Stanford Energy Student Lectures 2024
The 14th annual Stanford Energy Student Lecture (SESL) series invites Stanford students, postdocs, faculty, and staff to learn about cutting-edge science and clean-energy breakthroughs from 16 students doing energy-related research. A tutor from the School of Engineering's Technical Communication Program will provide feedback to each of the speakers on how to improve their presentations. A primary goal of the program is to provide graduate students/postdoctoral researchers with the skills to effectively communicate the significance of their energy research and key findings to a diverse audience with a keen interest in energy but outside their immediate research group. Talks are in-person only and details about the speakers are listed below.
June 25th

Anthony Degleris
Scalable and Interactive Electricity Grid Expansion Planning
Abstract: Large scale grid expansion planning studies are essential to rapidly and efficiently decarbonizing the electricity sector. These studies help policy makers and grid participants understand which renewable generation, storage, and transmission assets should be built and where they will be most cost effective or have the highest emissions impact. However, these studies are often either too computationally expensive to run repeatedly or too coarsely modeled to give actionable decision information. In this talk, we describe an implicit gradient descent algorithm to solve expansion planning studies at scale, i.e., problems with many scenarios and large network models. Our algorithm is interactive: given a base plan, planners can modify assumptions and data, then quickly receive an updated plan. This allows the planner to study expansion outcomes for a wide variety of weather, electrification, and technology cost assumptions with high fidelity grid models. We highlight applications of our method using a large-scale model of the Western U.S. electricity system.
Bio: Anthony Degleris is a PhD candidate in Electrical Engineering. He is part of the Stanford Sustainable Systems Lab and advised by Ram Rajagopal and Abbas El Gamal. He previously received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering at Stanford as well. His research is centered around developing computational tools for planning and operating the electricity grid. Specifically, his current work focuses on developing efficient and interactive tools for long-term electricity grid planning.

Gennaro Liccardo
Unveiling the stability of encapsulated Pt catalysts
Abstract: Platinum exhibits desirable catalytic properties, but it is scarce and expensive. Optimizing its use in key applications like emission control catalysis is important to reduce our reliance on such a rare element. Supported Pt nanoparticles used in emission control systems deactivate over time because of particle growth in sintering processes. In this work, we shed light on the stability against sintering of Pt nanoparticles supported on and encapsulated in Al2O3 using a combination of nanocrystal catalysts and atomic layer deposition (ALD) techniques. We find that small amounts of alumina overlayers created by ALD on pre-formed Pt nanoparticles can stabilize supported Pt catalysts, significantly reducing deactivation caused by sintering, as previously observed by others. We correlate this behavior to the decreased propensity of oxidized Pt species to undergo Ostwald ripening phenomena because of the physical barrier imposed by the alumina overlayers. The enhanced stability significantly improves the Pt utilization efficiency after accelerated aging treatments, with encapsulated Pt catalysts reaching reaction rates more than two times greater than a control supported Pt catalyst.t from magnesium and sodium.
Bio: Gennaro Liccardo is a PhD candidate in The Department of Chemical Engineering at Stanford University, under the mentorship of Professor Stacey Bent and Professor Matteo Cargnello. His research focuses on the synthesis of tailored materials for heterogeneous catalysis combining colloidal nanocrystals and atomic layer deposition. Gennaro obtained both his B.S. (2018) and M.S. (2020) in Chemical Engineering from Università degli studi di Napoli Federico II. Before joining Stanford University, Gennaro was working as a packaging development scientist at Procter & Gamble.
July 2nd

