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]

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 Continue Reading »

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 Continue Reading »

Clare Lanaghan and Daniel Liao join the group as Ph.D. students.  Welcome!

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]

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 Continue Reading »

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 was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, with Tenure by the Regents of the University of Michigan [news story]

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]

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 Continue Reading »