Chemistry Department Faculty

Our research lies at the frontier between materials science for the design of redox active materials and physical chemistry of liquid electrolytes. We apply these principles to understand and develop efficient electrochemical energy storage and conversion devices with an emphasis on secondary (rechargeable) batteries, water electrolyzers and the electrosynthesis of commodity chemicals. Our research relies on a solid-state chemist approach with the control of bulk redox and diffusion properties of transition metal-based materials for Li-ion batteries. Recognizing that bulk intercalation opens broad scientific opportunities beyond the simple study of novel Li-ion battery electrode materials, we investigate intercalation processes for fine-tuning of electronic properties of materials.  Furthermore, we seek to illuminate the influence of electrolyte on the charge transfer kinetics at the solid/liquid interfaces ubiquitous to electrochemical systems, and liquid/liquid interfaces relevant to applications such as recycling. To this end, we foster new strategies to control the liquid water environment at the nanoscale. Our approach allows drawing a molecular understanding on the role of solvation properties on reactions encompassing water oxidation and reduction, and more complex reactions relying on oxygen atom transfer using water as oxygen source.