Christopher Li, professor of materials science and engineering, is the recipient of a two-year NSF grant, “MRI: Acquisition of an advanced scanning electron microscope for in situ and in operando materials characterization and education.” The grant will provide Drexel with the acquisition of a state-of-the-art scanning electron microscope (SEM) designed for advanced imaging and analysis, replacing an out-of-date SEM, and having a positive long-term impact on the research community.
Distinguished University and Charles T. and Ruth M. Bach Professor of Materials Science and Engineering Yury Gogotsi, is the recipient of two new grants. First, he has received funds to collaborate with FLIR Systems, Inc., on a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) supported project entitled “Integrated Soldier Protective System for Unburdened Chem-Bio Protection.” This project aims to develop low-burden, comprehensive protection against chemical and biological (CB) threats in the form of a lightweight, durable garment. Second, Professor Gogotsi will be collaborating with Giner Labs on a project funded by the US Department of Energy’s Small Business Innovation Research Program (DOE SBIR) entitled “Multi-Functional and Conformal Na-Ion Conducting Membrane for Dendrite and Polysulfide Shuttle Suppression for Next Generation Room Temperature Sodium-Sulfur Batteries.” This project seeks to design a membrane to specifically address safety and cycle life for room temperature sodium-sulfur batteries thus increasing their commercial viability.
Ekaterina Pomerantseva, associate professor of materials science and engineering, has received a three-year NSF award for her proposal “Unveiling relationships between synthesis, structure and nonaqueous ion cycling in chemically preintercalated layered oxides” funded through the Solid State and Materials Chemistry program of the Division of Materials Research. This project will investigate innovative materials to be used as high-capacity electrodes in batteries with lithium and more affordable sodium and potassium ions in electrolytes. This research builds off a material synthesis route developed in Pomerantseva’s lab called chemical preintercalation to provide necessary information for the design of electrode materials to enable next-generation energy storage systems with high energy density and long cycle life.