Yunan Li
Dynamic Modeling and Monitoring of Geological Sequestration Assets
Abstract: Geological carbon storage (GCS) holds a significant place in energy transition towards a sustainable energy future. A systematic toolbox, pyCCUS, is developed to standardize approaches to address a variety of GCS challenges, including complex modeling of fluids flow coupled with mechanics, massive numerical computations, quantitative balance between profits and risks, spatial monitoring of the assets in real-time, and so on. pyCCUS is scalable for multiple GCS assets to optimize development strategies and further beyond. A field case in Kern County, CA demonstrates the potential of a 52% extra storage amount with risks under managed. It also illustrates the pathway toward a cost-effective spatial monitoring method in real-time incorporating satellite imagery.
Bio: Yunan Li is a PhD candidate in Energy Science & Engineering supervised by Prof. Anthony R. Kovscek at Stanford. He received his M.S. from Stanford University and B.S. from Texas A&M University. His research focuses on numerical modeling and simulation, optimization, remote sensing (InSAR), and AI applications (computer vision, transfer learning). In addition to research, Yunan is passionate about energy transition with both environmentally and financially sustainable solutions. Talk to him about workflow automation, sustainable energy, and good vacation places.

Kristen Abels
Membrane-based lithium recovery: Composition and driving force effects in ion-selective separations
Abstract: The rapid growth of the electric vehicle market is driving a substantial increase in lithium demand, and with it, efforts to selectively recover lithium from unconventional sources such as lithium-ion battery waste and oilfield brines. Ion-selective membranes are of particular interest in these lithium recovery applications due to the benefits of scalability, low energy consumption, and low chemical input. Unfortunately, current polymeric membranes are incapable of selective lithium recovery from these complex wastewaters. While investigations have been performed to relate membrane structural properties like water content and ion-coordinating ligand chemistries to ion-ion separation performance, few systematic studies investigate the effects of membrane composition beyond monomer chemical identity and the effects of driving force beyond diffusion. In this work, we synthesized a library of polymeric membranes with varying percentages of ion-coordinating ligand to investigate the influence of ligand content on separation performance. Given the recent interest in process electrification, we also compare trends in membrane performance under electrodialysis conditions to assess driving force effects on separation performance. We demonstrate that both ligand content and electric potential driving force can be used to enhance ion-specific membrane separations, exemplified with lithium/nickel separation in pyridine-functionalized membranes.
Bio: Kristen Abels is a 3rd year PhD candidate supervised by Dr. William Tarpeh in the Chemical Engineering Department at Stanford University. Her research centers around the assessment of polymeric membranes for ion-selective separations, with the target application of resource recovery from waste streams, such as lithium recovery from battery waste and brines. Kristen received her B.Eng.Biosciences in Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering at McMaster University.
July 9th

Koosha Nassiri Nazif
Power anything, anywhere: High-specific-power TMD solar panels
Abstract: A flexible solar cell with a high specific power (power-per-weight) opens unprecedented opportunities in a wide range of industries from wearable electronics to electric vehicles. Ultrathin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are promising candidates due to their excellent optical and electrical properties. However, engineering challenges have prevented most TMD solar cells from exceeding 2% power conversion efficiency (PCE). In this talk, I explain how we addressed these issues and as a result achieved record PCE of 8% and record specific power of 7 W g−1 in flexible TMD (WSe2) solar cells, the latter on par with established thin-film solar cell technologies. Further design optimization could achieve an additional 10x increase in specific power, providing unprecedented capabilities for wearable electronics and autonomous drones among many others.
Bio: Koosha is a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford developing novel flexible sensors and solar cells for use in a wide range of applications, from wearable electronics to autonomous drones. He received his Ph.D. (2021) in Electrical Engineering and M.S. (2016) in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford, and B.S. (2014) in Mechanical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology.

Yufei Yang
Capacity Recovery by Transient Voltage Pulse in Silicon Anode Batteries
Abstract: In the quest for high-capacity battery electrodes, addressing the significant capacity loss attributed to isolated active materials remains a critical challenge. Here, for the first time, we invent an approach to substantially recover the isolated active materials in silicon electrodes. We employ a voltage pulse to reconnect the isolated LixSi particles back to the conductive network. Via a five-second pulse, we achieve >30% of capacity recovery in both Li-Si and Si-LFP batteries. The recovered capacity sustains and replicates through multiple pulses, providing a constant capacity advantage. We validate the recovery mechanism as the movement of the neutral isolated LixSi particles under a localized non-uniform electric field, a phenomenon known as dielectrophoresis.
Bio: Yufei Yang is a sixth-year Ph.D. candidate in Materials science and Engineering under the supervision of Prof. Yi Cui. Her research focuses on developing new anode materials for high energy density lithium-ion batteries. She received her Bachelor’s in Engineering at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.
July 16th

