Postdoc Eric Kazyak is a recipient of the 2020 Ereztech BridgeForward Award, a a financial award program recognizing gifted graduate students and recent post-doctoral graduates pursuing careers in organometallic chemistry and materials science. Congrats Eric! [link]
Author: ndasgupt
New Battery papers published
We published two new papers on our battery research in December! The first paper, published in Chem. Commun. introduces a new process to form an inorganic-organic hybrid solid electrolyte by Molecular Layer Deposition (MLD), which is an organic analog to ALD. The films are well-behaved as solid electrolytes, with an ionic conductivity of ~5×10-8 S/cm, and a transference number of ~1. The second paper, published in Adv. Energy Mater. demonstrates a scalable pathway to overcome energy/power density tradeoffs in Li-ion batteries by blending graphite and hard carbon active materials in the anode. This eliminates Li plating, and improves the homogeneity of the reaction through the anode volume, enabling efficient fast-charging at 6C rates.
New paper in ACS Nano
Our paper “Area-Selective Atomic Layer Deposition Patterned by Electrohydrodynamic-Jet Printing for Additive Manufacturing of Functional Materials and Devices” is published in ACS Nano. We demonstrate that E-jet printing of polymers with sub-micrometer linewidths (down to 312nm) can be used to block ALD deposition with sub-nm precision in the z-direction, representing a new additive nanomanufacturing platform. This is a collaborative paper with the Barton and Peterson research groups at UM. [link]
Welcome to our new Ph.D. students!
Clare Lanaghan and Daniel Liao join the group as Ph.D. students. Welcome!
New Paper in Advanced Materials Interfaces
Our paper “Rational Design of Transparent Nanowire Architectures with Tunable Geometries for Preventing Marine Fouling” is published in Advanced Materials Interfaces. By tuning nanowire length, spacing, and branching, we systematically study the impact of surface architectures on wettability, algae fouling, and optical transparency. Superhydrophobic nanowire arrays completely block marine biofouling for 22 days. [link]
New article in Journal of Power Sources Special Issue
Our paper “Efficient Fast-Charging of Lithium-ion Batteries Enabled by Laser-Patterned Three-Dimensional Graphite Anode Architectures” is published in Journal of Power Sources as a part of the Special Issue celebrating the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for Li-ion Batteries. We demonstrate 4-6C fast charging in >2Ah pouch cells, with ~90% capacity retention after >500 cycles, which is enabled by 3-D graphite architectures. These metrics meet both the DOE and USABC targets for fast charging of EV batteries. [link]
New article in Advanced Electronic Materials
Our paper “High-Performance Zinc Tin Oxide TFTs with Active Layers Deposited by Atomic Layer Deposition” is published in Advanced Electronic Materials. We demonstrate the highest reported mobility to date in ALD ZTO films, which is enabled by a combination of plasma and thermal. ALD. [link]
Neil is promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure
Neil was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, with Tenure by the Regents of the University of Michigan [news story]
Neil selected as Miller Faculty Fellow
Neil has been selected by the University of Michigan College of Engineering for designation as a Miller Faculty Scholar. Faculty Scholar is an honorary title awarded to a small group of the most accomplished assistant and associate professors in the College of Engineering. [news article]
New Article in JMCA
Our paper “Electro-Chemo-Mechanical Evolution of Sulfide Solid Electrolyte/Li Metal Interfaces: Operando Analysis and ALD Interlayer Effects” is published in Journal of Materials Chemistry A. We utilize a multi-modal suite of operando methods to study effects of artifical SEI layers deposited by ALD on LGPS solid electrolytes. The study highlights the critical role of mechanical properties on the dynamic evolution of the interphase(s) present. [link]