Research

As the battery industry is expanding, cost and supply-chain challenges will be the dominant factor to tackle. Our targeted, solution-driven research is centered on the development of new materials for batteries with a good balance between basic science and applied science, encompassing the following:

• Design of new electrode and electrolyte materials
• Novel chemical synthesis and processing approaches
• Advanced structural, chemical, and surface characterization
• Chemical, physical, and electrochemical property measurements
• Fabrication and evaluation of prototype batteries
• Fundamental understanding of relationships among structure, composition, properties, and performance

Lithium-ion Batteries: Lithium-ion batteries have aided the revolution in portable electronics. They are now on the verge of transforming the transportation sector and grid storage of electricity. Our research is focused on eliminating or reducing the expensive and scarcely available cobalt and increasing the energy density through higher nickel contents in the cathode and incorporating silicon into graphite, while maintaining adequate cell safety.

Metal-sulfur Batteries: Sulfur is earth-abundant and supply-chain-friendly with 10 times higher charge-storage capacity than the oxide cathodes used in lithium-ion batteries. Unfortunately, metal-sulfur batteries are met with numerous challenges. We are engaged in overcoming the challenges with novel electrode architectures, electrocatalysts, electrolytes, metal-anode stabilization, molecular engineering of polysulfides, and robust electrode-electrolyte interphases with necessary cell-assembly parameters in pouch cell configurations to make them commercially viable.

Sodium-ion Batteries:  Sodium is earth-abundant and sodium-ion batteries offer a potential low-cost replacement for lithium-ion batteries. However, they are in their infancy. Our research is engaged in developing new cathode compositions with doping and surface modification to realize long cycle life, while developing a fundamental understanding of the complexities associated with cathodes, hard carbon anodes, cell dynamics, and safety.

All-Solid-state Batteries:  All-solid-state batteries with a solid electrolyte and solid electrodes are the holy grail of rechargeable batteries as they can offer higher energy density and better safety. However, they are challenged with poor interfacial charge transfer. Our research is focused on realizing optimized interphases with facile charge transfer.

Aluminum Anodes: Aluminum foil anodes to replace graphite anodes in lithium-ion batteries are appealing as they can lower the cost, increase energy density, and enhance safety. Our research is focused on understanding the structural transformations and identifying the associated failure mechanisms through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates metallurgy and electrochemistry.