New collaborative paper (Victor H. R. Souza) published in Journal of Power Sources. To support the energy transition, we developed freestanding electrodes combining reduced graphene oxide, polyaniline, and nickel hexacyanoferrate (NiHCF), which is a promising material for aqueous batteries due to its long cycle life and redox-active structure. These rGO/PAni/NiHCF films achieve high specific capacities (up to 83 mAh/g) and integrate both active material and current collector in one, offering a compact and efficient solution for energy storage.

New paper published in Desalination, led by the Gallei Group, on the capture and release of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances by use of polyelectrolyte metallopolymers.

New paper published in Separation and Purification Technology on “Optimized electrochemical recovery of lithium-ions from spent battery cells using carbon-coated lithium iron phosphate”. We optimized a system based on carbon-coated lithium iron phosphate electrodes. The electrodes selectively extract lithium ions from complex leaching solutions derived from real LCO (LiCoO₂) cathode materials. Over the course of 300 cycles, we observed an average lithium uptake capacity of about 11 mg of Li-ions per 1 gram of active material per cycle. We also demonstrated excellent selectivity toward lithium over competing ions like calcium and cobalt, which is critical in real-world leachates. Our optimized electrode materials and cycling strategies improve both the performance and lifetime of the electrochemical recovery system.

We acknowlege the contributions of all co-authors (Stefanie Arnold, Lei Wang, Dr Rudi Mertens, and Sascha Wieczorek).

Thrilled to see our 2023 paper “The many deaths of supercapacitors: Degradation, aging, and performance fading” is among the 10 most cited articles of 2023 of the high-impact factor journal Advanced Energy Materials.

New paper published in ACS Applied Polymer Materials. This joint work with Markus Gallei from Saarland University has developed smart core–shell particles with imidazole-functionalized shells that respond to acidic solutions and hydrophobic anions, forming viscoelastic opal films with tunable structural colors. These films serve as affordable optical sensors, changing color in response to environmental stimuli, with potential applications in life sciences, environmental monitoring, and electrochemistry.