(7jl) Understanding and Controlling Electro-Chemo-Mechanical Phenomena in Advanced Materials for Energy Storage & Harvesting | AIChE

(7jl) Understanding and Controlling Electro-Chemo-Mechanical Phenomena in Advanced Materials for Energy Storage & Harvesting

Research Interests
Advanced materials in energy-related application areas, such as batteries, fuel cells, electrolysis, and catalysis, are exposed to high temperatures, and/or harsh chemical and electrochemical environments during routine operation conditions. Performance and lifetime of these materials are directly associated with the interplay between the electrical, chemical and mechanical properties. Also, many functional materials in energy-related applications take large quantities of ions in and out, such as Li+ in batteries, H+ in hydrogen storage, and O2ô€€€ in solid-state fuel cells during routine operation conditions. Repeated ion insertion and removal from the materials causes considerable volumetric changes and associated signicant stress development, eventually leads to severe performance loss and shorten the lifetime of the devices. Understanding and optimizing
electro-chemo-mechanical responses of advanced materials is required in order to design new materials with synergistic properties, which oer the possibility of fabricating high performance energy conversion and storage devices at low cost.

Research Experience
In my graduate studies with Kurt Hebert and Pranav Shrotriya at Iowa State University, I investigated the electrochemical driving force for vacancy diusion-induced tensile stress and plasticity during stress corrosion cracking in aluminum. I developed substantial expertise in electrochemistry and mechanics of materials with an emphasis on defect chemistry and novel characterization methods. The most impactful accomplishment was the development of a rational basis for the formation of porous anodic oxide, which will help overcome barriers to commercialization of energy harvesting and energy storage devices made from these materials [1-5, 9, 10]. I also demonstrated that corrosion processes produce defective and presumably weakened surface layers that may be precursors for crack initiation [6].

My postdoctoral work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign under the mentorship of Nancy Sottos and Scott White has focused on the understanding and controlling of chemomechanical deformations in Li-ion battery electrodes. A key nding was that electrochemical stiness provides new insights into the origin of degradation mechanisms and desired properties of advanced battery electrodes for high-rate and -power application [8]. Furthermore, I have demonstrated that dynamic changes in the electrode surface due to interaction between electrode and electrolyte results into irreversible electrode deformations and capacity fade [7,11]. Finally, I have also shown that Au surface coating can improve mechanical stability and lifetime of the electrode materials [13].

Proposal Contributions
Interfacial Control for Self-Stabilizing Solid State Batteries, Shell Energy

Future Research Directions
My proposed research program will apply my expertise to gain a fundamental understanding and controlling of electro-chemo-mechanical responses of advanced materials for engineering the next-generation energy harvesting and storage devices. I will also develop novel characterization methods for probing in situ dynamic mechanical response of materials and simultaneous changes on the surface of materials. This research merges the fields of electrochemistry, defect chemistry, and solid mechanics. In the short term, I will work on solid-oxide fuel cells, sodium-ion batteries and lithium-air batteries. These studies will complement each other with respect to the understanding and controlling electro-chemo-mechanical deformations in materials for energy applications, therefore making a big step towards engineering any advanced and robust materials. In the long run, I
would like to extent my knowledge and expertise to other energy harvesting and storage systems such as hydrogen fuel cells and Li-sulfur batteries.

Teaching Interests
I strongly believe that teaching is an essential and enjoyable part of being a faculty member. My approach has been developed through the serving as teaching assistant, the mentoring of several graduate students as well as through the Preparing Future Faculty Program. I would like to teach core chemical engineering courses such as uid dynamics, heat & mass transfer, thermodynamics, reaction engineering, separation process, numerical methods and advanced mathematics for chemical engineers at undergraduate and graduate level. I have also had several enriching and rewarding advising experiences during my Ph.D. training and post-doctoral years.

Publications
[13] O. O. C apraz, S. Rajput, K.L. Bassett, A. Gewirth, S. White, N. Sottos, Controlling the Volumetric Expansions in the Lithium Manganese Electrode via Surface Modication,
in preparation, 2017, (Manuscript is available upon request)
[12] L. Zhao, E. Chenard, O. O. C apraz, N. Sottos, S. White, Direct Detection of Manganese Ions in Organic Electrolyte by UV-vis Spectroscopy, under review, 2017
(Manuscript is available upon request)
[11] O. O. C apraz, S. Rajput, S. White, N. Sottos, Strain Generation Mechanisms in Lithium Manganese Oxide Electrode, under review, 2017 (Manuscript is available upon request)
[10] O. O. C apraz, Q. van Overmeere, P. Shrotriya and K. R. Hebert, Stress Induced by Electrolyte Anion Incorporation in Porous Anodic Aluminum Oxide, Electrochim. Acta,
238, 368, 2017
[9] Shinsuke Ide, O. O. C apraz, P. Shrotriya and K. R. Hebert, Oxide Microstructural Changes Accompanying Pore Formation During Anodic Oxidation of Aluminum,
Electrochim. Acta, 232, 303, 2017
[8] O. O. C apraz, K. L. Bassett, N.R. Sottos, and A.A. Gewirth, Electrochemical Stiffness of Lithium Manganese Oxide, Adv. Energy Mater.,1601778, 2016
[7] E.M.C. Jones, O. O. C apraz, S.R. White and N.R. Sottos, Reversible and irreversible deformation mechanisms of composite graphite electrodes in lithium-ion batteries,
J.Electrochem. Soc., 163, 9, 2016
[6] O. O. C apraz, P. Shrotriya and K. R. Hebert, Tensile stress and plastic deformation in aluminum induced by vacancy diffusion during corrosion, Acta Materialia, 115, 434, 2016
[5] O. O. C apraz, P. Skeldon, G. Thompson, P. Shrotriya and K. R. Hebert, Role of Oxide Stress in the Initial Growth of Self-Organized Porous Aluminum Oxide, J. Electrochim. Soc., 167, 404, 2015, Editor Choice
[4] O. O. C apraz, P. Skeldon, G. Thompson, P. Shrotriya and K.R. Hebert, Factors Controlling Stress Generation during the Initial Growth of Porous Anodic Aluminum
Oxide, J. Electrochim. Soc., 159, 16, 2015
[3] O. O. C apraz, The Role of Stress in Self-Ordered Porous Anodic Oxide Formation and Corrosion of Aluminum, Dissertation (Ph.D.) 2014, Iowa State University
[2] O. O. C apraz, P. Shrotriya and K. R. Hebert, Measurements of Stress Changes During Growth and Dissolution of Anodic Oxide Films on Aluminum, J. Electrochem. Soc.,
161, D256, 2014
[1] O. O. C apraz, K. R. Hebert and P. Shrotriya, In situ Stress Measurement During Aluminium anodizing using, Phase-Shifting Curvature Interferometry, J. Electrochem. Soc.,
160, D501, 2013