Mr. Christopher Capuano is a member of the Engineering Management Team with direct responsibility for the Research and Development department.  In this role, Chris is responsible for managing Nel’s IR&D programs, as well as all contractual R&D work received from the National Labs, NSF, ARPA-E, DOD, and DOE.  Specifically, this support is focused on the identification, qualification, and implementation of new designs and components for Nel’s next-gen MW-scale PEM cell stacks, plus the design and development of Nel’s test system infrastructure for cell stack verification and validation.

Shih-Fu Chang is Dean of Columbia Engineering. He leads the education, research, and innovation mission of the School, propelling it to be one of the top engineering schools. As an expert in multimedia, computer vision, and artificial intelligence, his research has led to development of innovative visual search systems and AI tools for online disinformation detection. Dean Chang is a Member of the National Academy of Engineering, a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, ACM, IEEE, and Academia Sinica. He received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Amsterdam and the Great Teacher Award from the Society of Columbia Graduates.

Jingguang Chen is the Thayer Lindsley Professor of Chemical Engineering at Columbia University, with a joint appointment at Brookhaven National Laboratory. He is the co-author of over 500 journal publications and over 20 United States patents. He is currently the President of the North American Catalysis Society. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering.

Anna brings nearly five years of professional experience within the sustainability industry, most recently serving as a business development manager for HyAxiom's PEM electrolyzer product. She spent the previous four years at Boston Consulting Group, working in their Climate & Sustainability practice. Anna holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University, where her research focused on the in-situ analysis of catalytic materials within electrochemical systems. Some examples of her prior work included evaluating CCUS opportunities for a global cement player and supporting the development of a US hydrogen hub strategy.

Daniel Esposito received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware and studied as a postdoctoral research associate at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.  He is now an Associate Professor in Chemical Engineering and a core member of the Columbia Electrochemical Energy Center. His group’s research interests relate broadly to electrochemistry for clean energy applications, including but not limited to electrolyzers, fuel cells, and solar fuels generators. Esposito was named a Scialog Fellow in Advanced Energy Storage, an NSF CAREER award winner, and is a co-founder and advisor of the start-up company sHYp BV PBC.

Jeff Fitts is the Executive Director of the Columbia Electrochemical Energy Center and a Research Scientist in the Department of Chemical Engineering. He develops industry sponsored research projects with CEEC core faculty aimed at accelerating the adoption of energy storage and conversion technologies.  His research collaboration focuses on sustainable processing and recycling of critical materials. 

Jen Hensley is the senior vice president of Corporate Affairs at Con Edison, the energy company serving the 10 million people of New York City, Westchester, Orange and Rockland counties. In her role, she oversees Government and Community Relations, Regulatory Affairs, Communications, Marketing, and Philanthropy departments. She is a member of the company’s Corporate Leadership Team. 

Before joining Con Edison, Ms. Hensley headed Government Relations for Lyft, leading the company’s practice across the US and Canada. Previously, she served as President of Link for Intersection, Executive Director of the Association for a Better New York, Senior Adviser to the Chairman at Empire State Development Corporation, and Assistant Vice President at the Alliance for Downtown New York. She also held positions in finance at Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase.  

Dr. Laura Lammers is the founder and CEO of Travertine Technologies, Inc. Travertine was founded in 2022 to commercialize a novel electrochemical process for minimal-waste, carbon-negative critical element extraction. As a former Assistant Professor at UC Berkeley and Faculty Scientist at LBNL, she received several awards including the DOE Early Career award. Travertine is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado and has a growing team of 17 employees. Travertine has been recognized as ACS C&EN News' Top 10 Start-Ups to Watch, a BloombergNEF Pioneers Awardee, a member of RMI’s First Gigaton Captured, and is a recipient of Federal and State grants.

Todd Malan is Chief External Affairs Officer & Head of Climate Strategy at Talon Metals, a publicly traded mineral resource company focused on discovery and development of high-grade nickel deposits in the Lake Superior region of the United States.   Malan has responsibility for the company’s interaction with governments, tribal sovereign governments, media, investors, off-take partners and communities.  Malan leads Talon’s climate innovation activities including carbon capture and storage via new approaches to carbon mineralization, reducing operational emissions at sites, clean energy sourcing and customer partnerships.  Malan previously led the Corporate Relations team for global mining and metals leader Rio Tinto in the Americas region and globally for the Rio Tinto Aluminum product group.  Before joining the mining and metals sector, Malan was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs.   He is a graduate of the University of Washington in Seattle and studied at Birkbeck College at the University of London as a Hansard Scholar.  Malan lives in Washington D.C.

Lauren Marbella is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Columbia University. Her research group focuses on understanding the relationship between electrochemical performance and interfacial chemistry in devices for energy storage and conversion. Her research relies heavily on the use of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy to evaluate changes in material properties in real time to elucidate the chemical mechanisms underpinning degradation in Li and beyond Li ion battery systems. Marbella’s research has received numerous awards including the Cottrell Scholar Award (2022), the National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award (2021), and the Scialog Collaborative Innovation Award for Advanced Energy Storage (Sloan Foundation, 2019).

Marbella received her PhD in chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh in 2016, under the direction of Prof. Jill Millstone. In 2017, she was named a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Cambridge in the group of Prof. Clare Grey. There, she was also named the Charles and Katharine Darwin Research Fellow, which recognizes the top junior fellow at Darwin College at the University of Cambridge. She joined the chemical engineering faculty at Columbia University in 2018.
 

