Abstract: In an energy landscape with increased environmental concerns and reduced availability of fossil fuels, electrochemical systems will likely play a major role for automotive and grid-storage applications. Our research strives to diagnose and overcome challenges related to electrochem

In this talk, I will discuss three applications of the aforementioned research approach ranging from the molecular to the device scale. In the first, we consider the origin of pH-dependent kinetics for hydrogen evolution and oxidation. Using single-crystal voltammetry and microkinetic modeling, we find that adsorbed hydroxide is a spectator at best and a poison at worst. The implications of this finding on electrocatalyst design are discussed. In the second application, we investigate the effect of inter-electrode communication on failure mechanisms in lithium-ion batteries. Electrochemical characterization of surface films using redox mediators separates transport and kinetics to determine how nominally passivating films can selectively transfer charge. These results highlight the importance of a defect-free inorganic layer for a successful interface. Finally, we apply our approach to battery electrode design. We combine rheology with electrochemical analysis to determine the role of carbon microstructure in battery performance and reach the counter-intuitive conclusion that short-range electron transport is more limiting than either long-range conductivity or tortuous ion paths.

Bio: Maureen Tang joined the chemical and biological engineering faculty at Drexel University in 2014. She received her B.S. in chemical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. Her research at Drexel develops materials, architectures, and fundamental insight for electrochemical energy storage and conversion.