Development and Characterization of Novel Materials under Extreme Conditions for Energy Applications

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We propose to develop a comprehensive research program involving chemistry and materials science under extreme conditions that addresses challenges and applications in energy and sustainability. Chemistry and materials research under extreme conditions, such as at high pressures, represents a vibrant frontier interdisciplinary area. In particular, the production of functional materials with novel structures and properties by using high pressure that are otherwise inaccessible under ambient conditions, demonstrates strong promise for potential applications of these materials (e.g., hydrogen storage materials and battery electrode materials) especially in clean energy. The tremendous advances of the high pressure techniques, especially those involving diamond anvil cells, optical micro-spectroscopy, as well as synchrotron based structural characterization probes, have enabled new challenging questions in high-pressure science to be addressed. Our lab houses start-of-the-art apparatus dedicated for materials research in terms of synthesis, fabrication, and for extreme condition generation and in situ structural characterization. Armed with these powerful tools, in particular, my research program will be exemplified in the following five themes: 1) Pressure tuning of one-dimensional nanostructured materials; 2) Development of new hydrogen storage materials; 3) Synthesis and characterization of high energy density materials; 4) High-pressure photochemistry for energy conversion; and 5) Structural tuning of nanoporous materials and investigation of gas storage. The first theme involves the synthesis and structural modifications and characterizations of semiconducting inorganic nanostructures that are of potential for energy applications such as battery electrode materials. The next three themes are targeted to the development of new energy carriers either in the form of energy storage materials, energetic materials, or precursors with novel high-pressure photochemical reactivates leading to the formation of fuels. The last theme is oriented towards the investigation of structures, stabilities and gas storage performance (especially for greenhouse gas) of metal-organic framework (MOF) materials at high pressures, thus contributing to the environmental sustainability. Overall, our proposed research program will equip the involved highly qualified personnel with cutting-edge scientific and technical expertise and contribute to Canada’s strategic research area of novel materials and clean energy with significant impact.