Name: Monika Mutke
Diploma / M.Sc degree: Technische Universität Carolo-Wilhelmina zu Braunschweig, Germany (July 2004)
Title: Ion dynamics in materials with potential technical applications

Abstract of Research Project

Recently, a new class of electrolytes, viz. composites consisting of liquid non-aqueous ionic salt solutions and solid insulating oxide particles, has been introduced. These so-called “soggy sand electrolytes” show significantly enhanced ionic conductivities compared to the non-aqueous salt solutions which is ascribed to interfacial interaction. The combination of high ionic conductivities at room temperature with the favorable mechanical properties of soft matter makes these new electrolytes appear very promising for technological applications, e.g. lithium battery electrolytes.

The main goal of my PhD project is to improve the understanding of the ionic motion within these multiphase systems. I will use broadband conductivity spectroscopy covering 17 decades on the frequency scale in order to gain a time resolved picture of the dynamic behavior of the ions not only in dependence of the temperature but also in dependence of the oxide particle volume fraction.


Publications

A. Santic, W. Wrobel, M. Mutke, R.D. Banhatti, K. Funke
Frequency-dependent fluidity and conductivity of an ionic liquid
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 11 (2009), 5930-5934.

K. Funke, R.D. Banhatti, D. Laughman, M. Mutke, M.D. Ingram
Using pressure, temperature and frequency as variables to study the dynamics of mobie ions in materials with disordered structures
Eur. Phys. J. Special Topics 161 (2008), 65-78.


Monika Mutke
eMail: Monika Mutke