Surface treatments and finishing to functionalize material properties
1. Anodization and its applications
Anodization is one of the commonly-used surface treatment technologies for valve metals such as aluminum, titanium, niobium, vanadium, zinc, and so on. Ornamental, corrosion resistant, abrasion resistant, and insulative (or semiconductive) properties can be achieved by anodization. Under specific electrolyte conditions, the oxide film can be grown with various morphological structures, which can be applied to diverse application fields.
2. Materials & Recycling for Secondary Batteries
Lithium-ion battery is one of commonly practically-used rechargeable batteries in which lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode (or vice versa) during discharge (or charging). They are now being intensively used from portable electronic devices to transportation applications. Electrodes with high stability, rate capability, and charge capacity are desired for improving the energy and power densities of Li batteries, making them smaller and cheaper. We are studying to develop new anode and cathode materials which meet those requirements for lithium and beyond lithium-ion batteries.
3. Water Splitting for HER and OER
Hydrogen is one of clean and sustainable energy sources in which only water is produced as a result of combustion. Thus it is regarded as a future promising renewable energy resource, aiming at making hydrogen gas efficiently and cheaply. Efficient (photo)electrochemical water splitting have been considered as the next generation of technological breakthrough that can support the hydrogen economy. In our lab., efficient catalysts with low overpotential through electrochemical process has being developed for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions.