Energy storage is one of the keys to the management and distribution of energy resources in the coming years. Three major application areas can be identified, which are delineated by the size of the storage devices: portable applications, automotive and support/management of electricity grids.
One of the five research topics addressed by the FLEXILAB Project, Departments of Excellence Project 2018-2022, focuses on the optimisation and research in the field of rechargeable lithium batteries, which have higher performance in terms of power and energy density than aqueous systems such as lead or alkaline.
We interviewed Prof. Riccardo Ruffo, Professor of Physical Chemistry at the Department of Materials Science and work package leader of this research activity, to understand why it is important to focus on this type of energy storage device and what results have been achieved during the project.