Energy Storage & Fuel Cells

Our researchers focus on advancing knowledge in the design and development of next-generation energy storage systems to enable the transition toward a carbon-neutral electricity grid. The projects aim to address pressing technical challenges currently present in various electrochemical energy storage technologies, including Lithium-ion batteries, redox flow batteries and hydrogen production from water electrolysis to enhance their widespread adoption and increase the utilization of renewable sources. The work is supported by funding from industry partners and government agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy (DOE), the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), and the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

Research Highlight

The State of Grid Energy Storage in Massachusetts (pdf) was discussed at The Role of Energy Storage in our Carbon-Free Future event at UMass Lowell in Fall 2019.

The “Virtual Lab” for Catalysis in Sustainability develops innovative strategies to produce renewable energy, fuel, chemicals, and energy storage solutions via the computational design of efficient thermo- and electro-catalytic processes.
The Multiscale, Multiphysics Modeling of Electrochemical Systems Lab, led by Xinfang Jin, is focused on the application of energy storage and conversion. They are working to assist material design, device fabrication, and system optimization of electrochemical techniques for efficient and environmentally-sound use of renewable energy and natural resources. Specifically, they are interested in developing advanced diagnostic tools for better understanding the fundamental degradation mechanisms of lithium-ion batteries to improve battery lifecycle, storage capacity, and reliability.
The Ryan Research Lab works in various interdisciplinary areas and includes research on catalytic Hydrogen production for fuel-celled electric vehicles
The Advanced Energy Materials Laboratory (Lam Research Group) combines predictive simulation, data analytics and informed experiments to accelerate the development of materials in nuclear and other energy applications. This group combines atomistic insights with component level multi-physics simulation to support the development of new energy systems.
The Electrochemical Energy Systems and Transport Laboratory (E2STL) works to advance the design and development of flow-assisted electrochemical systems, including but not limited to battery components and processes, for addressing the global challenges in energy and water applications.
The Environmental Interface Chemistry Lab is focused on reactions at the water-mineral interface, as mineral solids are ubiquitous in the aquatic environment and water treatment systems. They are interested in understanding reactions catalyzed by earth-abundant mineral surfaces and harnessing their reactivity for pollution abatement and sustainable management of the aquatic environment.
The Ross Lab is focused on fundamental and applied science at metal-molecule interfaces and in materials constructed across multiple length scales. They focus on functional materials where unique chemical and physical phenomena emerge, and their approach is interdisciplinary, drawing from materials and analytical chemistry, data-driven computation, and materials science.
The Fabric Discovery Center is one of our Core Research Facilities, and their research space is dedicated to the design, prototyping, pilot manufacturing and testing of high-tech fabrics, flexible electronics and medical textiles.

Ertan Agar - electrochemical energy conversion and storage, mass/charge transport phenomena, electrochemical reaction kinetics, flowable slurry electrodes
Alireza Amirkhizi - applied mechanics; mechanics of materials; dynamic behavior of materials, composites and structures
Fanglin Che - electro-catalysis, multi-scale modeling (DFT, microkinetic modeling, CFD), electric field, microwave heating, light alkane activation, machine learning
Kwok-Fan Chow - analytical chemistry, electrochemistry, nanomaterials
Raj Kumar Gondle - constitutive and numerical modeling in geotechnics, finite element analysis, CAD
Tingshu Hu - control systems, power electronics, battery modeling
Jan Kosny - heat and mass transport in porous media, phase change processes, thermal storage
Stephen Lam - advanced reactors, materials chemistry, atomistic simulation, multi-scale modeling, machine learning, energy storage and conversion, and high heat capacity ionic liquids including solar thermal storage, advanced fission reactors and fusion reactors
Claire Lepont - nano-composites, coatings, transparent conductive electrodes
Fuqiang Liu - electrochemical energy generation and storage, Solar energy conversion through photo-electrochemical reactions, Ion-conductive membranes for electrochemical systems, Nanostructured materials, CFD simulation of energy conversion devices
Ramaswamy Nagarajan - electronic photo-responsive polymers, molecularly integrated hybrid nanomaterials, materials for energy conversion and storage, materials characterization
Michael Ross - solar fuels, renewably powered chemical synthesis and storage, materials chemistry, nanotechnology, analytical chemistry, photonics
David Ryan - hydrogen storage as formic acid, analytical & environmental chemistry
Subash Sharma - computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD); two-phase flow and heat transfer modeling, experiments, and simulations
Weile Yan - mineral recovery from end-of-life energy storage device, civil and environmental engineering

Research Highlight

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