Designing Advanced Solid Polymer Electrolytes: From Single-Ion Conductors to Self-Healing Materials for Lithium and Beyond
Emmanouil Glynos, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Crete, Greece
Thursday 25 September 2025, 12.00 PM
MATGAS - Sala d'Actes and ONLINE (Register here)
Abstract
Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are key to enabling safer, high-performance solid-state batteries, yet they often suffer from limited ionic conductivity and poor mechanical robustness. In this talk, I will present recent strategies to overcome these challenges through macromolecular engineering. First, I will discuss the development of single-ion SPEs incorporating nanostructured polyanionic particles, achieving high cation transference numbers, stable conductivity, and significantly enhanced mechanical strength—critical for the operation of lithium metal batteries. Next, I will explore self-healing polymer electrolytes, leveraging dynamic macromolecular architectures to autonomously repair mechanical damage and improve device reliability and lifespan. Finally, I will highlight the transition beyond lithium, focusing on the design of sodium-based polymer electrolytes as a sustainable, earth-abundant alternative. Together, these approaches point toward a new generation of multifunctional, robust, and environmentally conscious polymer electrolytes for future energy storage system.
Short bio
Emmanouil Glynos is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering of the University of Crete and Affiliated Faculty Member at the Institure of Electronic Structure and Laser at the Foundation for Research and Technology. He received his PhD in Materials Science, in in the core subject of Polymer Physics, at the University of Edinburgh in 2007. From 2008 until 2013 he did his postdoctoral research at the Department of Material Science and Engineering at the University of Michigan and in 2013, he was appointed as a Research Investigator at the University of Michigan, at the Center for Solar and Thermal Energy Conversion. From 2015 to 2021 he was a Research Scientist at FORTH/IESL.
Hosted by Rosa Palacín, from the SSC group (Materials for Energy Research Line)
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