Polytech Hosts First ICME School-Conference
Experts Discuss Developments in Electrochemical Energy Storage Systems
On October 4, the Young Scientists' School-Conference "Ionic Conductors: From Modeling to Experiment" (ICME 2024) concluded at the university’s Boiling Point, attracting researchers from Russia, Belarus, Germany, Spain, and India. The event focused on materials for electrochemical energy storage and was jointly organized by the International Research Center for Theoretical Materials Science (IRCTMS) and Polytech’s Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry.
The conference opened with a series of keynote presentations. Vladislav Blatov, Head of the Department and IRCTMS Director, presented on "Dual Crystal Chemistry and Methods for Analyzing Free Space in Crystals." Rajendra Kumar Singh from Banaras Hindu University discussed cobalt-free cathodes for sodium-ion batteries. Andrey Golov from CIC energiGUNE explored the dynamic evolution of the solid-electrolyte interface in lithium compounds. Tilman Leisegang of TU Bergakademie Freiberg shared insights on resource-saving batteries, while Evgeny Antipov from Moscow State University gave a plenary lecture on new electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries. Svetlana Eliseeva from St. Petersburg State University addressed the impact of zinc- and iron-based anode materials on lithium-ion battery performance. Irina Piir of the Komi Science Center presented on boosting conductivity in substituted bismuth niobates, and Irina Animitsa from Ural Federal University covered proton conductors based on hexagonal perovskites.
The conference continued with four main sections focusing on:
- Research on "electrode-electrolyte" interfacial boundaries
- Theoretical methods for predicting ionic conductivity in solids
- Synthesis and properties of new materials for energy storage and conversion systems
Experts shared reports both in person and via video conference, followed by a poster session. Discussions centered on advanced theoretical and experimental methods for analyzing the conductive properties of crystalline materials and current challenges in electrochemical energy systems.
In addition, IRCTMS and the Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry hosted workshops on theoretical ionic conductivity prediction methods, including:
- "Geometric-Topological Analysis of Ionic Conductivity in Solids,” led by Natalia Kabanova
- "Crystal-Chemical Estimation of Migration Energies and Ionic Conductivity Using Bond-Valence and Kinetic Monte Carlo Methods,” presented by Elizaveta Morkhova
- "Analysis of Ionic Conductivity in Crystals Using Density Functional Theory Methods,” by Artem Kabanov
A collection of abstracts will be published after the event.
