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Keynote Speaker

Prof. Dr. Tobias Cramer

Department of Physics and Astronomy "Augusto Righi", University of Bologna, Italy

E-mail

tobias.cramer@unibo.it

Electrochemical Strain and Strain Waves in Mixed Ionic–Electronic Conductors

Materials exhibiting mixed ionic–electronic conductivity play a central role in emerging technologies, including energy storage, bioelectronic interfaces, and neuromorphic computing. In this talk, I will discuss advanced atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques for probing coupled ionic and electronic transport processes in these materials under operando conditions.

A key phenomenon in mixed conductors is the generation of local electrochemical strain arising from changes in ionic and electronic concentrations. AFM-based methods are uniquely suited to detect these minute strain responses with high spatial sensitivity, as demonstrated by electrochemical strain microscopy (ESM). I will present representative examples spanning conducting polymers as well as battery cathode and anode materials.

Beyond conventional ESM, I will introduce advanced approaches that combine nanoscale strain measurements with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, enabling direct access to transport kinetics and dynamic material responses. Finally, I will present the concept of strain wave microscopy, which allows visualization of ionic and electronic transport along mixed-conducting thin films and wires. Together, these methods provide powerful tools for investigating transport phenomena in functional materials across multiple length and time scales. ^[1–3]

Figure: Schematic illustration of electrochemical strain waves (ESWs) generated in the channel of an electrochemical transistor. ESWs propagate into the device channel through combined charge transport and swelling.

References:

[1] F. Bonafè, J. Ji, S. Fabiano, B. Fraboni, T. Cramer, Small 2025, 10345, 1.

[2] F. Bonafè, M. Bazzani, B. Fraboni, T. Cramer, Nat. Commun. 2025, 16, 2499.

[3] S. Daboss, T. Cramer, N. Franke, B. Fraboni, C. Kranz, J. Microsc. 2025, 1.

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