Vijay Modi is a Professor in Columbia University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, a core faculty in the Columbia Electrochemical Energy Center, and also a member of the Earth and Data Science Institutes and Climate School’s faculty. He directs the Quadracci Sustainable Engineering Laboratory (QSEL). Prof. Modi’s areas of expertise are energy resources and energy conversion technologies. He has more than 30 years of experience in energy resources/conversion applied research, including thermal power generation, gas turbines, solar and wind technologies.  In the last decade his laboratory has carried out pioneering work in digital mini-grids that integrate electricity supply/demand monitoring, dynamic allocation of energy/power resources to individual customers and the use of Internet of Things (IoT) for account management.

Daniel Steingart is the Stanley Thompson Professor of Chemical Metallurgy and Chemical Engineering, Chair of the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering, and the co-director of the Columbia Electrochemical Energy Center. His group studies the systematic behaviors of material deposition, conversion, and dissolution in electrochemical reactors with a focus on energy storage devices. His current research looks to exploit traditional failure mechanisms and interactions in batteries and materials productions, turning unwanted behaviors into beneficial mechanisms. 

His efforts in this area over the last decade have been adopted by various industries and have led directly or indirectly to seven electrochemical energy related startup companies, the latest being Standard Potential, Innate Energy, and Liminal. Steingart joined Columbia Engineering in 2019 from Princeton University where he was an associate professor in the department of mechanical and aerospace engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment. Earlier, he was an assistant professor in chemical engineering at the City College of the City University of New York. Even earlier he was an engineer at two energy related startups. He received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2006.

Alex Urban is an Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering and a core faculty-member of the Columbia Electrochemical Energy Center (CEEC) and the Columbia Center for Computational Electrochemistry (CCCE). Prior to joining the Department of Chemical Engineering at Columbia University in 2019, Alex was an independent University Fellow at the University of St Andrews, UK. He obtained his PhD from FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany and conducted postdoctoral research at MIT and UC Berkeley. Alex has been named a Scialog Fellow for Advanced Energy Storage by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement. His research interests are in understanding and discovering materials and processes for clean-energy applications using atomic-scale modeling and data science methods.

Andrew Wang is cofounder & CEO of Standard Potential, a New York-based startup scaling sodium-ion battery systems that use earth-abundant minerals and optimize manufacturing for sustainable energy storage. Andrew spun out Standard Potential as a postdoctoral scientist with the Columbia Electrochemical Energy Center and Climate School through an ARPA-E battery program, with support from both Activate and Breakthrough Energy.

Alan West received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of California and his BS from Case Western Reserve University.  He is the co-director of the Columbia Electrochemical Energy Center and is the Samuel Ruben-Peter G. Viele Professor of Electrochemistry, with appointments in the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering.  His research interests include batteries, electrochemical synthesis, fuel cells, and hydrometallurgical extraction of critical materials.

Dr. Wicks’s focus at ARPA-E is on waste-to-energy technologies, critical minerals and the development of geologic hydrogen. He joined ARPA-E from Imerys, a French industrial minerals production and processing company, where he was most recently the Director of Transformational and External Innovation. Before joining Imerys, Wicks worked in a variety of roles at several start-up companies focused on innovative materials. Dr. Wicks began his career at Bayer Corporation, where he ultimately became Vice President of Research for the Coatings and Colorants division. He earned a B.S. in Chemistry from North Dakota State University and a Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Adria Wilson leads the zero-carbon innovation and emerging policy team within the U.S. Policy and Advocacy program at Breakthrough Energy. In her role she guides development of strategies to accelerate breakthrough clean energy innovations to market and to enable global deployment of affordable clean technologies. Her team partners with business leaders, philanthropy, advocates, policymakers, and startups to champion policy solutions that reduce the cost of clean energy and drive the widespread global adoption of cutting-edge clean energy technologies.

Prior to joining Gates Ventures and Breakthrough Energy, Adria was program lead for Chain Reaction Innovations, Argonne National Laboratory's lab-embedded entrepreneurial program, and served as a manager in the Department of Energy's Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Office, overseeing R&D programs for hydrogen technologies and advancing departmental innovation and commercialization efforts. She began her career in energy and environmental policy in the Senate as an AAAS Congressional Fellow. Adria has a PhD in Chemistry from Duke University and a B.S. in Chemistry from Drexel University. She is based in Washington DC, where she lives with her wife and two dogs.
 

Dr. Elizabeth J. Wilson is a Professor of Environmental Studies and was the founding Director of the Irving Institute for Energy and Society (2017-2022). Her work focuses on how energy and environmental policies and laws are implemented in practice and current research focuses on Offshore Wind Energy by examining the gaps between policy goals and practice in different locations around the globe.

Bolun Xu is an assistant professor at Columbia University, Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering, with affiliation in the Department of Electrical Engineering, and a core faculty in Columbia Electrochemical Energy Center. His research interests include electricity markets, energy storage, power system optimization, and power system economics. He received Ph.D. degree from University of Washington, Seattle, U.S. in 2018 in Electrical Engineering. Before joining Columbia, he was a postdoc at MIT joint hosted by MIT Energy Initiative and Lab for Information and Decision Systems. He was a recipient of the NSF CAREER award and the IISE Energy Systems Division Young Investigator Award.