Eder Lomeli
Unraveling the Redox Activity of Oxygen in Li-ion Battery Cathodes
Abstract: As demand for better performance in energy storage increases, a clear understanding of the charge compensating mechanism in Li-ion battery cathodes is essential for developing next generation battery chemistries and materials. X-ray core level spectroscopies allow for experimental measurement of the electronic structure of battery materials before and after charge, providing the clearest physical picture of electrochemical device operation. While experimental interpretation of these measurements currently drives research and development efforts in the field, a consistent theoretical framework is needed to paint a clearer picture of the electron density change and redox mechanism in these devices. In this talk, I will present numerical modeling of spectroscopic measurements of various battery chemistries in situ. I will reframe the common concept of transition metal redox, highlight the essential role of oxygen in both reversible and irreversible processes, and the break down in the standard paradigm of cationic/anionic redox. By the end of my talk, I should have motivated that stabilizing oxygen oxidation, often thought of undesirable in a cathode, is key for enabling commercial next generation Li-ion battery cathodes.
Bio: Eder Lomeli is a 4th year PhD student in the Materials Science and Engineering department, working with Professor Thomas P. Devereaux at the Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Science at SLAC National Laboratory. His previous work focused on synthetic methods for battery materials, from positive electrodes with unconventional microstructures to organic coatings for reversible lithium plating. His current research focuses on studying energy materials, mainly batteries and superconductors, at the atomic scale via computational and theoretical methods to elucidate their electronic and structural properties. He completed his B.S. and M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering also at Stanford.

Mohammad Aljubran
Techno-economics of Enhanced Geothermal Systems Across the Contiguous United States
Abstract: Conventional geothermal systems are geographically limited because they require the natural co-occurrence of high temperatures, in-situ fluid for heat transport, and permeable or fractured rock for fluid flow. Recent technological advancements and field implementations have successfully demonstrated Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), where heat transport and fluid flow are supplemented artificially by water injection and rock stimulation. EGS are applicable across diverse geographies, as naturally and sufficiently elevated subsurface temperatures are always present at certain depths. We conducted a comprehensive techno-economic analysis to evaluate EGS potential across the contiguous United States. Our approach involved developing a nationwide temperature-at-depth model for depths of 0-7 km with a spatial resolution of 18 km². We integrated accurate techno-economic data and models, including geothermal resource characteristics, capital and operational costs, weather patterns, and proximity to transmission lines, among other factors. The majority of EGS supply potential was found in the Western and Southwestern regions of the United States, with Texas, California, Oregon, and Nevada showing the greatest EGS capacity potential. We identified various EGS targets with a competitive levelized cost of electricity of less than $50/MWh.
Bio: Mohammad is a third-year PhD candidate in the Department of Energy Science & Engineering, supervised by Professor Roland Horne. His research focuses on modeling and optimizing the techno-economics of flexible geothermal power and energy storage. He received his MSc in Energy Resources Engineering from Stanford University in 2020 and has four years of professional experience in energy research and analytics. Mohammad has published over 40 articles and holds five granted patents. He has received multiple awards, including the 2024 Stanford University Henry J. Ramey Fellowship for outstanding research, the 2022 Geothermal Rising Marcelo Lippmann Graduate Scholarship Award for impactful geothermal energy research, and the 2019 Stanford University Frank G. Miller Fellowship for high academic achievement.
July 23rd

