Electrolyte Design Strategies for Lithium Batteries with Prof. Chibueze Amanchukwu

There are many exciting next generation battery chemistries that can theoretically satisfy the performance requirements we need to effectively decarbonize the global economy. However, selecting the right electrolyte for each chemistry can be a major challenge, given that candidate electrolytes must satisfy a slew of conflicting requirements.

In Episode 16 of Aionics Fortnightly, we will be joined by Prof. Chibueze Amanchukwu, Neubauer Family Assistant Professor in the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago, to discuss his work on electrolyte design strategies beyond Li-ion chemistries. Our session will cover recent work on fluorinated electrolytes that have shown promise for lithium metal batteries, our current understanding of solvation effects, and the future of electrolyte design especially related to how AI/ML can (hopefully) make our lives easier.

Professor Amanchukwu’s research involves the design, synthesis, and understanding of ion transport in electrolytes and the development of AI/data science tools for batteries and electrocatalytic applications. He obtained his Ph.D. in chemical engineering as a NDSEG Fellow at MIT and was a TomKat Center Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University.