniel | Plank, Martina | Frieß, Florian V. | Presser, Volker | Stark, Robert W. | Kraus, Tobias | Gallei, Markus

Polymer Chemistry , 2023, 14 (42), 4825-4837.
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2023/PY/D3PY00836C

OPEN ACCESS Discover more
Toward a Li-Ion Battery Ontology Covering Production and Material Structure

Mutz, Marcel | Perovic, Milena | Gümbel, Philip | Steinbauer, Veit | Taranovskyy, Andriy | Li, Yunjie | Beran, Lisa | Käfer, Tobias | Dröder, Klaus | Knoblauch, Volker | Kwade, Arno | Presser, Volker | Werth, Dirk | Kraus, Tobias

Energy Technology , 2023, 11 (5), 2200681.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ente.202200681

OPEN ACCESS Discover more
Continuous wet chemical synthesis of Mo(C,N,O)x as anode materials for Li-ion batteries†

Abdirahman Mohamed, Mana | Arnold, Stefanie | Janka, Oliver | Quade, Antje | Schmauch, Jörg | Presser, Volker | Kickelbick, Guido

Journal of Materials Chemistry A , 2023, 23 (11), 19936-19954.
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2023/ta/d3ta03340f#!

OPEN ACCESS Discover more
Redox flow desalination for tetramethylammonium hydroxide removal and recovery from semiconductor wastewater

Ahn, Dayoung | Kim, Seonghwan | Ren, Panyu | Presser, Volker | Kim, Choonsoo

Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry , 2023, 118 147-154.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1226086X22006116

OPEN ACCESS Discover more
Surfactant stabilization of vanadium iron oxide derived from Prussian blue analog for lithium-ion battery electrodes

Bornamehr, Behnoosh | El Gaidi, Hiba | Arnold, Stefanie | Pameté, Emmanuel | Presser, Volker

Sustainable Energy & Fuels , 2023, 7 (18), 4514-4524.
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2023/se/d3se00854a

OPEN ACCESS Discover more
Mechanically Stable, Binder-Free, and Free-Standing Vanadium Trioxide/Carbon Hybrid Fiber Electrodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Bornamehr, Behnoosh | Gallei, Markus | Husmann, Samantha | Presser, Volker

Advanced Sustainable Systems , 2023, 7 (2), 2200373.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/adsu.202200373

OPEN ACCESS Discover more
Prussian blue and its analogues as functional template materials: control of derived structure compositions and morphologies

Bornamehr, Behnoosh | Presser, Volker | Zarbin, Aldo J.G. | Yamauchi, Yusuke | Husmann, Samantha

Journal of Materials Chemistry A , 2023, 11 10473-10492.
https://dx.doi.org/10.1039/d2ta09501g

OPEN ACCESS Discover more
1 2 3 4 5 6 26