Overview:
Many chemical and physical properties of materials can be dramatically improved or radically changed as their sizes approach to the nanometer-scale regime, enabling the building of powerful devices or functional systems. Our research group focuses on creative synthesis of low-dimensional nanomaterials and nanostructures, fundamental studies of their chemical and physical properties, and innovative exploration of these rationally designed nanomaterials to address critical scientific and technological challenges in diverse energy/environmental related fields, from energy storage systems including batteries, supercapacitors, to energy conversion systems such as electrocatalysis and thermoelectrics, as well as water purification and harvesting technologies. The ultimate objective of our research program is to develop nanotechnology-enabled renewable energy and sustainable environmental technologies through understanding and controlling their electronic, thermal, electrochemical and interface properties.
Funding Acknowledgement:
About Research Interests:
- Nano-Architected Functional Materials for Advanced Energy Storage and Conversion: next-generation lithium batteries and beyond-lithium batteries, supercapacitors, electrocatalysis, thermoelectrics, fuel cells;
- Novel Nanostructured Organic Materials for Solar Water Desalination and Purification, Atmospheric Water Harvesting;
- Self-Assembly and Hetero-Integration of Nanostructures for Energy and Bioelectronics Applications;
- Hybrid Inorganic-Organic Nanomaterials for Functional Interfaces with Biological Systems;
About Research Group:
The nature of research program in our group is highly interdisciplinary, and it explores the basic principles in chemistry, physics, materials science and engineering to enable both fundamental understanding of novel materials with designed nano-architectures, and development of their exciting technological applications. Truly motivated graduate and undergraduate students are warmly welcome to join our group! Our dynamic and innovative research group aims to train every student member to become a highly competitive, thoughtful, and independent scientist for their future careers.