(4u) Reducing Carbon Footprint Via Electrochemistry and Materials Design

I am a chemical engineer by training, and my research focused on the fundamental understanding and materials design for next-generation energy storage systems. My overarching scientific goal is to integrate perspective of chemists and materials scientists into process design to solve imminent environmental problems, which will be my future research priorities.

Research Experience:

Motivated by the urgent need for cost-effective solutions for electric transportations, my PhD research in Prof. Yunfeng Lu’s group at UCLA focuses on fundamental understanding and rational design of micro/nanomaterials for next-generation energy storage systems, emphasizing lithium-sulfur systems and solid-state batteries. My study has been enabled by a combination of expertise and experience in chemistry, materials science, and chemical engineering. For example, to elucidate the reaction pathways during battery operations, we combined first-principal calculation with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) to identify the critical active species in the system, which settles the longstanding arguments in the field. Moreover, based on these findings, I integrated dual catalysts into the electrode to accelerate the electrochemical process. The system demonstrated significantly enhanced energy and power outputs. Moreover, through interfacial engineering, I engineered the mechanical and electrochemical properties of lithium metal anode, which successfully suppressed the growth of Li dendrites and its side reactions with electrolyte components.

With a passion for developing safe energy storage systems, I continued my postdoctoral training in the Materials Science department at Stanford, working with Prof. Yi Cui. Part of my study is to develop an in-situ diagnostic system for lithium-ion batteries to enable safe fast-charging, which is the last challenge for the mass implantation of electric vehicles. Meanwhile, I also worked on the process development for solid-state electrolytes, where we design a novel fabrication process for the potential mass production of all-solid-state batteries.

Research Interests:

During my postdoc study, I am fortunate to get exposed to various research topics and collaborate with colleagues from different backgrounds, which dramatically broadened my research interests. I found one research area most fascinating and of imminent need: environmental problems. Given that both the fundamental understanding of these materials’ chemical properties and the design of chemical processing play a crucial role in overall performance and efficiency, I believe my previous joint experience in chemistry, materials science and chemical engineering can provide fresh perspectives to the field and help tackle these challenges.

Teaching Interests:

I am passionate about teaching and am eager to become a more effective teacher through comprehensive preparation, interactive teaching, and self-reflection. During my PhD career, I have been a teaching assistant for the course of Chemical and Biomolecular Laboratory in UCLA, where my responsibilities include supervising labs, leading discussions, grading lab reports, etc. Meanwhile, I have mentored 3 undergraduate students and 7 graduate students in UCLA and Stanford. The cornerstone of my teaching philosophy is to foster a mutual enjoyment and continued curiosity in teaching and research.