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Next Generation Energy Storage: An Examination Of Lignin-Based Carbon Composite Anodes For Sodium Ion Batteries Through Modeling And Simulation, Dayton G. Kizzire

Doctoral Dissertations

The current energy market relies heavily on fossil fuel sources; however, we are amidst a momentous shift towards wind, solar, and water based renewable energies. Large-scale energy storage allows renewable energy to be stored and supply the grid with consistent energy despite changing weather conditions. Improvements to large-scale energy storage in terms of cost, safety, and sustainability are crucial to wide-scale adoption. A promising candidate for large-scale energy storage are sodium-ion batteries using hard carbon anodes. Sodium is globally available, cheaper, and more sustainable than lithium, but requires a different anode structure. A sustainable hard carbon anode with excellent Li-ion …

Lignin-Based Li-Ion Anode Materials Synthesized From Low-Cost Renewable Resources, Nicholas William Mcnutt

Doctoral Dissertations

In today’s world, the demand for novel methods of energy storage is increasing rapidly, particularly with the rise of portable electronic devices, electric vehicles, and the personal consumption and storage of solar energy. While other technologies have arguably improved at a rate that is exponential in accordance with Moore’s law, battery technology has lagged behind largely due to the difficulty in devising new electric storage systems that are simultaneously high performing, inexpensive, and safe.

In order to tackle these challenges, novel Li-ion battery anodes have been developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory that are made from lignin, a low-cost, renewable …

Investigation Of Deformation And Failure Mechanisms In Nanoindentation Mechanics, Yuzhi Xia

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation further extends nanoindentation to study the initiation of plasticity in single crystals in nanoscale stressed volumes, to the instrumented tests for damage evaluation and monitoring, and to the fundamental issues in deformation and failure mechanisms in relationship to the defect evolutions.

In the first project, model Fe-Cr, Fe-Ni and Fe-Cr-Ni alloys that are the basis of many structural steels were synthesized as single crystals and characterized. The compositions investigated were Fe-15Cr, Fe-30Cr, Fe-30Ni and Fe-15Cr-15Ni (atomic percent). Several key mechanical properties were determined which will be useful in further studies of irradiation/deformation-induced defects. Incipient plasticity and slip characteristics …