Dongjae Kong
Rapid Room-Temperature Sulfidation of Commercial FeNiCo Alloy for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Abstract: Although various highly active transition metal-based electrocatalysts have been identified for the anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) for alkaline water electrolysis, the necessity of a binder to coat electrocatalysts onto conductive supports affects the overall durability. Thus, developing a highly active, durable, and binder-free anode is beneficial for advancing alkaline water electrolysis for broader applications. This study presents a new yet effective surface sulfidation method for converting commercial FeNiCo alloy, Kovar, into highly active, stable, and binder-free OER electrodes. The surface sulfidized Kovar electrode demonstrated a significant enhancement in OER performance and the improvement is attributed to key factors, such as surface enrichment of Ni and higher oxidation states of Ni and Fe, and sulfur incorporation into lattice oxygen, which enhances the formation of (oxy)hydroxide and modulates the binding energy of *OH intermediate species. The developed surface sulfidation technique also effectively improves the OER activity for other Ni- or Fe-based commercial alloys.
Bio: Dongjae is a PhD candidate in Mechanical Engineering advised by Prof. Xiaolin Zheng. His research focuses on electrocatalysts for low and high-temperature electrolyzers. Before joining Stanford, he was a full-time lecturer in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the Republic of Korea Air Force Academy. He completed an M.S. and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Seoul National University in 2018 and 2016.

Elizabeth Zhang
Monofluorinated Ether Electrolyte with Acetal Backbone for High-Performance Lithium Metal Batteries
Abstract: High degree of fluorination for ether electrolytes has resulted in improved cycling stability of lithium metal batteries (LMBs) due to stable SEI formation and good oxidative stability. However, the sluggish ion transport and environmental concerns of high fluorination degree drives the need to develop less fluorinated structures. Here, we introduce bis(2-fluoroethoxy)methane (F2DEM) which features monofluorination of the acetal backbone. High coulombic efficiency (CE) and stable long-term cycling in Li||Cu half cells can be achieved with F2DEM even under fast Li metal plating conditions. The performance of F2DEM is further compared with diethoxymethane (DEM) and 2-[2-(2,2-Difluoroethoxy)ethoxy]-1,1,1-Trifluoroethane (F5DEE). The structural similarity of DEM allows us to better probe the effects of monofluorination, while F5DEE is chosen as the one of the best performing single-salt and single-solvent ether-based LMB electrolytes for reference. The monofluorine substitution provides improved oxidation stability compared to non-fluorinated DEM, as demonstrated in the linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and voltage holding experiments in Li||Pt and Li||Al cells. Higher ionic conductivity compared to F5DEE is also observed due to the decreased degree of fluorination. Furthermore, 2 M lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) / F2DEM displays significantly lower overpotential compared with the two reference electrolytes, which improves energy efficiency and enables its application in high-rate conditions. Comparative studies of F2DEM with DEM and F5DEE in anode-free (LiFePO4) LFP pouch cells and high-loading LFP coin cells further show improved capacity retention of F2DEM electrolyte. Further investigations of the SEI by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM), focused-ion beam (FIB), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and titration gas chromatography (TGC) suggest that F2DEM facilitates improved Li deposition morphology with reduced amount of dead Li. This enables F2DEM to show superior performance especially under higher charging and slower discharging rate conditions.
Bio: Elizabeth Zhang is a second-year PhD student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Stanford University, where she is co-advised by Professor Zhenan Bao and Professor Yi Cui. Her research is centered on the development of novel electrolytes for next-generation high energy-density lithium metal batteries. Elizabeth's work aims to address critical challenges in battery technology, such as improving safety, enhancing cycle life, and increasing energy storage capacity. Her talk will be focused on novel electrolyte design for lithium metal batteries.
July 30

Giulio D'Acunto
Capturing polysulfides: Crafting More Efficient Li-S Batteries with Atomic layer deposition
Abstract: Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are poised to surpass traditional lithium-ion batteries due to their higher energy densities. Despite their potential, challenges like the polysulfide shuttle effect hinder their broad adoption by affecting discharge capacity and stability. This study leverages atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Al2O3 on commercial separators, enhanced by UV ozone exposure, to mitigate these issues. We demonstrate that this method not only maintains the separator's structure but also improves its interaction with polysulfides, significantly boosting battery performance. Our ALD-enhanced separators pave the way for more efficient and stable Li-S batteries, promising for diverse applications.
Bio: Dr. Giulio D'Acunto is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Stanford University, mentored by Prof. Stacey F. Bent and supported by the Wallenberg Foundation. Dr. D'Acunto earned his PhD in Physics from Lund University, Sweden, where he extensively utilized cutting-edge synchrotron-based techniques, including in situ and operando Ambient Pressure X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (APXPS), under the guidance of Prof. Joachim Schnadt at the MAX IV Laboratory. His current research focuses on applying atomic and molecular layer deposition techniques to improve lithium metal and lithium-ion batteries. He leverages his expertise in surface characterization to explore the composition of solid-electrolyte interphases (SEIs) and surface modifications that enhance battery stability and performance.
August 6th

