Improved anodic materials for lithium-ion batteries: surface modification by metal deposition and electrochemical characterization of oxidized graphite and titanium dioxide electrodes

The research work presented in this thesis has been carried out during my Ph.D. study at the Chemistry Department of Camerino University (Italy) and at the ''Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Wa'¼rttemberg'' (ZSW) in Ulm, (Germany). [...] The thesis deals with the evaluation of the electrochemical performances of metal-modified anodes for lithium-ion batteries. The results obtained by using either partially oxidized graphite or TiO2 anatase as active materials for anode fabrication are presented. The obtained results have been the subject of the following scientific publications and proceedings of congress: F. Nobili, S. Dsoke, M. Mancini, R. Tossici, R. Marassi, ''Electrochemical investigation of polarization phenomena and intercalation kinetics of oxidized graphite electrodes coated with evaporated metal layers'', Journal of Power Sources, 180 (2008) 845-851. M. Mancini, F. Nobili, S. Dsoke, F. D'Amico, R. Tossici, F. Croce, R. Marassi, ''Lithium intercalation, interfacial kinetics of composite anodes formed by oxidized graphite and copper'', Journal of Power Sources (2008), in Press, doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2008.10.084. M. Mancini, P. Kubiak, J. Geserick, R. Marassi, N. Ha'¼sing, M. Wohlfahrt-Mehrens, ''Mesoporous anatase TiO2 composite electrodes: electrochemical characterization and high rate performances'', Journal of Power Sources (2008), in Press, doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2008.10.050. F. Nobili, S. Dsoke, M. Mancini, R. Marassi, ''Interfacial properties of copper coated graphite electrodes: coating thickness dependence'', Fuel Cells, Accepted, DOI: 10.1002/fuce.200800087. M. Mancini, P. Kubiak, J. Geserick, R. Marassi, N. Ha'¼sing, M. Wohlfahrt-Mehrens, ''Electrochemical performances of mesoporous anatase TiO2 electrodes modified by vacuum metal deposition'', 214th Meeting of the Electrochemical Society (ECS). Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, 12-17 October, 2008. Abs. 1261. P. Kubiak, M. Mancini, J. Geserick, R. Marassi, N. Ha'¼sing and M. Wohlfahrt-Mehrens, ''Mesoporous anatase TiO2 composite electrodes: electrochemical characterization and high rate performances'', IMLB-14, The 14th International Meeting on Lithium Batteries. TEDA, Tianjin, China, 22-28 June, 2008. Abs. 142. M. Mancini, F. Nobili, S. Dsoke, R. Tossici, R. Marassi, ''Metal coated oxidized graphite electrodes: electrochemical investigation of polarization phenomena and intercalation kinetics'', 11th UECT Ulm Electrochemical Talks 2008. Neu-Ulm, Germany, 10-12 June, 2008. Abs. p. 48. F. Nobili, S. Dsoke, M. Mancini, R. Tossici, R. Marassi, ''Electrochemical investigation of polarization phenomena and intercalation kinetics of oxidized graphite electrodes coated with evaporated metal layers'', 3rd German-Italian-Japanese Meeting of Electrochemists. Taormina-Messina, Italy, May 25-28, 2008. Abs p.s 41-42. M. Mancini, S. Dsoke, F. Nobili, R. Tossici, R. Marassi, ''Metal-oxidized graphite composite electrodes as anodes for lithium-ion batteries'', School of the Physical Chemistry Section: ''Composite Materials: from Molecular Sciences to nanotechnology''. Turin, Italy, 3-8 September, 2006. Abs. p. 94.