Research topics

1. Novel nanoporous materials by dealloying

Dealloying, which is traditionally originated in the research of alloy corrosion, has recently been developed as a robust and generic method for fabricating functional 3D nanoporous materials. Endorsed by the unique 3D bicontinuous porous structure, dealloyed nanoporous materials exhibit remarkable properties such as large surface area, high conductivity, efficient mass transport, and high catalytic activity, which render them as advanced nanomaterials with enormous potential for a variety of applications. We are interested in both the fundamentals of dealloying and the use of dealloying for creating new materials.

Related publications: Advanced Materials 2108750 (2022); Advanced Materials 30, 1803588 (2018); Acta Materialia 163, 161-172 (2019); Nature Communications 9, 276 (2018); Advanced Science 2, 1500067 (2015); Chemistry of Materials 33, 1013–1021 (2021)

2. Emerging electrochemistry for sustainable energy

Nanoporous materials produced by dealloying feature a nanoscale porous microstructure with well-defined topology and large surface-to-volume ratios. Their abundant internal surfaces are easily accessible to electrons from the interconnecting metallic backbones as well as ions/molecules from the coherent open pores, providing a novel platform for charge/energy transfers and catalytic chemical and electrochemical reactions. We explore surface/interface electrochemistry in these 3D nanoporous platforms with the goal of developing emerging energy conversion and storage technologies such as fuel cells, electrolyzers, and next-generation batteries for a carbon-neutral society.

Related publications: Nano Letters 21, 6504–6510 (2021); Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 57, 13302-13307 (2018); Advanced Energy Materials 7, 1601933 (2017); Advanced Energy Materials 6, 1501870 (2016); Nano Energy 49, 354-362 (2018); Nano Energy 45, 273-279 (2018)

3. Interfacial phenomena by in situ transmission electron microscopy

In situ/operando transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is emerging as a powerful tool for studying micro- and nanoscale dynamic phenomena in real-time and real-space. In particular, the recently developed liquid-cell TEM has opened up new opportunities to investigate chemical and electrochemical reactions in liquid media with spatially and time-resolved capabilities. We employ the state-of-the-art in situ/operando liquid-cell TEM to explore the dynamic processes at solid-liquid interfaces that are relevant to nanoporosity evolution in dealloying and electrochemical reactions in energy devices.

Related publications: Nano Letters 20, 2183-2190 (2020); Advanced Materials 29, 1702752 (2017); Scientific Reports 8, 3134 (2018)

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse