Synthesis, Characterization and Application of Powder Materials in Batteries

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, the overall objective of many research endeavours is to develop cutting-edge materials to improve the energy and power densities of batteries and thus cover the increasing demands for energy storage of electric devices. In this context, the study and development of synthesis processes and materials for electrochemical production, conversion, and storage of energy are fundamental to reduce emission and fuel consumption, favoring, at the same time, the use of renewable sources for distributed generation and transport. Therefore, highly needed further improvements in the performance characteristics of batteries are largely dependent on the ability to develop novel materials with greatly improved storage capacities. Many efforts have been made in the electrochemistryfield to design innovative devices and materials able both to meet the increasing demands of the market and to deliver/accumulate electrical energy as high- and low-temperature batteries. Different synthesis techniques are generally utilized to produce powder materials, including hydrothermal synthesis, emulsion-drying, spray pyrolysis, solid-state reaction, sol–gel method, and co-precipitation. Electrochemical properties such as the specific energy, energy density, specific power, cyclability, and capacity retention rate as well as the morphological properties, such as specific surface area, crystallinity, grain size, and size distribution of these powder materials, can be directly affected by the aforementioned different synthesis techniques. In particular, the purpose of this Special Issue is to publish high-quality research papers as well as review articles addressing recent advances on synthesis, characterization and application of powder materials in batteries. We seek original, high-quality contributions that are not yet published or that are not currently under review by other journals or peer-reviewed conferences.

Potential topics include preparation methods, material characteristics, and applications of powder electrode materials, but are not limited to the following:

• Study, synthesis, and characterization of anodic and cathodic active powder;
• Study of the interaction between electrode materials and electrolyte;
• Transport processes in free and porous media;
• Electrochemical reaction kinetic studies for batteries optimization;
• Powder and particle characterization;
• Measurement and control of powder processes;
• Advanced nanomaterials for efficient electrodes in batteries;
• Chemistry and materials science of diffusion, mass transport, and reactivity of powder electrode materials.

Prof. Alessandro Dell'Era
Guest Editor

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• Electrode materials
• Powder characterization
• Powder synthesis
• Advanced nanomaterials
• Electrochemical kinetic
• Transport processes
• Diffusion science
• Energy and power