Justin Luke
Jointly optimizing operations, charging infrastructure siting, and vehicle design for autonomous electric mobility-on-demand fleets
Abstract: Charging infrastructure is the coupling link between power and transportation networks, therefore careful determination of charging station siting is necessary for the effective planning of power and transportation systems. While previous works have either optimized for charging station siting given historic travel behavior, or optimized fleet routing and charging given an assumed placement of the stations, this research introduces a linear program that jointly optimizes for station siting and macroscopic fleet operations. Given an electricity rate schedule and a set of travel demand requests, the optimization minimizes the total cost for an electric autonomous mobility-on-demand fleet (E-AMoD) comprising of travel costs, station procurement costs, fleet procurement costs, and electricity costs, including demand charges. Specifically, the optimization returns the number of charging plugs for each charging rate (e.g., Level 2, various DC fast charging rates) at each candidate location, as well as the optimal routing and charging of the fleet. From a case-study of an E-AMoD fleet operating in San Francisco, our results show that, despite their range limitations, small EVs with high energy efficiencies are the most cost-effective in terms of total ownership costs. Furthermore, the optimal siting and sizing of charging stations is more spatially distributed and lower powered than the status-quo distribution of stations, consisting primarily of high-power Level 2 stations and low-power DC fast charging stations. The joint optimization reduces the total costs, empty vehicle travel, and peak charging load by up to 10% compared to only optimizing operations with status-quo distributions of charging infrastructure.
Bio: Justin Luke is a 6th-year PhD candidate in the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and is co-advised by Ram Rajagopal and Marco Pavone. His research focuses on cost and emissions optimization of autonomous electric vehicle fleets, in particular, identifying synergies with the grid integration of renewable energy resources. In this talk, Justin will present research on novel models for the joint optimization of charging station siting and sizing, vehicle design, and fleet operations for electric autonomous mobility-on-demand (E-AMoD). In a case study of an E-AMoD fleet providing mobility services in San Francisco, the optimal siting of charging infrastructure is more spatially distributed and low-powered compared to present day infrastructure, while small, high-efficiency vehicles, despite their shorter range, are the most effective for reducing costs and emissions. Justin is supported by the Stanford Bits & Watts EV50 Project. He has obtained a MS in Electrical Engineering at Stanford in 2020 and a BS in Energy Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley in 2018.

Gage Wright
A Membrane-Free Electrolyzer for Zero-Emission Slaked Lime Production
Abstract: Electrochemical co-generation of acid and base enables zero-emission, closed-loop industrial processes based on pH swings, including CO2 capture or mineralization, precious metal extraction and recycling, and production of cementitious materials. Conventional electrochemical acid-base production relies on ion-exchange membranes to prevent transport and recombination of hydronium and hydroxide ions, but these components impose large resistive losses and current density limitations. Furthermore, ion-exchange membranes are intolerant to polyvalent metal ions present in processing streams. In this work, we demonstrate an electrolysis cell based on an impurity-tolerant diaphragm separator that can produce acid and base at lower energy demand and higher current densities than state-of-the-art ion-exchange membrane systems. The outputs of the cell are capable of processing limestone into slaked lime at room temperature while avoiding the need for costly CO2 purification for sequestration.
Bio: Gage Wright received his B.S. in Chemistry from Kansas State University where he worked on electrochemical biosensors. As a 3rd year PhD candidate in the Kanan Lab, Gage researches new technologies for Decarbonization and CO2 Utilization through electrochemistry and catalysis.