Title: Thermodynamic Understanding of Electrochemical Nickel Extraction through First Principles Methods

Abstract: Nickel, and other materials relevant to the clean energy transition, are primarily produced via pyrometallurgy or smelting methods and contribute significantly to pollution.The transition from traditional pyrometallurgical methods to electrochemical techniques to extract nickel from ore offers a sustainable pathway for the extraction of nickel and other critical metals. In this talk, we discuss how first principle calculations can help explain underlying thermodynamic driving forces within electrochemical leaching methods. In Particular, we leverage Density Functional Theory (DFT) to predict reaction energies and confirm experimental products. The ability to further understand the leaching process via computational methods provides valuable insights into improving the viability of electrochemical leaching techniques within the mining industry, and underscores the potential of computational methods in enhancing the efficiency of sustainability of mineral extraction technologies.

Bio: Brian Donovan is a third-year PhD candidate and NSF GRFP Fellow, co-advised by Dr. Urban and Dr. West. Brian's research bridges experimental methods with first-principle calculations, focusing on improving electrochemical hydrometallurgical techniques for copper and nickel extraction. By developing thermodynamic phase diagrams and integrating experimental kinetic data, Brian has created methodologies to purify nickel concentrate into higher-purity nickel solids. This process enhances the efficiency and reduces environmental impact of converting these materials into battery precursors, contributing to advancements in sustainable energy storage solutions. Brian earned his masters degree in chemical engineering at Columbia University and prior to this earned a bachelor degree in statistics and chemical engineering at University of California, San Diego.

Tite: Tandem Electrocatalytic-Thermocatalytic Reaction Schemes for CO₂ Conversion to Value-Added Oxygenates

Abstract: One possible solution to closing the loop on carbon emissions is using CO₂ as the carbon source to generate high-value, multi-carbon products. However, CO₂ is thermodynamically stable and difficult to convert directly into oxygenated hydrocarbons in a single reactor. Therefore, the application of tandem reaction strategies coupling thermo-, electro-, or plasma-catalysis are necessary for effectively upgrading CO₂. Here, we focus on two tandem electrochemical-thermochemical reaction strategies: (1) CO₂ electrochemically reduced into syngas followed by the thermochemical methanol synthesis reaction, and (2) CO₂ electrochemically reduced into ethylene and syngas followed by the thermochemical hydroformylation reaction to produce propanal and 1-propanol. We present experimental results for the proposed reaction schemes, as well as a comparative analysis of the energy costs and prospects for net CO₂ reduction. Tandem reaction systems can provide an alternative approach to traditional catalytic processes, and these concepts can be further extended to other chemical reactions and products.

Bio: Samay is a second year Ph.D. Student in the Chen Research Group at Columbia University, where his research focuses on developing electrocatalytic processes for chemical synthesis. Prior to attending Columbia, he completed his bachelors degree at the University of California, Berkeley, where studied water electrolysis and fuel cells as a research affiliate in Dr. Adam Weber’s research group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He is the recipient of an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.

Title: Intersectoral study of building and transportation electrification and EV charging flexibility

Abstract: Electrification of the building and transportation sectors, alongside the low-carbon transition of the power sector together pose challenges for the power system in supplying increasingly volatile loads with reliable and affordable electricity. Coordinating the charging loads of electric vehicles (EVs) creates a golden opportunity to shift variable renewable energy (VRE) over-generation towards peak hours, thereby reducing the maximum net load stress on transmission and distribution systems. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the grid impacts of aggregating flexibility from EV managed charging at various stages of electrification and clean energy transition. Results show that unidirectional managed charging (V1G) can effectively shift most of the charging loads away from peak hours, resulting in a 0.2 to 0.6 kW peak net load reduction on average per EV. A diminishing benefit that decreases from 3.5 kW peak reduction on average to 1 kW is observed for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) scenarios as V2G participation increases. Promoting building sector electrification enlarges the grid benefits of V2G. Furthermore, using simulations of load and VRE generation based on more than 20 years of historical meteorological data, we demonstrate that managed charging significantly reduces the security reserve margins and achieves greater emission reduction.

Bio: Yinbo Hu is a Ph.D. student in the Quadracci Sustainable Engineering Lab in Mechanical Engineering. Under the direction of Dr. Modi, his research interests include data-driven methods for energy demand forecasting, capacity expansion modeling for grid decarbonization planning and demand flexibility. Prior to his PhD program, he received the B.Eng. degree in Energy and Power Engineering from Southeast University, China, and M.Sc degree in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University.

Title: Elucidating the Role of Cathode Identity: Voltage Dependent Reversibility in Anode-Free Batteries

Abstract: The cathode material in a lithium (Li) battery determines its cost, energy density, and thermal stability. In anode-free batteries, the cathode also serves as the source of Li for electrodeposition, impacting the reversibility of plating and stripping. Here, we show the reason that LiNi_0.8Mn_0.1Co_0.1O₂ (NMC811) cathodes deliver lower Coulombic efficiencies than LiFePO₄ (LFP) cathodes is the formation of tortuous Li deposits, acidic species in the electrolyte, and “dead” Li⁰. In contrast, those with LFP cathodes generate dense Li deposits that can be reversibly stripped, but Li is lost to the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and corrosion according to operando ⁷Li NMR, which seemingly “revives” dead Li⁰. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and in situ ¹⁹F/¹H NMR indicate that these differences arise because upper cutoff voltage alters electrolyte decomposition, where low voltage LFP cells prevent anodic decomposition, mitigating the formation of protic species that proliferate upon charging NMC811.

