#PHDone: Development of Novel Cathodes for Next Generation Batteries
Congratulations to Amar Kumar on successfully defending his thesis titled ‘On the Development of Novel Cathodes for Next Generation Batteries: Solar to Organic Batteries’.
Conventionally, solar energy harvesting systems consist of a photovoltaic cell (solar cell) that converts sunlight into electricity, which in turn, is converted into electrochemical energy in a battery. However, this two-step process has a worrisome caveat: at both steps of conversion between the constituent units, there is a loss of energy; thus, leading to a decrease in the overall efficiency of the setup.
As part of his PhD work, Amar developed a photo-rechargeable lithium battery from scratch; a one-step system that both captures and stores solar energy. The designed and synthesized material for solar batteries achieves a higher light-matter interaction.
In a separate study, he dissects the effects of light and heat on some markers inside the battery that reflect the efficiency and lifetime of the entire unit. He observes the difference in discharge/charge of the cell, decomposition of the electrolyte, and stability of the cathode-electrolyte interface when exposed to heat and light. The results tease out the more destructive effects of heated environments as compared to light, showing how battery components (such as the material used as cathode, electrolyte, and the constituents of the cathode electrode ink) can be optimised to avoid active and passive heating of the battery. In addition, Amar has also developed a new type of environmentally friendly and recyclable battery cathode material made from metal-containing organic crystals that are air- and electrolyte-stable.
Read more about Amar’s work:
– Photo Rechargeable Li-Ion Batteries Using Nanorod Heterostructure Electrodes
– Photo-Rechargeable Li-Ion Batteries using TiS2 Cathode