(Invited) Self-Assembly Synthesis and Interfacial Control of Electrode Architectures

Abstract

Enhancement in electrochemical energy storage resides in tailored nanotextures resulting from making electrode materials hierarchically nanoporous. The complex interplay of solvent and solute structure and dynamics at the charged interface, the transport of electrolyte ions into and out of the pores, the solvation/desolvation processes occurring in pores approaching bare-ion dimensions, and formation of interfaces via chemical reactions are all important parameters. Herein, several self-assembly synthesis methods for carbon and oxide composites as electrode materials for energy storage will be discussed. The objective of this talk is to demonstrate that mesoporous carbons and oxides derived from soft-template synthesis not only entail a high storage capacity but also, most importantly, can be made through self-assembly synthesis to have a significantly enhanced electronic conductivity and storage capacity. This enhanced electronic conductivity in 3D architectures is the key to providing high rate capability for the corresponding energy storage systems.