Research

Safer Energy Storage Devices

Project Goal: Development of Ionogel Electrolytes for Batteries and Supercapacitors

• Design composite gel electrolytes (ionogels) based on nonvolatile, nonflammable room-temperature molten salts (ionic liquids)
• Synthesize novel (co)polymers for use as ionogel scaffolds and investigating their self-assembly within ionic liquid environments (e.g. fully-zwitterionic copolymers)
• Understand how scaffold chemistry affects both rheological behavior and ion transport within ionogels
  

Biofriendly Gel Electrolytes (Greener Ionogels)

Project Goal: Realization of Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES) Gel Electrolytes for Flexible Electronics

• Create chemically cross-linked scaffolds for DES gel-based, eco-friendly supercapacitors
• Design fully biocompatible and stretchable DES gels for ionic skins
• Demonstrate DES gel electrolytes for next-generation sodium ion batteries
  

Flexible Sensors and Electronics on Unconventional Substrates

Project Goal: Fabrication of Electronic Devices on Non-planar, Highly Irregular or Rough Surfaces

• Investigate materials that can retain electrical properties upon mechanical deformation
• Evaluate material properties for facile and scalable fabrication schemes
• Advance the deployment of devices on unconventional substrates (e.g. threads) through novel applications