We focus on establishing an integrated manufacturing pipeline for high-performance batteries, bridging fundamental materials chemistry with system-level engineering. We begin by designing and optimizing electrode and electrolyte materials—such as solid-state interfaces and high-capacity cathodes—to address inherent challenges in ion transport, stability, and safety. These materials are then translated into manufacturable formats through process engineering and scalable fabrication methods, including roll-to-roll coating, slurry casting, calendaring, and cell assembly. Finally, we integrate these cells into battery modules and full pack systems, where thermal management and structural design are critical for ensuring long-term reliability and safety under real-world operating conditions. By coupling materials innovation with scalable manufacturing and pack-level optimization, our goal is to enable next-generation energy storage technologies that accelerate electrification for transportation and resilient infrastructure.

Our research pioneers the use of pressure as an active design parameter to precisely control materials growth, microstructure evolution, and electrochemical performance. Building on recent advances in pressure-regulated lithium deposition, we develop pressure-tailored growth strategies to manipulate nucleation pathways, promote lateral densification, and suppress defects and void formation at the nanoscale. By integrating operando characterization, cryo-FIB/SEM–TEM imaging, and multiscale simulations, we revealed that optimized uniaxial pressure can direct columnar grain formation, maintain interface integrity, and drastically reduce dead material accumulation, leading to 99%+ reversibility and high-rate stability. This pressure-based methodology provides a universal knob to engineer crystalline orientation, interface cohesion, and energy transport in diverse functional materials beyond batteries—including metallic films, 2D layered materials, and composite scaffolds. Ultimately, our pressure-tailored growth framework opens a new paradigm for manufacturable, high-performance materials, enabling scalable synthesis routes for next-generation energy devices and sustainable fabrication platforms.

Reference: “Pressure-tailored lithium deposition and dissolution in lithium metal batteries”, Nature Energy, 2021, 6, 987–994

We are broadly interested in critical minerals and low-cost, sustainable battery materials that can support large-scale electrification without stressing fragile supply chains. We focus on copper and other key metals used in current collectors and battery components, asking how to use less, waste less, and source smarter. By integrating ultralight current-collector architectures, scalable electroless coating, and advanced copper metallurgy, we reduce metal intensity and cost at the cell level while maintaining or improving energy density and safety. In parallel, we study recycling and circular pathways—recovering copper and other critical elements from manufacturing scrap and end-of-life batteries, and reintegrating them into high-performance components. Together, these efforts aim to couple fundamental materials design with resource efficiency, enabling resilient, domestically robust supply chains for next-generation energy storage.

Reference: “Fabricating ultralight and ultrathin copper current collectors for high-energy batteries”, eScience, 2024, 4, 100271.