Bio: Yongbeom (Eric) Kwon is a PhD candidate in Chemical Engineering at Columbia University. He works on new approaches to characterize battery materials using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) under the direction of Dr. Lauren Marbella. NMR uniquely offers both nondestructive (in-situ) and temporally resolved (operando) molecular descriptions, allowing the correlation between molecular-level phenomena and macroscopic performance metrics of batteries in practical scenarios. These insights provide a basis for functional engineering of novel energy storage solutions. Before his PhD program, Yongbeom received a BS and MS in Chemical Engineering from Brown University in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Title: Grid-scale battery storage enabled with ultra thick sodium-ion electrodes

Abstract: Decarbonizing our grid requires an increasing number of renewable energy sources to be integrated into our power system. To rely on intermittent energy sources and ensure grid reliability, large-scale energy storage solutions are essential. Here, we show high energy density and low cost batteries, required for grid-scale storage, can be achieved with ultra thick (>500um) sodium-ion electrodes. Hard carbon and NaNi_1/3Fe_1.3Mn_1/3O₂ full cells with electrodes thicknesses up to 1.2mm and areal capacities up to ~31 mAh/cm² exhibit stable post-formation capacities. A binder fibrillation dry fabrication process is developed to obtain such thicknesses and study utilization limitations in ultra thick electrodes. 

Bio: Kristina Nabayan is a PhD candidate in the Materials Science and Engineering department at Columbia University. Her research focuses on understanding and improving thick electrodes (>500 um) for grid-scale battery storage under the direction of Dr. Dan Steingart. During her PhD, Kristina has been a Global Energy Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia and is currently an OpenMinds NextGen Fellow. Kristina received a BS in Applied Physics from the University of California Santa Cruz in 2021. 

Title: Why the field of photocatalysis needs electrochemical engineers: an example in reaction-diffusion

Abstract: Photocatalytic water splitting is one promising route to reducing the cost of H₂ production due to the direct coupling of light absorption and water splitting reactions on individual nanoparticles. However, this integrated approach to water splitting creates difficulties in fundamental understanding and rational design of photocatalytic systems, which greatly hinders overall solar-to-hydrogen efficiencies of scalable demonstrations. In this talk, an example reaction-diffusion problem within particle-based reactors is used to highlight the need for electrochemical engineers to study and advance the performance of scalable photocatalytic systems.

Bio: William Stinson is a 5th year chemical engineering PhD student in Prof. Daniel Esposito’s research group. Prior to Columbia, he obtained his Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Northeastern University as well as worked for 3+ years in industry developing Aluminum-Seawater batteries. Will’s research in the Esposito Lab focuses on local electrochemical measurements for novel photocatalytic systems, and the development of selective nanoscopic coatings.

Title: Copper and Nickel Sulfide Minerals Processing via Redox Mediated Leaching 

Abstract: The demand for critical minerals such as copper and nickel is growing globally due to the ongoing energy transition, making it imperative to develop alternatives to conventional smelting for sustainable metal production. This work introduces an innovative hydrometallurgical route for extracting copper and nickel from the sulfide minerals utilizing electrochemical- mediated lixiviants. Study of chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂) leaching in vanadium(II) demonstrates fast leaching kinetics with ~90% iron being selectively extracted within 60 minutes. The leached products were analyzed using XRD and SEM, showing that the chalcopyrite was converted to djurleite (Cu_1.94S), accompanied by a radical morphological transformation from ~30um mineral particles to ~200nm nanoparticles. To provide insight into the phase conversion, the initial stage of the reaction between chalcopyrite and V2+ solution was examined, revealing cracks formation within the inner particle and nucleation of the product phase at the leached particle surface. Along the cracks and at the particle surface, chalcopyrite was replaced by an iron-depleted and copper-rich phase. Based on the texture observations, a dissolution- precipitation mechanism was proposed. 

Furthermore, leaching of nickel concentrate using electrochemical regenerated cerium(IV) was investigated. Rapid leaching kinetics were observed across various acid concentrations, with approximately 75% of nickel extracted within one hour. XRD analysis of the leached product revealed elemental sulfur as the dominant component in the solid residues. The leached residues was reacted again with fresh cerium(IV) and demonstrated a complete nickel recovery. 

Bio:  Tongwei is a third-year PhD student in the Chemical Engineering department. Her research in Dr. Alan West’s group focuses on investigating electrochemical-mediated leaching techniques for critical mineral extraction. A specific focus of her research is characterizing the leaching kinetics of mineral concentrate in redox-mediated reagents, understanding the mineral conversion mechanism during leaching using various material characterization techniques, and developing electrochemical processes for reagent regeneration. Tongwei received her MS in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University and BS in New Energy Materials & Devices from Soochow University, China.

