Block-copolymer templating of inorganic frameworks provides a powerful route to the production of periodic nanoporous materials.  In this talk, we examine applications of these materials for both high capacity battery anodes, and for pseducapacitors, which combine modest capacity with fast charge and discharge times.  In the latter case, we find that nanoporous materials built from nanoparticle building blocks effectively combine high surface area with efficient solvent diffusion to show high levels of charge storage, even when the parent metal oxide does not show efficient Li+ diffusion in the bulk.  If the potential for Li+ intercalation also exists, we find that the combination of pore flexibility and short diffusion lengths produces a phenomena called intercalation pseudocapacitance, where traditional battery-like intercalation become so kinetically facile that it appears capacitive.  For high-capacity anodes, we examine porous silicon, and again show that the mechanical flexibility can produce robust cycling behavior and increased rate capability.  In keeping a theme the Rolison group, porosity is the key to improved cycling in these nanostructured materials.

Polymer templated nanoporous materials for supercapacitors and batteries

241st National Meeting (2011)

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