Green Technology: Storing Energy in Worm-Like Nanostructures

This collaborative project, led by researchers from Monash University and the University of Warwick, addresses one of our most urgent global challenges—improving energy storage solutions to meet growing demands for efficient, durable, and sustainable power sources. By focusing on the rigorous structural and electrochemical characterisation of worm-like SnS₂ nanostructures, the project explores new horizons in lithium-ion battery technology, which powers almost every modern device, from mobile phones to electric vehicles. Lithium-ion batteries are vital to achieving sustainable energy goals, and this research aims to push the boundaries of existing technology, offering innovative solutions with far-reaching societal impacts.

As the world transitions toward renewable energy, reliable and efficient storage becomes crucial to sustaining progress. Current lithium-ion batteries need help in capacity, longevity, and recyclability. By focusing on hydrothermally grown SnS₂ nanomaterials, this project delves into designing nanostructures with enhanced energy storage capabilities. The worm-like morphology of these nanostructures holds unique potential to address the energy storage gap. With their high surface area and superior strain accommodation, these new materials promise to improve lithium-ion batteries' cycle life and storage capacity, contributing directly to more sustainable power solutions for various applications.

This project embodies the spirit of international collaboration by combining the expertise of Monash and Warwick universities. Dr Volker Keinhorst from the University of Warwick initiated this work during his PhD studies, and his research serves as the foundation for a more comprehensive investigation. Collaborators Dr Jeremy Sloan and Dr Alex Robertson lead Warwick's electrochemical and microstructural characterisation efforts. At the same time, Dr. Matthew Weyland and Dr. Laure Bourgeois at Monash University contribute advanced electron tomography techniques. Together, these researchers pool their unique skills and resources to develop a new standard for energy storage research. This partnership bridges the two institutions and exemplifies how interdisciplinary collaboration can solve complex challenges that no single field can tackle alone.

The project's approach is highly transdisciplinary, blending physics, chemistry, and materials science to understand the worm-like SnS₂ nanostructures fully. By leveraging each discipline’s methodologies, the team can study these nanostructures’ electrochemical behaviour in unprecedented detail. This comprehensive approach ensures that the project goes beyond simple characterisation, addressing broader technical and engineering challenges in energy storage and contributing valuable knowledge to each field.

Through advanced hydrothermal synthesis techniques and detailed electron tomography studies, the research team seeks to refine the properties of SnS₂ nanostructures to improve lithium-ion storage capacity. Preliminary findings suggest that these worm-like nanostructures may have higher capacity and recyclability than traditional materials. This project aims to bring these initial findings to an industrial standard, aligning with real-world applications for portable electronics, electric vehicles, and even larger-scale energy storage. If successful, the research could lay the groundwork for higher-capacity lithium-ion batteries with extended lifetimes and better recyclability, offering an immediate positive impact on energy sustainability.

This project is positioned not only for immediate academic contributions but also for long-term societal benefits. Success in developing and characterising these nanostructures could lead to scalable improvements in battery technology. As such, the project aligns with Monash’s commitment to fostering research with lasting value, and there is potential for follow-on funding from agencies like the Australian Research Council and the European Research Council. By exploring new frontiers in nanomaterials for lithium-ion batteries, this collaboration contributes to a future where energy storage technologies can meet sustainable energy demands, benefitting societies worldwide for future generations.

Principle applicants

Dr Matthew Weyland Associate Professor Department of Materials Science and Engineering Monash University	Dr Reyes Garcia Associate Professor Department of Physics University of Warwick

Co-applicants

Monash University

Professor Laure Bourgeois, Department of Materials Science and Engineering

University of Warwick

Dr Alex Robertson, Department of Physics