Use of COFs and MOFs to increase the surface area of hard carbon nanofibers for sodium ion batteries.

• Grant number: 24/17138-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Roberto Manuel Torresi
• Grantee: Vinícius Martins dos Santos
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/00675-4 - Tying up materials for electrochemical energy storage and catalysis, AP.TEM

Abstract

This project investigates the incorporation of MOFs and COFs as pore-forming agents in hard carbon nanofibers for self-supporting negative electrodes in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). These materials, with highly porous structures that can be chemically modified to include heteroatoms such as nitrogen and sulfur, enhance the ion adsorption capacity and electrical conductivity of hard carbons. The thermal conversion of these materials introduced into the hard carbon nanofibers results in a carbonaceous structure that retains a significant portion of the original porosity of the MOFs and COFs, enabling efficient sodium ion diffusion and improving the charge and discharge kinetics of the batteries. This project explores the production of hard carbon nanofibers with the addition of MOFs and COFs, using the supersonic solution blow (SSB) technique. This approach allows the fabrication of ultra-thin, porous carbon fibers, creating an active surface that promotes a uniform distribution of ions, reducing internal resistance and increasing SIB efficiency. Additionally, the project aims to understand how the chemical modification of MOFs and COFs can influence the final properties of hard carbons, with a focus on optimizing specific capacity, coulombic efficiency, and cycle stability of SIBs. The integration of MOFs and COFs with advanced nanofiber electrode production techniques could result in high-performance sodium-ion batteries, with higher energy density and long-term stability, driving the development of more sustainable and affordable energy storage technologies.