Speaker: Steve Martin (ISU)

Title: Loose Ions on a Disordered Landscape: An Enabling Paradigm for New All Solid State Batteries

Abstract: It is well known that Li batteries are fire and explosion hazards. They also operate at 10 times lower energy density than theoretically possible. The first of these problems is caused by the flammable organic liquid electrolytes (OLEs) used in their construction that can spontaneously ignite or explode if lithium ion batteries are charged incorrectly, stored in hot conditions, and/or charged or discharged too rapidly. The second of these problems is caused by the fact that to give these batteries the little safety they do have, they must use graphitic carbon anodes which reduces the amount of lithium that can be stored to about 10% of their theoretical value. In spite of these two critical problems, lithium batteries remain about the only choice manufacturers have to store electrical energy for portable electronics and automobile propulsion. In our research ISU, we are working to solve these two critical problems and at in doing so make lithium batteries that are safer, cheaper, and can be charged and discharged much faster. The core break through that has led to this possibility is the discovery of new glassy solid electrolytes (GSEs) that conduct lithium ions through the battery more safely and faster than the flammable OLEs used today. In this talk, I will describe our more recent research in developing new chemistries of these fast ion conducting (FIC) GSEs that can be formed as thin films and the many thermal, chemical, electrochemical, and mechanical properties needed of them.

Short Bio: Steve W. Martin received his B.S. in Chemistry from Capital University in 1980 and his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Purdue University in 1986. From Purdue, he directly joined the faculty of Materials Science & Engineering in 1986 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 1991 and Full Professor in 1996. He has since been promoted to the ranks of University Professor in 2006 and to the rank of Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in Engineering in 2009. He has been awarded the George W. Morey Award in Glass Science from the Glass and Optical Materials Division of the American Ceramic Society, where he is also a named Fellow of the society. He has been a visiting professor on eight different occasions at universities around the world. His core research specialization is the preparation, characterization and study of ionically conducting glasses for all solid state lithium and sodium batteries. His broader research interests include glass and amorphous materials, solid electrolytes for batteries and fuel cells, optical materials and fibers and the characterization of materials. He has published  more than 200 refereed articles, given more than 225 invited talks around the world, cited more than 10,000 times and has consulted for more than 50 companies worldwide.