Our research focuses on the design and development of advanced functional materials with complex nanostructures for high-performance energy storage and conversion technologies. We aim at developing novel rechargeable batteries that are more sustainable and affordable. In order for our society to rely more on green renewable energy sources, e.g., solar and wind power, and to transition from internal combustion engine-based cars to fully electric vehicles, new energy storage devices superior to those of current technologies are needed. The science and engineering of advanced materials certainly remain at the forefront of finding viable solutions to the complex energy-related issues. For such large-scale energy storage devices, new Li-ion battery chemistries with an emphasis on cost, safety, and energy density are being pursued in our laboratory.
Our research group also focuses on developing new electrochemistries beyond lithium technology. Examples of these post-Li-ion batteries are Na-ion, Mg-ion, Zn-ion, Ca-ion, and Al-ion systems. The research studies will uncover the relationships between materials properties, electrode architectures, and underlying electrochemical mechanisms. In addition to the field of energy storage, the research topics are interdisciplinary involving the design and development of inorganic and hybrid redox-active materials, as well as porous functional materials, such as metal-organic (MOFs) and covalent-organic (COFs) frameworks.
The ability to design and fine-tune such solids in terms of pore sizes, shapes, structural diversity, functionality, and properties, essentially opens up many application possibilities, such as gas storage, photocatalysis, and molecular separations. Porous materials with charge mobility may have the potential in applications such as high-capacity electrodes, size-tunable electronic devices, and solid-state sensors.
