Daphne Garcia
The focus of my research is to develop new electrode materials for energy storage devices by improving current chemical processes of dealloying brass sheets to create three-dimensional nanoporous copper structures. By controlling the dealloying process, a more even distribution of pores that are all less than a micron in diameter and greater surface area in the structure will be achieved. These structures will function as current collectors in lithium-ion batteries, with the potential for higher energy density, increased cyclic performance and rate kinetics. Variables such as dealloying chemical composition, brass composition, and sheet thickness will be analyzed to identify the ideal conditions for achieving...
Diwash Dhakal
Rechargeable batteries are among the candidates that can fulfill the evolving energy storage needs and are being researched extensively. My research focuses on the application of X-ray spectroscopy techniques to better understand the critical processes in rechargeable Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs). Specifically, I am looking at the local chemical environment and coordination complex in electrolytes and ion pairing in the electric double layer at electrode interfaces. Such a study will lead to a better understanding of the role of ion pairing on both structure and dynamics at the electrode-electrolyte-interface, a key question for ZIBs and many other battery systems. Advisors: Gerald T. Seidler, Guozhong Cao -...
David S. Bergsman
Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering The Bergsman group tackles emerging challenges in water, energy, and sustainability using nanomaterials. Through the design of ultrathin nanostructures and coatings, we create membranes that can separate contaminants from water, catalysts that drive difficult chemical reactions, and materials enable the formation of previously unobtainable device architectures. We combine atomically-precise synthesis, advanced characterization approaches, and data science tools to better understand the behavior of molecules in these uniquely small systems and use that understanding to invent processes that can enable the use of clean energy technologies at scale. Email | Website | LinkedIn Recent Publications David S. Bergsman, Bezawit A. Getachew, Christ B. Cooper, Jeffrey...
Parker Steichen
My research focuses on the application of sulfide solid electrolytes in all solid state batteries (ASSB). While the high ionic conductivity of these materials have sparked significant interest amongst researchers, poor electrochemical stability has been a significant obstacle to realizing practical sulfide electrolyte based ASSBs. I am looking at how we can improve the long term stability of these materials so that we can realize practical and robust high energy density ASSBs. Advisor: Jihui Yang - Materials Science & Engineering...
Kevin Lee
Nanostructured alloying electrode materials such as antimony, germanium, and silicon are highly promising materials that offer potentially low-cost, high-power-density, and high rate capability. However, developing a strong understanding of the morphology and tying the morphology to performance is difficult because electrodes are typically made up of a disordered mixture of active material, polymeric binder, and conductive carbon. Therefore, the goal of my research is to utilize in-situ electrochemical techniques such as the galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to fully understand how alloying type nanomaterials behave in multicomponent electrochemical systems such as batteries. The investigated materials will be synthesized using...
Leo Zasada
My research focuses on new, advanced materials for efficient energy storage and electrocatalysis. Specifically, I will synthesize liquid crystalline metal–organic macrocycles that combine the porosity, chemical tunability, and high conductivity of 2D metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with the solution-processability, self-healing, and stimuli-responsiveness of liquid crystals. 2D MOFs are generally isolated as microcrystalline powders, leading to poor electron transport across grain boundaries. In contrast, liquid crystals are solution processable and can be macroscopically aligned, eliminating this issue. I have synthesized tetrahydroxytriphenylene ligands that should bind to square planar M(II) cations to form hexagonal macrocycles. The desired macrocycle features a π–d conjugated core that should facilitate rapid charge...
Nada Naser
My research focuses on the integration of solid binding peptides (SBPs) within the framework of proton-transporting transmembrane proteins to create new devices and materials that will enable next-generation energy systems. SBPs are combinatorially selected peptides that bind with high affinity to inorganic materials. By genetically inserting these peptides at various sites of functional transmembrane proteins (e.g., light-activated ion transporters), and by exploiting emerging techniques to isolate and stabilize the resulting chimera in polymeric nanoparticles, I intend to fabricate new devices to control charge transfer and chemical potential across interfaces in response to light illumination. Additionally, I am interested in developing responsive materials in which...
Emerson Chen
I will focus on organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors (OMIECs), which are often soft polymers or polymer blends with conjugated structure. They are promising candidates for supercapacitor and battery electrodes as they have great ionic-electronic coupling property and decent capability of ion and electron transportation. Also, the fabrication could be easily scaled up using roll-to-roll printing as most OMIECs are solution processable. In specific, I will synthesize PEDOT or Polythiophene with carboxybetaine/sulfobetaine zwitterionic side chains via chemical polymerization. EIS and OECT will be applied to characterize the synthesized materials for capacitance and kinetics studies. Higher specific capacitance and charging rate are expected as the zwitterion...
Doris Hung
My research focuses on developing a computational artificial intelligence framework for 3D lithium-ion batteries. Conventional battery manufacturing only considers monolithic, planar electrode architectures that have a fundamental trade-off between power and energy density. 3D batteries overcome this trade-off by enhancing ion transport with their engineered electrode architectures. I am currently developing a model framework that can automatically generate and optimize electrode architectures based on a set of user-defined design requirements. Advisor: Corie Cobb - Mechanical Engineering...
Mitchell Kaiser
My research will focus on self-assembly of organically cross-linked structures of 2D materials for clean energy applications. The 2D semi-conducting and quantum materials have well-defined atomic structure and architecture. Integrating 2D materials with functional organic molecules into well-controlled molecular to nano-scale architectures will lead to novel and synergistic properties and functions. Monolayer or few layer MoS2 will be prepared through mechanical and chemical exfoliation. Organic molecules will be self-assembled on the nanoflakes and cross-linked into layered structures. The unique band structures, limited electrons, and incomplete band bending of such materials will be exploited to realize unique catalytic, transport, and storage properties. In-situ STM, novel...
Giang Le
I hope to demonstrate the ability to use non-linear electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (NLEIS) for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) performance diagnosis. Advisor: Stuart Adler — Chemical Engineering ...
Orion Dollar
I plan to use machine learning, a genetic algorithm and molecular dynamic simulations in tandem to thoroughly explore the solute/IL space and return candidate electrolytes that are electrochemically stable with desirable transport characteristics. Advisor: Jim Pfaendtner - Chemical Engineering ...