Professor Xiangbo “Henry” Meng
Xiangbo “Henry” Meng’s analysis focuses on synthesis of latest inorganic, natural and hybrid nanomaterials in exactly controllable modes on the atomic and molecular stage, and growth of high-performance energy-storage battery programs.
In January of 2023, he acquired a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Division of Vitality to reconstruct a clear, anti-oxidative floor of high-capacity nickel manganese cobalt cathode for the batteries, that are utilized in battery-powered electrical automobiles. Nickel manganese cobalt is price efficient, but in addition difficult for commercialization because of residual lithium compounds on the floor, structural instability, metallic dissolution, microcracking and oxygen launch.
“The excessive nickel content material makes nickel manganese cobalt notably susceptible to efficiency degradation and security threat in functions. To deal with these points, floor modification stays an necessary security technique and has confirmed efficient. We’re the primary to find that sulfides as floor coatings can play some distinctive roles in addressing nickel manganese cobalt points. Our work will hopefully ship technical options whereas advancing our understanding of electrochemistry,” Meng stated.
For this undertaking, Meng will collaborate with researchers from Argonne Nationwide Laboratory and Brookhaven Nationwide Laboratory, who will use electron microscopies and synchrotron-based methods to analyze the underlying mechanisms of sulfide coatings on nickel manganese cobalt. Meng’s workforce conducts modern analysis with the mission of offering possible options to scientific and technical challenges dealing with our society.
In 2022, Meng co-founded Interf LLC, a startup firm aiming to commercialize new battery programs and applied sciences, resembling lithium metallic batteries, sodium metallic batteries and all-solid-state batteries. These rising battery applied sciences allow increased power density, higher security, decrease price and longer lifetime than that of state-of-the-art lithium ion batteries.
Meng is an affiliate professor within the Division of Mechanical Engineering on the U of A. Earlier than becoming a member of the U of A in 2016, Meng was a analysis fellow within the power programs division at Argonne Nationwide Laboratory from 2012 – 2016 and a analysis affiliate within the Chemistry Division at Brookhaven Nationwide Laboratory. Meng’s analysis pursuits lie in well designing novel nanostructured supplies for numerous functions resembling power, catalysis, semiconductors, floor engineering and biomedical.