Institutional Partnerships

Carmel Catholic High School ESRP 2025

Study of Cycling Effects on Molybdenum Based Anodes in Batteries

Authors:

Students:

  • Ainsley De Rosa
  • Kayla Johnston
  • Danielle Susanto
  • Matthew Zell

Teachers:

Mentors:

  • Sudarshan Luitel (Illinois Institute of Technology)
  • Carlo Segre (Illinois Institute of Technology)

Advanced Photon Source Sector 10: MRCAT

Lithium ion batteries typically have an anode of graphite, but other elements such as molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) can be substituted. While molybdenum has a high theoretical capacity of 1117 mAh/g, its application is hindered by its rapid capacity degradation after multiple cycles of the battery. This project investigates the electrochemical performance of MoO3 through half-cell characterization and explores the underlying degradation mechanisms using ex-situ X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFs) analysis. This research provides insights into the structural and chemical transformations that occur during cycling and sheds light on potential failure modes and pathways for the performance enhancement of MoO3.