The biennial KNCV-Van Arkel prize 2022-2023 is awarded to Dr. Laura de Kort, who did her PhD with Dr. Peter Ngene and Prof. dr. Petra de Jongh at Utrecht University. Dr. de Kort was selected ahead of four other candidates who also wrote excellent PhD theses and published quite a few papers in prestigious academic journals, on the topics of polymer membranes, stimuli-responsive hydrogels, supramolecular polymers, and thermoplastic liquid crystals. What made Dr. de Kort stand out was her new fundamental insights into inorganic and physical chemistry, the scientific disciplines that the KNCV aims to promote via the Van Arkel prize.
The context of the thesis by De Kort is the quest for novel solid inorganic electrolytes with high ionic conductivity, which are required for the development of solid-state batteries that are safer than current lithium-ion batteries, whose organic solvent-based electrolytes are highly flammable.
The thesis has an intriguing title: “A Dynamic Duo; Fast ion conduction in metal hydride/oxide nanocomposites”. In fact, the dynamic duo consists of metal hydrides and metal oxides, which when joined in nanocomposites have a profound effect on the conductivity. Compared to pristine metal hydrides, the conductivity of the nanocomposites can be higher by orders of magnitude. Dr. de Kort elucidated the origin of this effect, which in most studied systems was revealed to be the formation of a highly conductive tertiary phase at the interface between hydride and oxide. To characterize the nanocomposites physically and chemically, Dr. de Kort employed a myriad of experimental analysis techniques, including Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), nitrogen physisorption, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Remanence (NMR), NMR line shape analysis, and X-ray Raman scattering (XRS) spectroscopy at DESY Petra III P01. The latter was particularly original, since no one else had used XRS before to clarify the interfacial chemistry responsible for the high conductivity of nanocomposites.
The groundbreaking results described in the thesis will not only facilitate the rational design of new solid-state batteries, but also that of inorganic solid-state electrolytes such as proton and hydride conductors, which are applicable in new-generation fuel cells, electrolyzers, sensors, and electrocatalysts. In this way, the results contribute to society’s transition toward sustainable energy.
The Royal Netherlands Chemical Society (KNCV) warmly congratulates Dr. Laura de Kort with the Van Arkel prize.
