AUTHOR: Boren Xu - Grupo de Materiales Bioinspirados
WHEN: September, 26 - 11AM
WHERE: Salón de Actos, ICMM
ABSTRACT: Supercapacitors, traditionally regarded as power devices, are now evolving into energy storage and delivery systems through advanced electrode and electrolyte engineering. One of the key points to this evolution is the strategic design of novel electrolytes, which critically determine device performance and lifespan. Driven by the goal of developing a sustainable world, the greener, low-cost, and safety has become the central words of electrolytes engineering for modern supercapacitors. Hydrated “water-in-salt” electrolytes and deep eutectic solvent electrolytes are gathering growing interests on the purpose of tailoring sustainable electrolytes. While high concentration brings strong interaction forces inside these electrolytes, which enhanced physical and chemical stability, it inevitably increases viscosity and retards ion diffusion, creating a fundamental bottleneck for applications. To resolve this conflict, emerging strategies are being developed aiming to optimize ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability via solvent engineering. In this thesis two approaches are investigated: high-entropy aqueous electrolytes composed by ternary acetate salts with water and ethylene glycol, coupling ion diffusion with solvation structure and deep eutectic solvent based electrolytes derived from spent cathode material, demonstrating a closed-loop strategy to reduce cost and environmental footprint. Significant research efforts have focused on elucidating the formation and evolution of solvation structures. Advanced characterization techniques, including Raman and NMR spectroscopies, coupled with molecular dynamics simulations, have been instrumental in these investigations. Ultimately, this thesis highlights the structure-property relationships of designing novel sustainable electrolytes. Their inherent safety, environmental compatibility, and economic benefits offer a highly attractive pathway towards eco-efficient electrochemical energy storage devices.
