Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Date of Degree

9-2025

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Program

Physics

Advisor

Steven G. Greenbaum

Committee Members

Swapan Gayen

Glenn Pastel

Yuhang Ren

Sophia Suarez

Subject Categories

Condensed Matter Physics

Keywords

NMR, nuclear magnetic resonance, battery, electrolyte, lithium-ion, lithium

Abstract

To achieve a sustainable future, key issues in the energy and construction sectors such as the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources and recycling of waste construction materials must be addressed. While fossil fuels offer a high energy density source of quick, consistent energy, renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric offer intermittent energy output, requiring energy storage systems to maintain steady energy availability for consumers. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used in consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and grid storage due to their high energy density, low self-discharge, and rechargeability. However, they are limited by high economic and environmental cost, safety concerns such as thermal runaway caused by dendritic growth, and inefficient recycling processes. This work investigates several lithium-ion and beyond lithium-ion electrolytes, including sodium-ion and aluminum-ion electrolytes, using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy techniques. One-dimensional (1D), magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR, and pulsed-field gradient (PFG) NMR were used to characterize structural properties and ion transport dynamics. Additionally, construction material recycling processes were investigated using MAS NMR. These environmentally conscious investigations advance the understanding of lithium and beyond lithium-ion battery electrolytes and construction materials recycling through NMR spectroscopy.

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