Title: Intermediate temperature K/S Batteries for Grid-scale Energy Storage

Abstract: Na/S and K/S batteries offer a promising solution for grid-level energy storage due to their low cost and long cycle life. However, the formation of solid compounds such as M₂S₂ and M₂S (M = Na, K) during cycling limits their performance. Here we unveil intermediate-temperature K-Na/S batteries utilizing advanced electrolytes that dissolve all polysulfides and sulfides (K₂S_x, x = 1–8), significantly enhancing reaction kinetics, specific capacity, and energy density. These batteries achieve near-theoretical capacity (1655 mAh g⁻¹ sulfur) at 75°C with a 1 M sulfur concentration. At a 4 M sulfur concentration, they deliver 830 mAh g⁻¹ at 2 mA cm⁻², retaining 71% capacity after 1000 cycles. This surpasses previous K/S batteries, making the new K-Na/S battery, which employs only earth-abundant elements, an attractive option for long-duration energy storage, with specific energy levels of 150-250 Wh kg⁻¹.

Bio: Zhenghao Yang is a PhD student in Materials Science and Engineering at APAM, Columbia University, where he focused on battery electrolyte development for K/S batteries and anode-free Lithium-Ion batteries. These advanced electrolytes promote the dissolution of ion-transporting salts and the formation of stable Solid Electrolyte Interfaces (SEI). Zhenghao graduated from Peking University in 2021 with a BS degree and then got an MS from APAM, Columbia University in 2023.

Title: Physics Based Model Parameterization for Phenomenological Discovery in Electrochemical Systems

Abstract: The continued development of electrochemical energy storage systems, and particularly lithium-ion batteries, is critical to enabling a sustainable energy future. However due to the inherently complicated nature of these systems, they are difficult to study and subsequently improve. By employing physics based models coupled with simple experiments, statistics, and machine learning, one can efficiently cut through the complexity and draw nuanced conclusions about factors influencing their operation and degradation.

Bio: John Bernard graduated from Northeastern University in 2019 with Bachelors degrees in Chemical Engineering and Electrical Engineering. Before coming to Columbia, he worked for Nano-C Inc. doing application development and scale-up for nanostructured carbon materials. He is a 3rd-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemical Engineering, where he builds mathematical models to study electrochemical energy storage systems. His research has focused on the effect of binders on Lithium transport through cathodes, and more recently he is employing models to study new and emerging battery chemistries targeted toward grid-scale storage solutions. 

Title: Counterion Lewis Acidity Determines the Rate of Hexafluorophosphate Hydrolysis in Non-aqueous Battery Electrolytes

Abstract: The decomposition of LiPF₆ in non-aqueous battery electrolytes is a well-studied, deleterious process that leads to hydrofluoric acid (HF)-driven transition metal dissolution at the positive electrode and gas production (H₂) at the anode that is attributed to the inherent moisture sensitivity of the hexafluorophosphate anion. In this work, we use in situ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to demonstrate that the rate of PF₆^– hydrolysis significantly decreases in Na and K systems, where the Lewis acidity of the cation dictates the rate of decomposition according to Li⁺ > Na⁺ > K+. Despite the remarkable stability of Na and K electrolytes, we show that they are still susceptible to hydrolysis in the presence of protons, which can catalyze the breakdown of PF₆^–, indicating that these chemistries are not immune from decomposition when paired with solvent/cathode combinations that generate H+ at high voltage. Quantitative in situ multinuclear and multidimensional NMR of decomposed electrolytes shows that after long-term degradation, these systems contain HF, HPO₂F₂, and H₂PO₃F as well as a variety of defluorinated byproducts, such as organophosphates and phosphonates, that are structurally similar to herbicides/insecticides that may pose health and environmental risks. Taken together, these results have important implications for Na- and K-ion batteries where hazardous and harmful byproducts like HF, soluble transition metals, organophosphates, and phosphonates, can be greatly reduced through cell design and also suggest that next generation chemistries present a pathway to safer batteries that contain lower quantities of flammable gasses, like H₂, if properly engineered.

Bio: Pablo Buitrago is a 4th year chemical engineering undergraduate student in Dr. Lauren Marbella’s research group. His research focuses on elucidating degradation pathways and mitigation techniques to inform electrolyte design rules in alkali-ion systems. 

Title: Oxide-Encapsulated Ruthenium Oxide Catalysts for Selective Oxygen Evolution in Unbuffered pH-Neutral Seawater

Abstract: Direct seawater electrolysis offers a promising method for producing green hydrogen in water-scarce environments using renewable energy. However, the chlorine and hypochlorite evolution reactions compete with the desired oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode electrocatalyst, especially in unbuffered pH-neutral solutions due to local acidification from the OER. This study evaluates the use of silicon oxide (SiOx) and titanium oxide (TiOx) nanoscale overlayers on metallic ruthenium (Ru) and ruthenium oxide (RuOx) thin film electrodes to block chloride ions from reaching active sites in an unbuffered 0.6 M NaCl electrolyte. Using various (electro)analytical techniques, encapsulated RuOx anodes effectively suppress Cl– transport to buried catalyst active sites, enhancing OER faradaic efficiency at moderate overpotentials. In situ Raman spectroscopy confirmed SiOx overlayers’ ability to block Cl– ions. The study also highlights trade-offs between activity, selectivity, and stability of bare and encapsulated Ru and RuOx electrocatalysts, influenced by electrode architecture, material properties, and catalytic performance in unbuffered pH-neutral seawater

Bio: Daniela A. Bushiri is a PhD candidate at Columbia University, specializing in developing electrocatalysts for the efficient production of renewable fuels like hydrogen and ammonia. As an NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Provost Diversity Fellow, and Global Energy Fellow, Daniela works under Dr. Daniel Esposito and Dr. Jingguang Chen. Her current research focuses on developing OER catalysts in harsh environments like seawater and acidic mediums. With a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from NJIT, she is committed to advancing renewable energy solutions and global energy equity. The Global Energy Fellowship has enabled her to address global energy challenges through leadership in energy and climate policy. This summer, she assessed the feasibility of a hydroelectric mini-grid in rural DR Congo, reinforcing her dedication to impactful energy solutions.

