Research
Overview
Energy lies at the heart of modern civilization — powering everything from transportation and industry to the digital world. As we confront the dual crises of climate change and resource depletion, building a sustainable energy future is no longer optional, but essential. This transition demands not only cleaner energy sources, but also technologies that are inherently high-performing, safe, resilient, and adaptable to complex, real-world conditions.
At E²ESR Lab, we focus on advancing electrochemistry, materials, and engineering as an integrated platform to build energy technologies for a sustainable and resilient future. We start from fundamental chemistry—electrolytes, electrodes, and interphases—to drive innovation in materials (organic liquid, polymer, inorganic solid) and address critical challenges in electrochemical, chemical, and mechanical stability at interfaces. These insights enable the development of advanced energy systems, including Li/Na batteries, flow batteries, and electrochemically driven chemical manufacturing, with scalable architectures for real-world applications.
Working closely with colleagues in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, we connect materials discovery with device integration, system modeling, and data-driven approaches for next-generation energy and sustainability solutions.
Electro-mechanics in safe solid-state electrochemical cell
Solid electrolytes offer a pathway to safer and more robust electrochemical systems, with the potential to unlock a wide range of next-generation technologies—from ion-conducting membranes in redox flow batteries and fuel cells to solid-state metal batteries.
However, unlike liquids, solid electrolytes cannot easily accommodate volume changes or dissipate stress at interfaces and within the bulk, often leading to mechanical and chemical instability. To realize this promise, we seek to gain insight into and actively engineer the coupled electro-chemo-mechanical behavior when solid materials are brought into contact, laying the foundation for large-scale, real-world applications.
Electrolyte and interphase chemistry for high-energy and long-life energy storage
Electrolyte and interphase chemistry plays a central role in enabling high-energy, long-life electrochemical energy storage. From lithium and sodium metal batteries to redox flow batteries, performance degradation is often governed not by bulk properties, but by dynamic interfacial processes—including side reactions, interphase instability, and uncontrolled species crossover. These interfacial phenomena are especially critical in systems that push the limits of energy density or cycle time.
To enable these technologies, we focus on designing electrolytes and engineered interphases that can stabilize reactive metal surfaces, regulate ion transport, and suppress parasitic reactions over extended timeframes. Our goal is to develop robust electrochemical systems with controlled interphase, enabling not only high performance, but also improved calendar life and real-world durability across a range of chemistries and architectures.
Electrochemical engineering for environmental sustainability
Sustainable electrochemical engineering begins with earth-abundant elements and environmentally benign components. We start developing aqueous and sodium-based battery systems as promising alternatives to lithium-ion technologies, offering lower cost, enhanced safety, and reduced dependence on scarce critical materials. Beyond existing chemistries, we explore novel battery chemistry that are inherently scalable, and compatible with sustainable manufacturing and recycling pathways.
Extending beyond energy storage, we aim to develop electrochemical conversion platforms for sustainable manufacturing—including electrified synthesis of chemicals and closed-loop processes for resource recovery. By integrating expertise in electrochemical storage with emerging electrosynthesis, our goal is to open new directions for low-carbon, electrified chemical manufacturing.