Nature-inspired design and fabrication of nanostructured functional carbon for nextgen energy storage devices

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Electrification and green energy are going to have a profound influence in our quality of life. In a global context, unreliable performance and unsafe design of current energy devices are pressing research issues to tackle in the next 3 to 10 years. This project focuses on design and engineering multi-functional natural carbon materials for energy storage device components to transform green energy production. In particular, here I propose to design new functional energy storage materials and components by improved understanding of biogenetic "structure-function" correlation of nature-inspired unique architecture built-in wood lamella and plant stems. In the past, my fundamental research have elucidated mechanism of chemi-morphological transformations of wood nanofibrils, lignin and other natural polymers as a function of molecular compositions and configurations controlled by thermodynamic and kinetic factors. A precise control of free energy of local and uniquely architectured wood and stems from selective plant species with temperature limiting kinetic multi-step graphitization led to single crystal graphitic structure with perfectly organized 2D-2D layers. This newly discovered structural assembly opens new avenues to fabricate sustainable functional materials for various targeted applications such as in energy storage, sensing, and biomedical scaffolding. The corner stone of this research is unlike mimicking natural unique phenomenon by artificial means, it builds novel materials and devices by chemi-catalytic tuning graphitization of those unique natural attributes of wood and plant. The later ensures the robustness of biogenic functions of nature largely remains unaltered in their post-conversion state. It is anticipated that tunable graphitization and, understanding their molecular assembly with operando reaction reengineering approach will inspire building novel functional attributes such as improved electron and thermal transport; more regulated ion mobility by restructuring tortuous microchannels, pore structure, membrane and their organized assembly. The long-term objective of the proposed program is to foster fundamental understanding and robust control of the nanostructured 2D-carbon layer assembly of graphitized wood and plant stems into varied architectural forms, which can inspire design and fabrication of safe and durable energy storage and medical devices with unique functionalities including but not limited to enhanced energy storing capacity, improved service-lifetime, lighter in weight, and cost competitive. This new, greener, low-cost and 3D architecture natural components will also provide a sustainable and eco-friendly solution primarily to address the recycling and other environmental issues of conventional materials and devices. For HQP training this proposal is highly relevant to Canadian Energy security and national advanced manufacturing infrastructure development goal and to tackle climate change.