Exploration of the microscopic mechanisms for colossal permittivity in Andersson-Wadsley titanium oxides – MIMETIX

Recent experimental work from the partners of this consortium has suggested the possibility to simultaneously observe colossal dielectric constant and superionic conduction in a family of titanium oxide materials. The proposed project aims at understanding the microscopical mechanisms at play in these materials, and in particular the interaction of the migrating species with the structure, their mechanisms for accumulation and the role and impact of the environment on the material properties. The latter may be used in a new type of supercapacitors, termed "charge-opened supercapacitors" (COSC) that will be sustainable, recyclable, cheap and clean. To this aim, we plan to couple strong expertise in chemistry, physics, structural analysis and microcharacterization as well as in ab-initio calculation. The synergy that the PRC instrument will create between the participants and collaborators will lead to fundamental understanding of these systems and favor new developments in the field of energy storage.