Title: Ultrathin Proton-Conducting Oxide Membranes for High-Capacity Water Electrolysis

Abstract: Ultrathin (<1 µm) oxide membranes are being studied as proton-conducting electrolyte alternatives to conventional PFSA polymer electrolyte membranes (PEM) for low-temperature water electrolyzers for hydrogen production. The enhanced performance of these proton-conducting oxide membrane (POM) electrolyzers is enabled by the lower ionic resistance of dense oxide-based membranes that are 2-4 orders of magnitude thinner than conventional Nafion membranes.

Bio: Lucas Cohen is a 3rd year chemical engineering PhD student in Prof. Daniel Esposito’s research group at Columbia University. Prior to Columbia, he obtained his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and physics from Northeastern University and worked for 2+ years in industry developing novel battery and hydrogen fuel cell/electrolyzer technologies. In the Esposito lab, Lucas designs selective transport materials to enhance electrocatalysts and electrochemical devices for sustainable fuels synthesis. His research has focused on the effect of oxide-encapsulated electrocatalysts on the CO₂ reduction reaction selectivity, and more recently, he is employing 1D transport models to study ultrathin oxide membranes for water electrolysis.

Title: Exploiting Protonic Ceramic Electrochemical Cells to Electrify Chemical Conversions

Abstract: Developing systems capable of enabling resource-efficient, sustainable chemical synthesis is critical to driving decarbonization. Traditional thermochemical conversion methods, while effective, often entail high resource consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy demand. Looking beyond pure thermochemical conversion, this work investigates the application of single-cell thermo-electrochemical reactors based on protonic ceramic electrolyte membranes to address these challenges. Herein, we present progress on single-cell design to enable robust and routine investigation of conversion chemistry, as well as progress in the design of catalytic materials for critical reactions such as CO₂-to-CO/CH₄/H₂, N₂-to-NH₃, and CH₄-to-C₂H₆/C₂H₄. Special attention is given to reactor design optimization and advancements in catalyst materials for these single-cell reactors aiming to achieve higher conversion efficiencies and selectivities under thermo-electrochemical operating conditions.

Bio: Joshua O. Crawford obtained his B.Sc. in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2023. During his undergraduate studies, Joshua performed research with the Zinn Combustion Lab Reacting Flow & Diagnostics Group, École Polytechnique’s Plasma Physics Laboratory, and Georgia Tech Research Institute Energy Sustainability Group investigating the application of non-equilibrium plasmas and electrochemical systems for energy and health. Now a PhD student in Prof. Juliana S.A. Carneiro’s group at Columbia University, Joshua seeks to investigate the impact of nanostructured catalyst design on redox reaction chemistry during carbon-based conversions towards improving sustainable chemical synthesis and advancing decarbonization solutions.

Title: Design of Selective Interfaces and Catalysts for Higher Efficiency Photosynthetic Nanoreactors

Abstract: Photocatalytic water splitting using ensembles of photosynthetic nanoreactors (EPN) holds great potential in the pursuit of the DOE Hydrogen Shot initiative to bring the cost of H₂ to $1/kg by 2031. This multi-institutional effort (EPN) seeks to understand the activity, selectivity, and stability of solar water splitting nanoreactors in isolation and as ensembles for improved solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiencies. Here at Columbia, we developed an area-selective atomic layer deposition (ALD) approach for planar interdigitated arrays of Pt and Au and showcased similar electrochemical selectivity as with monometallic samples. Additionally, we investigate how different molecular catalysts behave under metal oxide overlayers in terms of both performance and stability. Alongside these efforts, we are developing a novel method to measure isolated nanoreactors using optical tweezers to better understand the photocatalytic process on a fundamental level. These efforts begin to integrate work between different research thrusts and develop more efficient ensemble reactors.

Bios: Kevin Dunn is a 2^nd year chemical engineering Ph.D. student in Dr. Daniel Esposito’s research group. His research focuses on novel methods of single-particle photocatalytic measurements for solar fuel generation. Prior to studying at Columbia, Kevin received a B.S. in chemical engineering from Colorado School of Mines.

Patrick O. Aghadiuno is a 3^rd year chemical engineering Ph.D. student in Dr. Daniel Esposito’s research group. His research focuses on the development of oxide layers deposited over molecular catalysts within ensembles of photosynthetic nanoreactors to produce solar fuels. Prior to studying at Columbia, Patrick received a B.S. in chemical engineering from Rice University.

Title: Intersectoral study of building and transportation electrification and EV charging flexibility

Abstract: Electrification of the building and transportation sectors, alongside the low-carbon transition of the power sector together pose challenges for the power system in supplying increasingly volatile loads with reliable and affordable electricity. Coordinating the charging loads of electric vehicles (EVs) creates a golden opportunity to shift variable renewable energy (VRE) over-generation towards peak hours, thereby reducing the maximum net load stress on transmission and distribution systems. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the grid impacts of aggregating flexibility from EV managed charging at various stages of electrification and clean energy transition. Results show that unidirectional managed charging (V1G) can effectively shift most of the charging loads away from peak hours, resulting in a 0.2 to 0.6 kW peak net load reduction on average per EV. A diminishing benefit that decreases from 3.5 kW peak reduction on average to 1 kW is observed for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) scenarios as V2G participation increases. Promoting building sector electrification enlarges the grid benefits of V2G. Furthermore, using simulations of load and VRE generation based on more than 20 years of historical meteorological data, we demonstrate that managed charging significantly reduces the security reserve margins and achieves greater emission reduction.

