• Understand the science behind carbon/electrolyte/current collector interactions and use this understanding to develop next-generation EDLC products• Failure mode analysis• Development of new electrode materials tailored towards specific cell requirements• Product scale-up from bench-top (slurry production) to full-scale manufacturing• Cell improvements based on physical cell design• Safety protocol development• Work closely with raw material providers to ensure consistency with material purity and performance

PhD Candidate• Identified lifetime limitations as a result of electrolyte degradation reactions and/or cathode corrosion in metal-O2 batteries through electrochemical analysis coupled with physical and spectroscopic characterization techniques• Determined the nature of electrolyte additives for metal-O2 batteries and aided in the development of novel redox mediators to improve the voltage efficiency and electrolyte stability• Designed and constructed an online electrochemical mass spectrometer to quantify oxidation and reduction activity of newly developed electrodes, and stability of novel electrolyte formulation during the entirety of cell operation• Analyzed the effects of mass transport and the limitation of achievable gravimetric and volumetric energy density based on electrode architecture, and optimized electrode porous structure to maximize energy density of metal-O2 batteries• Supervised operation of various community-operated lab equipment (Ar-filled gloveboxes, liquid N2-trap drying ovens, high temperature furnaces, mass spectrometer) and enforced proper safety procedure and data acquisition practices• Entrusted with the purchase and installation of over $75,000 worth of instruments, equipment, and supplies • International experience from partnership resulting in two joint patent applications on 1-D electrode materials for the Li-based batteries

Co-op PositionFunded under Undergraduate Student Research Assistanceship

Co-op Position

Co-op Position

Co-op Position