Synthesis and characterizations of bio-based hard carbons for Na-ion batteries

https://www.lrcs.u-picardie.fr/

The past decade has seen increasingly rapid advances in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), with advantages of uniformly high natural abundance and cost-effectiveness of sodium resources. Among different anode materials for sodium-ion batteries, the hard carbons, which are prepared generally by solid-state pyrolysis of organic polymers and natural sources, have been considered as the most suitable candidate. However, there are still some concerns about the poor cycling stability, the low initial coulombic efficiency and insufficient rate capability of hard carbon electrodes.

In this context, this research project aims to prepare hard carbons with controllable shapes and structures from biomass precursors (lignin and tannin). This project will involve the following aspects: understanding the influence of preparation conditions on structural and textural properties of hard carbons; design of spherical bio-based hard carbons to promote the rate capability and initial coulombic efficiency; structural characterizations (X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy); microstructural characterizations (Scanning electron microscopy, gas physisorption); electrochemical characterizations (formulation, coin cell preparation, galvanostatic charge-discharge test).

Master's 2nd year or 3rd year Engineering School student in Chemistry.
The candidate should ideally have a solid background in materials chemistry.