Shradha Sapru
Dual-function materials for integrated carbon capture and utilization
Abstract: Carbon capture, utilization and sequestration consists of multiple challenging steps. From CO2 capture to compression and transportation, each step is energy and cost intensive. Dual function materials (DFMs) can reduce energy and cost demands by coupling CO2 adsorption and conversion processes into a single material with multiple functionalities, most commonly an adsorbent phase and a metal for CO2 conversion. For optimal DFMs, the interaction between the capturing and converting component is crucial and has relevance in engineering DFMs for better performance and stability. In this talk, I will share the results of our recent work on using colloidal catalysts to understand these adsorbent-catalytic phase interactions. By controlling these interactions at the molecular level, we demonstrate the critical role of each component, shedding light on the possible mechanism and paving the way to design DFMs with maximum CO2 capture and conversion efficiency.
Bio: Shradha Sapru is a 3rd year Chemistry PhD candidate co-advised by Prof. Arun Majumdar and Prof. Matteo Cargnello. She works in the field of heterogeneous catalysis for energy and sustainability applications. In particular, her research is based on developing materials and processes for carbon-dioxide removal and utilization. She holds a BS-MS dual degree in Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, India. During that time, she researched halide perovskites for solar cell applications.
August 13th

Sai Thatipamula
Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy for Li-ion Battery Health Estimation
Abstract: There exists a growing need for standardized On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) for electric vehicles (EVs) to provide accurate health metrics and guarantees to both consumers and manufacturers. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is a tool that has been used to characterize and study the kinetics of several electrochemical systems. The non-invasive nature of EIS makes it an ideal candidate for evaluating the health of cells (Li-ion or otherwise) without the need for extensive teardown. Previous work has shown the powerful Li-ion Battery (LIB) capacity-based State-of-Health (SoH) estimation capability of EIS measurements and data-driven models, however such works have not sufficiently studied the explainable and powerful nature of EIS as a technique. We further this understanding by building a streamlined experimental design to optimally estimate SoH, and also use different techniques such as the Distribution of Relaxation Times (DRT) to further the accuracy and explainability of EIS-based SoH estimation strategies. The development of such optimal and explainable SoH estimation strategies has implications on EV adoption and second-life use of battery systems.
Bio: Sai Thatipamula is a 2nd year PhD student in the Energy Science and Engineering Department with Prof. Simona Onori. Sai is trained as a chemical engineer and in his first year has worked on the modeling and parameter estimation for Gasoline Particulate Filters: an important technology in the energy transition for particulate emission reduction. Using a similar skillset, he is now working on using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) as a tool for tracking and estimating the State of Health of Li-ion batteries using both data-driven and physics-based models. The talk will primarily focus on the findings so far for using EIS as a means of studying and estimating the state of health of an LIB and the future of such studies.

Tharun Reddy
X-ray imaging for revealing defect mechanisms during 3D printing of metals
Abstract: Metal 3D printing has emerged as a promising alternative for producing high-performance parts for extreme environments across various industries. However, a major barrier to widespread acceptance of the technology is the formation of defects during the printing process, such as cracking, porosity, and balling. Here, we evaluate the balling defect, which significantly limits the printing speed (build rate) and reduces the production efficiency of the process. The length and time scales at which these defects occur make it difficult to understand their physical origins, and developing mitigation strategies remains a serious challenge. We use high-speed X-ray imaging to directly observe the dynamics of balling defect formation and evolution in real time. Our results show that vapor depression morphology and solidification velocity dictate the periodicity and amplitude of the accumulated volume characteristic of the balling defect. These insights expand our scientific understanding of the technology and support the development of effective mitigation strategies, enabling higher printing speeds while maintaining high part quality, which is essential for full-scale manufacturing technologies.
Bio: Tharun is a first year PhD student in the Materials Science and Engineering Department at Stanford University. His research in the Dresselhaus-Marais group focuses on metal 3D printing with a particular interest in utilizing in-situ X-ray imaging techniques to study defect formation mechanisms. He received his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University.