Materials Science and Engineering Assistant Professor Yuting Luo has been awarded a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) grant from the National Science Foundation, one of the agency\u2019s most prestigious honors for early-career faculty.\u00a0The program recognizes faculty who are not only exceptional researchers but also academic role models.<\/p>\n
The five-year award, totaling\u00a0nearly $700,000, will support her project, \u201cUncovering Molecular Design Principles Linking Additive Chemistry to Zn Anode Structure and Interfacial Electrochemistry,\u201d a study about how chemical additives influence zinc battery performance. Rechargeable zinc batteries are safe, low-cost, made from abundant materials, and show a lot of promise to meet the increasing energy storage needs of the world\u2019s strained electric grids.<\/p>\n
The batteries essentially work by moving zinc ions back and forth to store and release energy. They consist of a zinc metal electrode, a cathode host for storing the ions, and an electrolyte liquid.<\/p>\n
Luo\u2019s team is studying how subtle changes in the electrolyte can control how the zinc metal grows under an electric field. By tuning this chemical reaction, they can engineer the zinc to significantly improve overall battery lifespan and stability.<\/p>\n
\u201cUltimately, the goal of the project is to establish clear design principles for building safer, more cost-effective, more durable and reliable energy storage systems,\u201d says Luo. \u201cMy students and I have put a lot of effort into building this project, so it is\u00a0very rewarding\u00a0to see our work recognized and supported.\u201d<\/p>\n
Luo, who is a core faculty member in the Johns Hopkins Ralph O\u2019Connor Sustainable Energy Institute, says the NSF award\u00a0gives\u00a0her team\u00a0the opportunity to push their research further and expand its impact\u00a0on\u00a0the future of viable and stable energy storage.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis award\u00a0opens up\u00a0opportunities to pursue more ambitious and high-impact research directions,\u201d Luo says.\u00a0\u201cJust as importantly, it allows us to invest in K\u201312 outreach, undergraduates and PhD students, and educate the next generation of scientists and engineers to tackle critical energy challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","class_list":["post-54309","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry","news_categories-awards-and-honors"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n