Profile

A key distinguishing feature of my research is that I have developed atomic scale methods to understand the distinguishing characteristics of batteries, such as how the cell voltage changes with battery state of charge. At the same time, my group characterises batteries experimentally, both at small button cell level and larger, commercial batteries. I am interested to bring the atomic scale insights to explain the measured characteristics.

One example application is electrochemical thermodynamic characterisation of batteries, that is, measurement of cell characteristics such as voltage with state of charge at variable temperature. In combination with atomic scale and statistical mechanical models such as Monte Carlo and mean field methods, we can gain very deep insights into how the batteries and their constituent materials work.

I also have an interest in using these properties for practical diagnosis of batteries, for example studies of battery ageing, in connection with industry, and a recent interest in transferring these methods to next generation battery technologies such as sodium-ion, which would allow the use of substantially cheaper and more abundant materials. I am particularly interested in engaging with companies to transfer what we have learnt from studies of commercial lithium-ion cells to newer technologies that have not yet been commercialised at large scale such as sodium-ion.