Ida Nielsen

I graduated from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark in June 2021 with a MSc in Chemistry with inorganic specialization. For my graduate thesis, I worked on nanoparticle synthesis, especially ion exchange of Cu2-xS nanoparticles to form CuInS2 nanoparticles, and with powder X-ray diffraction and Pair Distribution Function analysis studied their structure and how different synthesis parameters influence the structure of these materials.

My project with SwedNess is focused on unravelling the role that water plays in both stabilizing the structure and facilitating fast ion transport in Prussian Blue Analogues (PBAs) battery materials. To study these materials a range of techniques will be used; especially X-ray and neutron diffraction to determine accurate structures of PBAs and the position of water within the structure, and neutron spectroscopy to probe the dynamics involved in ion transport and phase transitions. Neutrons are essential to study these materials as the X-ray scattering lengths of water and sodium are approximately equal. Moreover, operando diffraction techniques will be used to monitor the structural changes during electrochemical cycling. This work is both targeted at developing a fundamental understanding of PBAs as well as understanding properties which will lead to improved energy storage materials.