1. Smartly controllable nanosynthesis using atomic and molecular layer deposition\n\nAtomic/Molecular Layer Deposition (ALD/MLD) are powerful techniques in developing novel nanostructured materials with unrivaled precision and controllability, suitable for almost any organic and inorganic materials. Consequently, they are providing new solutions in many applications from semiconductors to catalysis, new energies, surface engineering, metamaterials, and biomedical areas. Our research features the utilization of in situ techniques (such as quadrupole mass spectroscopy, quartz crystal microbalance, and Fourier infrared spectroscopy) to explore new ALD/MLD processes for novel inorganic, organic, and hybrid materials. This study has great potential in providing solutions to the above-mentioned applications. \n\nOur group focuses on using ALD/MLD to fabricate new nanomaterials for various energy-storage battery systems as anodes, cathodes, and solid-state electrolytes.\n\n \n\n2. Development of next-generation high-performance advanced battery technologies\n\n \n\nOur research aims at developing feasible strategies to resolve existing technical issues in various battery systems including lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, lithium-air (Li-O2) batteries, sodium-based batteries, and manganese-based batteries.\n\nOne of our strategies is smartly designing various nanostructured materials as electrodes in hope of improving transport of lithium ions and electrons, enhancing mechanical stability, and fully utilizing active materials.\n\nAnother important area of our research lies in interfacial engineering of batteries. In this way, we have succeeded in developing many types of ALD coatings to modify interfaces between electrodes and electrolytes in different batteries. \n\nIn addition, we are pioneered in exploring solid-state electrolytes to replace traditional liquid electrolytes, and thereby ultimately resolving battery safety issues and the interfacial instability due to the direct contact of electrodes with liquid electrolytes.\n\nFurthermore, we are active in investigating fundamental electrochemical mechanisms behind new electrode materials. By combining world-class synchrotron-based techniques (including x-ray diffraction and x-ray absorption) at Advanced Photon Source (APS), we have succeeded in clearly addressing electrochemical reactions for several new materials.\n\nThe last but not the least, our group has strong ties with industries and we pay a special stress on technical transfers of our discoveries. \r\n