Bio: Yinbo Hu is a Ph.D. student in the Quadracci Sustainable Engineering Lab in Mechanical Engineering. Under the direction of Dr. Modi, his research interests include data-driven methods for energy demand forecasting, capacity expansion modeling for grid decarbonization planning and demand flexibility. Prior to his PhD program, he received the B.Eng. degree in Energy and Power Engineering from Southeast University, China, and M.Sc degree in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University.

Title: Electrolyte pH-Driven Formation of Zinc Hydroxide Bromide Precipitates: Characterization and Mitigation in Static Zinc-Bromine Batteries

Abstract: The shift to renewable energy requires efficient storage solutions. Static zinc-bromine batteries (ZBBs) offer a promising, safe, and cost-effective option for grid-scale storage. However, their long-term performance is hindered by cathode precipitation during cycling. We identified this precipitate as zinc hydroxide bromide (ZHB), which reduces efficiency and capacity. Our study examines the effects of electrolyte composition, pH changes, and charging conditions on ZHB formation using electroanalytical techniques. We propose that electrolyte pH fluctuations at the cathode surface, caused by Zn ions concentration depleting during charging, is the key factor in the formation ZHB. By controlling these parameters, we aim to suppress ZHB precipitation and enhance ZBB's long-term performance, advancing sustainable energy storage technology.

Bio: Dongrun Ju earned a B.E. in Chemical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in 2021. Her research on organic solar cells and biocatalysts for cyclopropanation shaped her PhD path at Columbia's Chemical Engineering Department. In the Steingart Group, she explores electrochemical applications and characterization techniques. Her work focuses on the parasitic precipitation reaction at the positive electrode in Zn-Br aqueous batteries, involving compound identification, pH studies, zinc salt synthesis, impedance analysis, and electrolyte optimization. She now plans to investigate how different electrolytes affect interface and interphase formation in monovalent metal ion systems.

Title: Elucidating the Role of Cathode Identity: Voltage Dependent Reversibility in Anode-Free Batteries

Abstract: The cathode material in a lithium (Li) battery determines its cost, energy density, and thermal stability. In anode-free batteries, the cathode also serves as the source of Li for electrodeposition, impacting the reversibility of plating and stripping. Here, we show the reason that LiNi_0.8Mn_0.1Co_0.1O₂ (NMC811) cathodes deliver lower Coulombic efficiencies than LiFePO₄ (LFP) cathodes is the formation of tortuous Li deposits, acidic species in the electrolyte, and “dead” Li⁰. In contrast, those with LFP cathodes generate dense Li deposits that can be reversibly stripped, but Li is lost to the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and corrosion according to operando ⁷Li NMR, which seemingly “revives” dead Li⁰. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and in situ ¹⁹F/¹H NMR indicate that these differences arise because upper cutoff voltage alters electrolyte decomposition, where low voltage LFP cells prevent anodic decomposition, mitigating the formation of protic species that proliferate upon charging NMC811.

Bio: Yongbeom (Eric) Kwon is a PhD candidate in Chemical Engineering at Columbia University. He works on new approaches to characterize battery materials using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) under the direction of Dr. Lauren Marbella. NMR uniquely offers both nondestructive (in-situ) and temporally resolved (operando) molecular descriptions, allowing the correlation between molecular-level phenomena and macroscopic performance metrics of batteries in practical scenarios. These insights provide a basis for functional engineering of novel energy storage solutions. Before his PhD program, Yongbeom received a BS and MS in Chemical Engineering from Brown University in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Title: Precious Metal Modified Transition Metal Nitrides for Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution

Abstract: Alkaline electrolyzers are cheaper to manufacture but exhibit lower current densities than proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. One reason alkaline electrolyzers experience lower current densities is that the kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are slower in alkaline conditions than in the acidic conditions of PEM electrolyzers. This work investigated Pt- and Au-modified transition metal nitrides (TMN) as electrocatalysts for improving alkaline HER kinetics. The most promising Pt-modified TMN thin film catalysts exhibited alkaline HER activity approaching that of bulk Pt. Pt-modified TiN powders were then tested for alkaline HER activity to investigate if the results from the thin films could be translated to the industrially relevant powder form. Both 5% Pt/TiN and 2% Pt/TiN powders exhibited higher current densities at lower overpotentials than the 5% Pt/C powder benchmark, highlighting Pt-TiN synergy that creates opportunities for more cost-effective alkaline HER cathodes. 

Bio: Nathaniel Nichols is a 3rd year chemical engineering PhD candidate at Columbia University in Dr. Jinggaung Chen’s research group. His work is focused on reducing the loading of precious metals in electrocatalysts by employing transition metal nitrides and carbides as metal supports. During his PhD research, he has explored these catalyst supports for applications in water electrolysis and alcohol electro-oxidation. More recently, Nathaniel has also investigated modifying CO₂ electro-reduction catalysts with CO₂ capture polymers for enhanced CO₂ conversion. Prior to Columbia University, he graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering.

