Research Students Embed
Jinqiang Zhang
UTS and AutoCRC Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship
Research topic: Ionic liquids and gel polymer electrolytes for Li-ion and Li-O2 batteries
Rechargeable gel polymer electrolytes and ionic liquids have great potential for applications in lithium batteries because of their good stability, ionic conductivity, processability, and most of all, resistance to fire. My research is mainly focused on tailoring PVDF-HFP based gel polymer electrolytes and preparing imidazolium-based ionic liquids for use in Li-ion and Li-O2 batteries. Developing suitable preparation methods may allow optimization of polymer membranes and ionic liquids with better electrochemical performance.
Qualified user for: SEM, XRD, FTIR
Jing Xu
UTS-China Scholarship Council (CSC) Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship
Katja Kretschmer
UTS and AutoCRC Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship
Research Topic: "LiFePO4 cathode materials and polymer electrolytes for high power lithium ion batteries"
LiFePO4 has attracted much research attention since its discovery in 1997 as potential cathode material in lithium ion batteries especially regarding to applications in EV and HEV applications. It is recognized as a safe, highly electrochemically stable, environmental friendly and cheap alternative to commonly used LiCoO2 cathode materials. This projected focuses on the preparation technics of LiFePO4/C nanocomposites and suitable polymer electrolytes that combine adequate cycling and rate performance with economical appropriate manufacturing processes to achieve high competitiveness for future high power battery applications.
Linfeng Zheng
UTS and AutoCRC Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship
Research topic: Development of Lithium-ion battery packing and management system for electric vehicles
The project aims to develop safety and reliable Lithium-ion battery packing and management system for electric vehicles. In order to achieve this target, the design of battery pack will put more focus on multiple safety and advanced technologies. Mechanical property testing and thermal management will be developed to protect the battery pack from adverse situations and abuse conditions. Advanced data collection and states estimation technologies will be used in the battery management system. The reliability and stability of the complete battery system will be optimized so as to ensure safety and reliable operation of vehicles. The success of the research will encourage the popularization of electric vehicles that will greatly reduce exhaust emissions in Australian urban areas.
Qualified users: Altium Designer, CodeWarrior, Matlab,Tasking, Keil.
Yufei Zhao
UTS-China Scholarship Council (CSC) Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship
Research topic: Electrocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic water splitting
Solar-driven electrochemical transformation of small molecules, such as water splitting, is a promising way to produce clean and sustainable H2 based energy.
Photoelectrocatalytic or electrocatalytic water splitting is a process that involves water oxidation with electron reduction to hydrogen. However, water splitting still requires large over-potentials. My research focuses on exploring new materials to lower the over-potential and enhance the stability of the water splitting process.
Qualified user for XRD, SEM, Raman.
Xin Guo
Research topic: Nano-structured functional materials for Li-O2 batteries
Rechargeable Li-O2 batteries have been regarded as a promising candidate for energy storage owing to the high theoretical energy density and low cost. However, the poor cycle performance limits its commercialization. Aiming to improve the electrochemical performance, this research will focus on the design and synthesis of advanced materials as well as mechanism analysis for Li-O2 batteries.
Qualified user for SEM, XRD, TG, Raman.
Weizhai Bao
Research topic: Lithium-Sulphur battery
Lithium sulfur batteries have been studied as one of the most promising systems for the next generation high-energy rechargeable lithium batteries, used as the power source for portable electronic devices, electric and hybrid electric vehicles. However, the poor electrical conductivity of elemental sulfur and the fast-capacity degradation from polysulfide dissolution into the electrolyte have greatly limited its practical applications.
This research aims to prepare innovative sulfur-contained electrodes with higher specific energy, low overall cost, and high thermal and chemical stability. The objective of this study is to investigate synthesis methods, characterization of phase structures, morphologies, chemical constitutions and electrochemical stability of sulfur cathode materials to improve their performance in Lithium sulfur batteries.
Qualified user for XRD, SEM.
Jianjun Song
UTS-China Scholarship Council (CSC) Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship
Research topics: LiFePO4 cathode materials and lithium-sulphur battery
Olivine structured LiFePO4 is one of the most promising cathode materials in applications of large-size and high-power devices. However, its low electronic conductivity and lithium ion diffusivity still restrict its applications in large power devices. This project is mainly focused on high-graphitized carbon coating and reduction of antisite defects to improve the poor electronic conductivity and lithium ion diffusivity.
Lithium-sulfur batteries are drawing considerable attention due to the great potential to satisfy the increasing demand of the imminent energy and environmental issues. This study aims to improve its poor cycling performance and low coulombic efficiency through incorporating porous carbon materials and conductive polymer coating.
Qualified user for XRD, SEM, TEM, Raman, ICP.
Tuhin Subhra Sahu
Research topic: Development of Cathode Materials for Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) Battery Applications and Anode Materials for Sodium-Ion (Na-Ion) Batteries
Recently, Lithium-Sulfur (Li/S) batteries have drawn a critical attention due to their significantly high specific energy (~2600 W.h/kg) compared to Li-ion batteries (~ 600 W.h/kg). Moreover, sulphur is abundant in nature, inexpensive and environment friendly. However, instead of having such excellent characteristics poor electronic conductivity and huge volume expansion of sulphur, high solubility of intermediate polysulfides in organic electrolyte and it’s shuttling in-between cathode/anode resulting in lowering of coulombic efficiency. Therefore, this research will focuses on proper nanostructuring of the host, as well as its chemical modification that can significantly prevent such dissolution and shuttling behaviour. Secondly, development of an appropiate method as a cost effective and environment-friendly process for uniform loading of sulfur will be another challenge.
Currently, Na-ion batteries have been considered as a potential suppliment for Li-Ion batteries, owing to the low cost and wide spread availability of sodium. But, it’s the bigger size of Na+ ions that leads to low capacity and poor cycling stability for Na-ion batteries. Therefore, the research will aims at construction of suitable host, which can accommodate large Na+ions.
Qualified user for XRD, SEM, Raman.
Anastasia Tkacheva
ARC Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship
The charge/discharge cycle of the lithium-oxygen battery involves a solid lithium peroxide (Li2O2) material, which is formed within the porous cathode during the discharge process. However, Li2O2 is electronically insulating and induces poor electrochemical kinetics on charging and leads to high-voltage hysteresis. This project investigates new redox mediators to efficiently oxidise Li2O2 in order to improve rechargeability of lithium-oxygen batteries and hence their overall efficiency.
Xiaoxue Liu
UTS - China Scholarship Council (CSC) Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship
Xiao Tang
UTS-China Scholarship Council (CSC) Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship
Xiaochun Gao
ARC Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship
Xingxing Yu
ARC Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship
Kang Yan
UTS-China Scholarship Council (CSC) Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship
Yi Chen
ARC Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship
Lin Liu
UTS-China Scholarship Council (CSC) Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship
Wentao Qi
UTS-China Scholarship Council (CSC) Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship
Hao Tian
Curtin University exchange PHD student
Chaoyue Zhang
UTS-China Scholarship Council (CSC) Doctor of Philosophy Scholarship
Declan Stockdale
Fan Zhang
Shuoqing Zhao
