Journal Article

Biologically Assisted One-Step Synthesis of Electrode Materials for Li-Ion Batteries

Skouri-Panet, Fériel, Miot, Jennyfer, Recham, Nadir, Guyot, François, Galezowski, Laura, Larcher, Dominique, Ahouari, Hania

2023

Overview

Mn(II)-oxidizing organisms promote the biomineralization of manganese oxides with specific textures, under ambient conditions. Controlling the phases formed and their texture on a larger scale may offer environmentally relevant routes to manganese oxide synthesis, with potential technological applications, for example, for energy storage. In the present study, we sought to use biofilms to promote the formation of electroactive minerals and to control the texture of these biominerals down to the electrode scale (i.e., cm scale). We used the bacterium Pseudomonas putida strain MnB1 which can produce manganese oxide in a biofilm. We characterized the biofilm–mineral assembly using a combination of electron microscopy, synchrotron-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Under optimized conditions of biofilm growth on the surface of current collectors, mineralogical characterizations revealed the formation of several minerals including a slightly crystalline MnOx birnessite. Electrochemical measurements in a half-cell against Li(0) revealed the electrochemical signature of the Mn4+/Mn3+ redox couple indicating the electroactivity of the biomineralized biofilm without any post-synthesis chemical, physical or thermal treatment. These results provide a better understanding of the properties of biomineralized biofilms and their possible use in designing new routes for one-pot electrode synthesis.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Absorption spectroscopy / Bacteria / biofilm / Biofilms / biomineralization / birnessite / Carbon / Chemical Sciences / Chemical synthesis / electroactive biofilms / Electroactivity / Electrochemistry / Electrode materials / Electrodes / Electron microscopy / Electron paramagnetic resonance / electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy / Electron spin resonance / energy / Energy storage / Heat treatment / Lithium cells / Lithium-ion batteries / Manganese / manganese monoxide / Manganese oxides / Material chemistry / Materials / Metallic oxides / Microbiological research / Microbiological synthesis / Mineralization / Minerals / Morphology / one-pot electrode synthesis / Oxidation / Physiological aspects / Production processes / Pseudomonas / Pseudomonas putida / Synchrotrons / Texture / Thermogravimetric analysis / thermogravimetry / X ray absorption / X-ray absorption spectroscopy / X-ray diffraction