- Detailed information on and understanding of the impact of confinement of the electrolyte solution in pores (<10 nm) on the ion distribution and speciation
- New techniques (cryo-TEM) for studying electrolyte structures in nanoporous electrodes
Under nano-confinement, solvent molecules and ions assume a different (solvation) structure and a different distribution as a function of distance to the pore wall (electrode surface) than near a planar electrode surface. These differences depend on the length scale of the nanoconfinement (pore diameter) and the nature of the (chemical) interaction between the electrolyte constituents and the electrode material (pore wall). The interaction with the nanostructured electrode material has a direct effect, but nanoconfinement also induced indirect effects via a change in the structure and physical properties of the solvent. These changes influence the ion solubility, the ion mobility, and the charge storage capacity of the overall nanostructured electrode, and hence the efficiency with which reactions can be carried out at the electrode surface.
Aim: To understand the impact of confinement of the electrolyte in pores (<10 nm) on the ion distribution and speciation throughout the pore, as a function of key parameters such as pore size and geometry, but also solid (pore wall) interfacial properties.