Date of Award

January 2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Physics & Astrophysics

First Advisor

Oncel Nuri

Abstract

Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs) have quickly become a cornerstone of the modern electronics industry, with applications in personal electronic devices, automotive components, and several other areas of interest. With global demand for energy-storing capacity and clean energy solutions only expected to increase in the coming years, developing high-capacity LIB technology has become a priority in battery-related research. A promising method for scaling LIB technology is the use of transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) as high-capacity anode materials. A number of important physical properties make TMCs favorable for LIB materials such as high thermal conductivity, storage capacity, and rapid charge transfer. This experiment began with the synthesis of the TMC chromium sulfide (Cr2S3) via thermal synthesis. After this process, the materials were analyzed via X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD) methods to determine the chemical composition of each sample. We built and tested half-cell coin batteries to evaluate the performance of this material. To study the details of lithiation and delithiation, XPS and XRD measurements were conducted on the electrode material at various stages of the process. The results of these experiments not only confirmed the formation of the Solid Electrolyte Interface (SEI) layer but also provided details of its chemical composition.

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