We focus our research on both fundamental and applied problems relating to electrochemical energy storage systems and materials. These include: (a) lithium-ion, lithium-air, lithium-sulfur, and sodium-ion rechargeable batteries; (b) electrochemical super-capacitors; and (c) cathode, anode, and electrolyte materials for these systems. The design and synthesis of new materials are pursued with the aim to increase the energy and power density, to extend cycle and calendar life, to improve the safety characteristics, and to reduce the cost for these devices. Characterization and diagnostic studies are carried out to obtain in-depth fundamental understanding of the mechanisms governing the relationship between structure and the performance, and to provide guidance and approaches to design and synthesize new materials. Our experimental focus is on developing and applying combined synchrotron-based in situ X-ray techniques (x-ray diffraction, hard and soft x-ray absorption) with other imaging and spectroscopic tools such as high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), mass spectroscopy (MS), X-Ray fluorescence microscopy (XRF) and transmission x-ray microscopy (TXM).

“The Role of Electron Localization in Covalency and Electrochemical Properties of Lithium‐Ion Battery Cathode Materials.” Wang, X.; Fan, X.; Yu, X.; Bak, S.; Shadike, Z.; Waluyo, I.; Hunt, A.; Senanayake, S. D.; Li, H.; Chen, L.; Xiao, R.; Hu, E.; Yang, X.-Q.; Funct. Mater. 2021, 31, 2001633. DOI:10.1002/adfm.202001633 “Review on organosulfur materials for rechargeable lithium batteries.” Shadike, Z.; Tan, S.; Wang, Q.-C.; Lin, R.; Hu, E.; Qu, D.; Yang, X.-Q.; Materials Horizons 2021, 8, 471-500. DOI:10.1039/D0MH01364A “Identification of LiH and nanocrystalline LiF in the solid–electrolyte interphase of lithium metal anodes.” Shadike, Z.; Lee, H.; Borodin, O.; Cao, X.; Fan, X.; Wang, X.; Lin, R.; Bak, S.-M.; Ghose, S.; Xu, K.; Xiao, J.; Yang, X.-Q.; Hu, E.; Nature Nanotechnology 2021, 1-6. DOI:10.1038/s41565-020-00845-5 “Fundamental Linkage Between Structure, Electrochemical Properties, and Chemical Compositions of LiNi1–x–y Mn x Co y O2 Cathode Materials. “ Hu, J.; Wang, Q.; Wu, B.; Tan, S.; Shadike, Z.; Bi, Y.; Whittingham, M. S.; Xiao, J.; Yang, X.-Q.; Hu, E.; ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2021, 13, 2622. DOI:10.1021/acsami.0c18942 “Oxygen-redox reactions in LiCoO2 cathode without O–O bonding during charge-discharge. “ Hu, E.; Li, Q.; Wang, X.; Meng, F.; Liu, J.; Zhang, J.-N.; Page, K.; Xu, W.; Gu, L.; Xiao, R.; Yu, X.; Yang, W.; Yang, X.-Q.; Joule 2021, 5, 1-6. DOI:10.1016/j.joule.2021.01.006 “. Anionic Redox Reaction Triggered by trivalent Al3+ in P3-Na 65 Mn0. 5 Al0. 5 O2” Shi, D.-R.; Wang, T.; Shadike, Z.; Ma, L.; Yang, X.-Q.; Chu, S.-F.; Zhao, Z.; Peng, Z.; Fu, Z.; Chem. Commun. 2021. DOI:10.1039/D1CC00373A “Origin of anomalous high-rate Na-ion electrochemistry in layered bismuth telluride anodes. “ Cui, J.; Zheng, H.; Zhang, Z.; Hwang, S.; Yang, X.-Q.; He, K.; Matter 2021. DOI:10.1016/j.matt.2021.01.005 “Atomically Dispersed Nickel (I) on an Alloy‐Encapsulated Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Nanotube Array for High-Performance Electrochemical CO2 Reduction Reaction.” Zhang, T.; Han, X.; Yang, H.; Han, A.; Hu, E.; Li, Y.; Yang, X. q.; Wang, L.; Liu, J.; Liu, B.; Chem. 2020, 132, 12153-12159. DOI:10.1002/anie.202002984 “Pair distribution function analysis: Fundamentals and application to battery materials.” Wang, X.; Tan, S.; Yang, X.