Research Experience
Graduate Research Assistant 2017 - Present
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
Mentor: Veronica Augustyn
Investigating the role of confinement in the electrochemical reactivity of guest molecules and expanded transition metal oxides
Layered inorganic materials have vacant gaps between layers that often contain transition metals surrounded by some anions. The vacant space can be modified through soft chemistry approaches to incorporate guest molecules that change the composition and expand the interlayer. My work is focused on designing materials to systematically investigate the influence of confinement on electrochemical reactions. To characterize these materials, I primarily use cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, chonopotentiometry, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy.
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2014 - 2017
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Mentor: Kofi Adu
Fast energy storage can be achieved in devices called electrical double layer capacitors (EDLCs; also called supercapacitors). These storage processes are limited by their surface area. Carbon nanotubes have high surface area. My undergraduate research focused on the fabrication of transparent and flexible device architectures. I characterized the devices using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, galvanostatic charge/discharge, and cyclic voltammetry.
Peer-Reviewed Publications
(9) Michael A. Spencer, Noah Holzapfel, Veronica Augustyn, “Electrochemical Insertion-Induced Transformations Dictate Surface Catalytic Activity in Tungsten Oxides” in preparation.
(8) Jenelle Fortunato, Yun Kyung Shin, Michael A. Spencer, Adri C.T. van Duin, Veronica Augustyn, “Choice of Electrolyte Impacts the Selectivity of Electrochemical PCET Reactions on Hydrogen Titanate” submitted.
(7) Michael A. Spencer, Jenelle Fortunato, Veronica Augustyn, "Electrochemical Proton Insertion Modulates the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction on Tungsten Oxides." J. Chem. Phys. 156 (6) 064704 (2022). DOI: 10.1063/5.0082459
(6) Michael A. Spencer, Ozkan Yildiz, Ishita Kamboj, Philip D. Bradford, Veronica Augustyn, “Towards Deterministic 3D Energy Storage Electrode Architectures via Electrodeposition of Molybdenum Oxide onto CNT Foams” Energy & Fuels 35 (19) 16183-16193 (2021). DOI: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.1c02352
(5) Brian B. Lynch, Andrew P. Kelliher, Bryan D. Anderson, Alexander Japit, Michael A. Spencer, Mehedi H. Rizvi, Mehmet F. Sarac, Veronica Augustyn, Joseph B. Tracy, “Sulfidation and selenidation of nickel nanoparticles.” Carbon Energy (2020) DOI: 10.1002/cey2.83.
(4) Simon Fleischmann, Michael A. Spencer, Veronica Augustyn, “Electrochemical Reactivity under Confinement Enabled by Molecularly Pillared 2D and Layered Materials” Chem. Mater. 32 (8) 3325-3334 (2020).
(3) Michael A. Spencer, Veronica Augustyn, “Free-Standing Electrode Architectures for Electrochemical Energy Storage with Transition Metal Oxides.” J. Mater. Sci. 54 (20) 13045-13069 (2019).
(2) Kofi Adu, Danhao Ma, Yuxiang Wang, Michael Spencer, Ramakrishnan Rajagopalan, Chen-Yu Wang, Clive Randall, “Flexible Robust Binder-free Carbon Nanotube Membranes for Solid State and Microcapacitor Application.” Journal of Nanotechnology 29 035605 (2018).
(1) Michael Spencer, Oyun-Erdene Sianbayar, Kofi Adu, Ramakrishnan Rajagopalan, Clive Randall, “High Power Interdigitated Carbon Nanotube Based Solid-State Micro-capacitors.” MRS Advances 2 (7) 413-418 (2017).
Presentations
Oral Presentations
(6) 2021 Joint Nanoscience and Neutron Scattering User Meeting: “Influence of Confined Interlayer Molecules on the Electrochemical Reactivity of Bulk Layered Transition Metal Oxides” Virtual Conference, August 10th, 2021. Best Student Presentation Award
(5) North American Solid-State Chemistry Conference: “Influence of Confined Interlayer Molecules on the Electrochemical Reactivity of Bulk Layered Transition Metal Oxides” Virtual Conference, July 31st, 2021.
(4) Materials Science & Technology Conference: “Electrochemical Reactivity of 2D Confined Metallocenes” Nanotechnology for Energy, Environment, Electronics, Healthcare and Industry Symposium, Virtual Conference, Nov. 4th, 2020.
(3) 10th International Materials Research Society Conference: “Nanomanufacturing Transition Metal Oxide/CNT Foam Composite Electrodes via Electrodeposition” Nanoscience/Nanotechnology, Arusha, Tanzania, Dec. 10th, 2019.
(2) 235th Electrochemical Society Conference: “Nanomanufacturing Transition Metal Oxide Composite Electrode Architectures Via Electrodeposition” A04-0488 Battery Student Slam 3, Dallas, TX, May 29th, 2019.
(1) 2018 ICTP Ethiopian Regional Workshop on Solar Energy and Energy Storage: “High power and high energy transition metal oxide nanoarchitectures via electrodeposition.” Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, October 18th, 2018.
Poster Presentations
(5) Triangle Student Research Competition: “Nanomanufacturing of MoO3-x/CNT Foam Electrode Architectures for High Power & High Energy Electrochemical Storage.” Research Triangle Park, NC, October 9th, 2019.
(4) State Energy Conference of North Carolina: “Nanomanufacturing of MoO3-x/CNT Foam Electrode Architectures for High Power & High Energy Electrochemical Storage.” Raleigh, NC, April 17th, 2018. 3rd Place Poster Award.
(3) Gordon Research Conference – Batteries: “Nanomanufacturing of MoO3-x/CNT Foam Electrode Architectures for High Power & High Energy Electrochemical Storage.” Ventura, CA, March 1st, 2018.
(2) Carolina Science Symposium: “α-MoO3-x/Vertical Graphene Electrode Architectures for High Power & High Energy Electrochemical Storage.” Raleigh, NC, Nov. 10th, 2017. 1st Place Poster Award.
(1) Materials Research Society 2016 Fall Meeting: “High Power Interdigitated Carbon Nanotube Based Solid-State Micro-capacitors.” Boston, MA, Nov. 27-Dec. 2, 2016.