Allen J. Bard

The Bard group does research in many areas of electroanalytical chemistry and in electrochemistry generally.  We continue to refine and to find new applications for the scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM), which was developed in our laboratory. We are exploring ways of using SECM to study living cells, like those of yeast, bacteria and mammals. We have also used the SECM to study electron transfer across the interface of immiscible electrolyte solutions and across a bilayer lipid membrane separating two aqueous phases.

The group also researches electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL), the production of light electrochemically.  Our ongoing work on the ECL properties of new species may find applications in highly sensitive immunoassays and in the production of light-emitting devices. 

We also study photoelectrochemistry at various materials, such as semiconductor nanoparticles, with interest in developing applications in photocatalysis and photoelectrochemical cells for solar energy conversion.

We continue to be interested in the preparation and characterization of thin films of organic molecular crystals with a view of constructing optoelectronic devices and finding how crystal orientation and structure affect the electrical and optical properties. We have also been working on electrochemistry of solid films of materials like Ru(bpy)3(ClO4)2 that emit light on electrical excitation.

Richard M. Crooks

Although it is known that the size and composition of metal nanoparticles alter their catalytic properties, the scientific principles underlying these experimental observations are not well understood. Consequently, it is a tremendous challenge for the catalysis community to predict the properties of nanoscopic catalysts based on first principles.  A major obstacle to achieving this understanding is the development of experimental and theoretical models that closely approximate one-another. We have developed an experimental approach for synthesizing metal nanoparticles within dendrimeric templates to address this issue.  These materials, which we call dendrimer-encapsulated nanoparticles (DENs), are structurally and compositionally well-defined.  Moreover, DENs are small enough to accurately model from first principles, yet large enough to allow for synthesizing, characterizing, and testing the catalytic properties of a range of particle sizes and compositions.  Substitution of different core metals within the same shell will show how changes in the electronic structure of the surface atoms affect the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which is an important reaction for many fuel cell technologies.  By adjusting the electronegativity of the core, the surface metal will be tuned for the ORR. Our team combines expertise in the synthesis of tailored, nearly monodisperse, bimetallic nanoparticles, the theory necessary to make predictions about structure/function relationships, and three complementary high-resolution characterization techniques: x-ray absorption spectroscopy, aberration-corrected electron microscopy, and high-energy x-ray diffraction.  These three characterization methods have, to the best of our knowledge, never been brought to bear on the analysis of particles having the degree of structural complexity and small size of DENs.  Therefore, the characterization aspect of our research is very much a fundamental research project from which we hope to derive an atomic-resolved, three-dimensional picture of the ORR nanocatalysts.  This level of detailed characterization of catalytic nanoparticles outside of ultrahigh vacuum will be unique, and it will provide a remarkably robust experimental model that can be directly correlated to first-principles theory.

Arumugam Manthiram

Our group uses basic solid state chemistry concepts in designing and developing high performance materials for electrochemical energy conversion and storage technologies such as fuel cells, lithium ion batteries, and supercapacitors. In this regard, our research encompasses a broad range of activities including new materials design, chemical synthesis, materials characterization, property measurements, fabrication and evaluation of prototype electrochemical devices, and a fundamental understanding of the structure-property-performance relationships of materials. Metal alloys, transition metal oxides, and polymers including nanomaterials are being investigated. Some examples of current research activities are given below.

• Lithium ion batteries have revolutionized the portable electronics, but their commercialization for hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is hampered by high cost, safety issues, and limited power capability. Our group is engaged in the development of low cost, environmentally benign, high power cathodes for HEV and PHEV applications. Additionally, only 50% of the theoretical capacity of the currently used layered LiCoO2 can be used in practical cells. Our group is engaged in the development of low cost complex layered oxide solid solutions that offer two times higher capacity than the currently used LiCoO2.
• Fuel cells are appealing for a variety of energy needs ranging from portable electronics to automobiles to stationary power. However, their commercialization is hampered by high cost, durability, and operability issues, which are in turn directly linked to the materials employed. Our group is engaged in the development of low cost nanostructured alloy catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). We are also engaged in the development of low cost polymeric blend membranes based on acid-base interactions between an acidic aromatic polymer and a basic aromatic polymer that could enable the operation of PEMFC at higher temperatures (> 100 oC) and suppress the methanol crossover in DMFC. 
• Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) provide an important advantage of directly using the hydrocarbon fuels like natural gas without requiring external reforming to produce hydrogen, but the technology is hampered by severe materials challenges at the elevated operating temperatures. Our group is engaged in the design and development of new cathode and anode oxide electrocatalysts for intermediate temperature (500 – 800 oC) SOFC.

Jeremy P. Meyers

Dr. Jeremy Meyers earned his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 1998. He joined the faculty of The University of Texas at Austin in 2006.

Dr. Meyers researches the design and optimization of electrochemical energy systems, which offer clean and efficient means of power generation and energy storage. His work has focused primarily on proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. He is interested in using both simulations and experimentation to better understand the phenomena which determine the performance and durability of electrochemical energy systems. Meyers has developed models to describe the performance of direct methanol fuel cells and ones to depict platinum dissolution and carbon corrosion in a typical fuel cell system. He is particularly interested in transport phenomena, performance modeling and thermodynamics of electrochemical systems.
Research interests:

Keith J. Stevenson

At the University of Texas at Austin, Stevenson’s research concentrates on the creation of advanced functional electrode materials, as well as, on new microscopic tools for their characterization. From a more applied standpoint, this information is useful for the design and optimization of superior chemical technologies associated with the areas of chemical sensing, energy storage/conversion, separations, photonics, and device miniaturization. He is a recipient of a NSF CAREER award (2002), the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools New Scholar Award (2004), and the Society of Electroanalytical Chemistry (SEAC) Young Investigator Award (2006).  He is also a member of the Center for Nano- and Molecular Science and Technology and the Texas Materials Institute at the University of Texas at Austin.