Cathode development for Lithium Sulfur batteries

Broad Aims

To develop a range of cathode architectures with improved cell performance.

What the research needs to address

A key target prior to industrial deployment of lithium-sulfur (LiS) batteries is development of cathode formulations that lead to both long cycle life (over up to 1000s of cycles) and high specific charge storage capacities that persist at high charge rates (high C rates). 

This PhD project will investigate:

As part of the LiSTAR programme of the Faraday Institution, the appointee will support the investigators in Chemistry at Surrey (Dr Crean and Prof Slade) in the following areas:

• Synthesis and characterisation of novel materials for use in formulated electrode coatings; electrical current collector materials for use in electrode coatings will include industrial, functionalised nanocarbons and also novel 2-D layered carbides which are metallic conductors.
• Fabrication of electrodes to use as components within laboratory scale lithium-sulfur batteries (single cells).
• Assembly and testing of research, lithium-sulfur batteries. Testing will include controlled cycling over schedules involving hundreds of cycles and at a range of controlled C-rates.
• Investigation of formulated materials using advanced physicochemical techniques, both prior to battery assembly and from those batteries postmortem.

There is also scope to work on separator materials for LiS batteries, with similar training available as described above.

All facilities required to do the work are available at Surrey.

Please contact Dr Carol Crean for informal discussions on the topic c.crean@surrey.ac.uk.

This studentship is for students with UK or EU settled status only. Applicants are expected to hold a first or upper-second class degree in a relevant discipline or a lower second plus a good masters degree (distinction normally required).

English language requirements

IELTS Academic: an average score of 6.5 with each individual category at least 6.0.