-Q.; Hu, E.; Chinese Physics B 2020, 29, 028802. DOI:10.1088/1674-1056/ab6656 “Synthesis and properties of stable sub-2-nm-thick aluminum nanosheets: Oxygen passivation and two-photon luminescence.” Luo, L.; Li, Y.; Sun, X.; Li, J.; Hu, E.; Liu, Y.; Tian, Y.; Yang, X.-Q.; Li, Y.; Lin, W.-F.; Chem 2020, 6, 448-459. DOI:10.1016/j.chempr.2019.11.004 “A chemically stabilized sulfur cathode for lean electrolyte lithium sulfur batteries.” Luo, C.; Hu, E.; Gaskell, K. J.; Fan, X.; Gao, T.; Cui, C.; Ghose, S.; Yang, X.-Q.; Wang, C.; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2020, 117, 14712-14720. DOI:10.1073/pnas.2006301117 “A Redox‐Active 2D Metal–Organic Framework for Efficient Lithium Storage with Extraordinary High Capacity. “ Jiang, Q.; Xiong, P.; Liu, J.; Xie, Z.; Wang, Q.; Yang, X. Q.; Hu, E.; Cao, Y.; Sun, J.; Xu, Y.; Chem. 2020, 132, 5311-5315. DOI:10.1002/anie.201914395 “Structure and Interface Design Enable Stable Li-Rich Cathode. “ Cui, C.; Fan, X.; Zhou, X.; Chen, J.; Wang, Q.; Ma, L.; Yang, C.; Hu, E.; Yang, X.-Q.; Wang, C. ; Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 8918-8927. DOI:10.1021/jacs.0c02302 “Sodium storage property and mechanism of NaCr1/4 Fe1/4 Ni1/4 Ti1/4 O2 cathode at various cut-off voltages.” Cao, M.-H.; Shadike, Z.; Bak, S.-M.; Wang, T.; Hu, E.; Ehrlich, S.; Zhou, Y.-N.; Yang, X.-Q.; Fu, Z.-W.; Energy Storage Materials 2020, 24, 417-425. DOI:10.1016/j.ensm.2019.07.022 “Solvation Structure Design for Aqueous Zn Metal Batteries.“ Cao, L.; Li, D.; Hu, E.; Xu, J.; Deng, T.; Ma, L.; Wang, Y.; Yang, X.-Q.; Wang, C.; Am. Chem. Soc. 2020. DOI:10.1021/jacs.0c09794 “Co‐and Ni‐Free P2/O3 Biphasic Lithium Stabilized Layered Oxide for Sodium‐Ion Batteries and its Cycling Behavior. “ Yang, L.; del Amo, J. M. L.; Shadike, Z.; Bak, S. M.; Bonilla, F.; Galceran, M.; Nayak, P. K.; Buchheim, J. R.; Yang, X. Q.; Rojo, T. A.; Funct. Mater. 2020, 30, 2003364. DOI:10.1002/adfm.202003364 “Understanding the Mechanism of High Capacitance in Nickel Hexaaminobenzene-Based Conductive Metal–Organic Frameworks in Aqueous Electrolytes.” Lukatskaya, M. R.; Feng, D.; Bak, S.-M.; To, J. W. F.; Yang, X.-Q.; Cui, Y.; Feldblyum, J. I.; Bao, Z.; ACS nano 2020, 14, 15919-15925. DOI:10.1021/acsnano.0c07292 “Synchrotron Operando Depth Profiling Studies of State-of-Charge Gradients in Thick Li (Ni8 Mn0. 1 Co0. 1) O2 Cathode Films.” Li, Z.; Yin, L.; Mattei, G. S.; Cosby, M. R.; Lee, B.-S.; Wu, Z.; Bak, S.-M.; Chapman, K. W.; Yang, X.-Q.; Liu, P.; Chem. Mater. 2020, 32, 6358-6364. DOI:10.1021/acs.chemmater.0c00983 “Elucidation of the Jahn-Teller effect in a pair of sodium isomer.” Wang, P.-F.; Jin, T.; Zhang, J.; Wang, Q.-C.; Ji, X.; Cui, C.; Piao, N.; Liu, S.; Xu, J.; Yang, X.-Q.; Nano Energy 2020, 77, 105167. DOI:10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.105167 “Petaloid-shaped ZnO coated carbon felt as a controllable host to construct hierarchical Li composite anode.” Yue, X.-Y.; Bao, J.; Yang, S.-Y.; Luo, R.-J.; Wang, Q.-C.; Wu, X.-J.; Shadike, Z.; Yang, X.-Q.; Zhou, Y.-N.; Nano Energy 2020, 71, 104614. DOI:10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.104614