(6bm) Nanostructured Oxide for Energy Storage and Conversion

My primary research interests consist of using advance materials synthesis techniques in the development of new nanostructured oxide for energy storage and conversion application such as battery, capacitors, photovoltaic and catalysis. The focus of my graduate research at Tulane University was synthesis, characterization and applications of macroscopic hierarchical metal or semiconductor nanowire networks. I demonstrated a generalized and efficient approach to synthesize macroscopic hierarchical nanowire networks with well-controlled diameter and mesoscale arrangement, which will be of great interest for sensor, photovoltaic, and other applications. Metal nanowires self support to form networks with high electrochemical active surface area, which are further applied in enzymatic glucose sensing. Semiconductor CdSe nanowire networks show tunable optical properties dependent on nanowire diameter and have been demonstrated as a good electron acceptor in CdSe nanowire network/polymer photovoltaic devices. This research also describes self-assembly behavior of composite mesostructures under physical confined environment. Currently I am working on novel nanostructured metal oxide for catalysis application as a post-doctoral researcher at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. I have demonstrated an efficient generalized strategy combing self-assembly technique and nanocrystal synthesis towards mesoporous crystalline metal oxide composed of well-defined metal oxide nanocrystals. The novel materials show extraordinary performance with high activity and stability as gold nanocatalyst supports. Novel nanostructured metal oxide with well-controlled morphology has been studied as electrode in Li ion battery showsing excellent capacity retention and high rate capability on cycling. My future research will focus in the following areas: 1) Develop methods in large scale solution synthesis of one-dimensional oxide nanostructures. 2) Novel assembly technique for the nanomaterials in device fabrication of battery, capacitors, photovoltaics. 3) Synthesis of nanocrystals with well-defined shape and its application in model catalysis involving electrocatalysis, hydrogen generation and Au nanoparticle catalysis.