Academic Research

The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy demands efficient, cost-effective electrochemical storage with high energy and power density. While lithium-ion technology has driven advancements in electric vehicles and consumer electronics, its limitations prevent it from meeting future needs. The bulky intercalation anode in lithium-ion cells is a key drawback.
A promising alternative could be alkali-metal anodes, which eliminate the need for intercalation materials, increasing energy density and reducing production costs. Liquid alkali-metal anodes offer high power and areal capacities, however, they pose challenges in alkali-metal management, including storing and releasing the metal during cycling and maintaining electrical contact with the solid electrolyte.
To also enable partially liquid alkali-metal anodes to effectively operate at low operating temperatures, this project focuses on improving the interaction between the alkali metal, the current collector, and the solid electrolyte during phase changes, developing coatings that optimize the wetting behaviors of alkali metals for better performance, and exploring suitable capillary structures that absorb and release alkali metals during battery operation.

Advanced undergraduate students (from third year) 
Master's students 
Ph.D. students 

The most important requirement is a high degree of motivation combined with a high commitment to the research. This should be combined with good communication skills in English. On this basis, all necessary skills can be learned due to the close mentorship and support at GER.

No specific preparation is required. We can meet to discuss potential literature that the student could read before the project, etc.