Title: Long-Term Energy Management for Microgrid with Hybrid Hydrogen-Battery Energy Storage: A Prediction-Free CoordinatedOptimization Framework

Abstract: This paper studies the long-term energy management of a microgrid coordinating hybrid hydrogen-battery energy storage. We develop an approximate semi-empirical hydrogen storage model to accurately capture the power-dependent efficiency of hydrogen storage. We introduce a prediction-free two-stage coordinated optimization framework, which generates the annual state-of-charge (SoC) reference for hydrogen storage offline. During online operation, it updates the SoC reference online using kernel regression and makes operation decisions based on the proposed adaptive virtual-queue-based online convex optimization (OCO) algorithm. We innovatively incorporate penalty terms for long-term pattern tracking and expert-tracking for step size updates. We provide theoretical proof to show that the proposed OCO algorithm achieves a sublinear bound of dynamic regret without using prediction information. Numerical studies based on the Elia and North China datasets show that the proposed framework significantly outperforms existing online optimization approaches, reducing operational costs and loss of load by approximately 60% and 90%, respectively, compared to the model predictive control method. Additionally, the introduction of long-term reference tracking contributes to over 50\% of this reduction. These benefits can be further enhanced with optimized settings for the penalty coefficient and step size of OCO, as well as more historical references.

Bio: Ning Qi is a postdoctoral research scientist in Earth and Environmental Engineering at Columbia University. He received his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Tsinghua University in 2023. Before joining Columbia, he was the postdoc at Digital Power System (DPS) lab at Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University. He was a visiting scholar at Technical University of Denmark in 2022. He received a B.E. degree in Electrical Engineering from Tianjin University in 2018. His current research focuses on data-driven modeling, optimization under uncertainty and market design for power system with generic energy storage.

Title: Hydrometallurgical Production of Domestic Metals for Energy Transition

Abstract: The clean energy transition will necessitate increased production of many critical materials. The centralized processing of ore resources throughout Asia leaves open risk for global supply constrictions and market inflexibility. Domestic, or local-to-the-mine, processing of ore resources is often untenable due to environmental restrictions not aligning with the pollution-intensive processing techniques. Novel chemistries are here utilized to process nickel and copper ores previously only available to pyrometallurgy.

Bio: Curtis Sirkoch graduated from Columbia University and Bard College in 2020 with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a B.A. in Chemistry. He then worked as a Staff Researcher at Columbia with the Steingart Group researching an innately-flowed zinc bromide battery for stationary energy storage applications. Leveraging his experience in electrochemistry, he joined the West group in 2023 as part of the Earth and Environmental Engineering PhD program to explore redox-mediated ore processing.

Title: Bromine enabled selective leaching of Li+ from battery cathode active material to enable Li-ion recycling

Abstract: The growing demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has led to concerns about the sustainable disposal of spent batteries and the sourcing of critical materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel. Traditional recycling processes like pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy are effective but energy-intensive and often require additional processing steps to further recover critical materials. This work presents a leaching method using bromine (Br₂) that enables rapid and selective lithium extraction from NMC811 and LFP, with over 85% lithium leached in under 30 minutes. This process offers a significant improvement over conventional methods, which typically involve long reaction times and high temperatures. Furthermore, using Br₂ as an oxidizing agent in a sulfuric acid system resulted in over 95% leaching efficiency for the remaining nickel, cobalt, and manganese from NMC811, achieving faster rates than traditional H₂SO₄/H₂O₂ leaching processes. We also utilize X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction for insights into the leaching mechanisms. 

Bio: Nathalie Tuya is a 3rd year PhD student and NSF Graduate Research Fellow in the Earth & Environmental Engineering Department at Columbia University. Her research is focused on recycling Li-ion batteries, specifically through electrochemical methods. Prior to her time at Columbia, Nathalie earned her B.S. degree at Florida International University, where she worked on various undergraduate research projects with NASA, the Department of Energy, and the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers.

Title: Perturbed Decision-Focused Learning for Modeling Strategic Energy Storage

Abstract: This work presents a novel decision-focused framework integrating the physical energy storage model into machine learning pipelines. Motivated by the model predictive control for energy storage, our end-to-end method incorporates the prior knowledge of the storage model and infers the hidden reward that incentivizes energy storage decisions. This is achieved through a dual-layer framework, combining a prediction layer with an optimization layer. We introduce the perturbation idea into the designed decision-focused loss function to ensure the differentiability over linear storage models, supported by a theoretical analysis of the perturbed loss function. We also develop a hybrid loss function for effective model training. We provide two challenging applications for our proposed framework: energy storage arbitrage, and energy storage behavior prediction. The numerical experiments on real price data demonstrate that our arbitrage approach achieves the highest profit against existing methods. The numerical experiments on synthetic and real-world energy storage data show that our approach achieves the best behavior prediction performance against existing benchmark methods, which shows the effectiveness of our method.

Bio: Ming Yi is a postdoctoral research scientist in Data Science Institute at Columbia University. He received his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2022. He was a intern at the Argonne National Laboratory. He received a M.S. degree in Control Science and Engineering from the Harbin Institute of Technology in 2018 and a B.E. degree in Automation from Harbin Engineering University in 2016. His current research focuses on machine learning, energy storage, power system economics and resilience.