Resumen:

Sodium ion batteries (SIBs) are a potential alternative to diversify the energy landscape, beyond Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), due to their similar storage mechanism and easy technology transfer. Currently, the benchmark anodes for SIBs are hard carbons (HCs), since sodium ions do not intercalate into graphite, the current anode of choice for LIBs. HCs can be produced from a variety of waste precursors that are more sustainable and less geopolitically compromised than natural graphite, mainly concentrated in China. Electrochemical degradation of SIBs occurs at a higher rate than in LIBs. This can be attributed to the larger electrochemical reactivity of the HC anodes. A deeper operando understanding of the degradation mechanisms in SIBs, coupled with engineering of materials and electrolyte to ensure that a better and more protective solid electrolyte interface (SEI) is formed, is needed for achieving higher energy density and faster charging NIBs toward an accelerated scale up of this technology. In this talk I will show you some of the strategies we have developed for these aims.

Bio:

Maria did her PhD in Madrid (UC3M) on multifunctional nanocabon composites before moving to London with a Marie Curie Fellowship to study the photocleavable functionalisation of graphene oxide for light-addressable composite coatings (Queen Mary University of London, QMUL, 2016-2018). After this first postdoctoral experience, Maria changed her research path towards sustainable materials for energy storage: first on redox-flow batteries (QMUL, 2018-2019) and then on supercapacitors and sodium-ion batteries as a senior postdoc in Imperial College (2019-2022).  Maria joined Queen Mary University of London as a lecturer in green energy in December 2022. Her group is interested in producing and upcycling low-cost materials for Na/K/Zn -ion batteries and understanding how surface chemistry affects electrochemical performance and lifetime. She is also interested in developing operando characterisation techniques to track changes responsible for battery degradation and proposing sustainable manufacturing methods for devices