The Technology Development group combines capabilities in advanced battery materials synthesis, battery testing,  electrochemical characterization, and spectroscopy on advanced electrode materials to solve energy storage problems.​  ​Our group  maintains strong connections with industry and the academic research community that allows us to maintain a leadership role in developing functional materials for electrochemical energy storage. ​

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The key capabilities of this group include:​​

• Full Cell Development based on combinations of cell components to create high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries.​ We are focused on​ ​​​
  • Synthesis of Ni-rich LIB cathodes; performance optimization using various coatings and construction of cation concentration gradients with the particles.​​
  • Evaluation of carbon-based anode materials, lithium metal systems, and Li₄Ti₅O₁₂-based (LTO) technology. LTO systems are being investigated as a component of full cells for fast charging applications.
  • Various liquid electrolyte systems that contain new solvents, salts, and functional additives. Investigation of the role of sintering in solid state oxide systems.​​
• Mixed chalcogenide [S_xSe_y] cathodes have been developed to work in lithium-ion cells. The mixed chalcogenide active species help mitigate performance degradation issues through advanced encapsulation strategies while investigating novel electrolytes that can suppress polysulfide/polyselendie diffusion
  
  

• Li-air (Li-O₂) battery systems:  enable  high energy density, energy efficiency, and highly reversibility approaches for Li-Air systems that combine innovation in electrolytes and catalysis, with extensive computer modeling and use of advanced characterization techniques.
• Hybrid Li-ion / Li-air (Li-O₂) systems:  development of electrochemical processes in mixed electrode well-defined systems
• Lithium Superoxide  (LiO₂) battery: Exploration of a new concept using a lithium-oxygen conversion reactions with extensive computer modeling and use of advanced characterization techniques to guide the effort.
• Na-ion, Na-air, K-ion, K-air battery systems represent emerging cathode and anode materials for energy storage applications.