Scientific Achievement
Developed the first nm-scale method to observe energy storage electrochemistry, and used it to understand how WO3·2H2O stores energy more efficiently than WO3.
Significance and Impact
Studying electrochemical reactions through mechanical processes allows 100-10,000x higher resolution than traditional techniques. Elucidation of the role of structural water may inspire new materials that store energy more efficiently.
Research Details
– Deformation of active materials was mapped by atomic force microscopy during charge and discharge, matching conventional cyclic voltammetry, but with much higher spatial resolution.
– Structural water turns the 3D scaffold of WO3 into layered WO3·2H2O, which may lead to easier deformation and more efficient energy storage.
R. Wang, J. B. Mitchell, Q. Gao, W.-Y. Tsai, S. Boyd, M. Pharr, N. Balke, and V. Augustyn, "Operando atomic force microscopy reveals mechanics of structural water driven battery-to-pseuocapacitor transition," ACS Nano 12, 6032, (2018). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b02273
