Lianbing Hu

"Emerging Energy Materials: Joule Heating and Wood"

ABSTRACT -- I lead an Energy Materials and Devices research group at the University of Maryland, College Park, with a major mission to address the CO2 challenge. Our current research interests include (1) ultrahigh-temperature synthesis of new materials and their use in advanced energy devices, (2) beyond Li-ion batteries for transportation and the grid, and (3) wood nanoscience and nanotechnologies.

In this seminar I will share my group’s research and development of electrified ultrahigh-temperature synthesis as a novel platform for discovering and manufacturing new energy and environmental materials. I will start with the design and fabrication of ultrahigh temperature heaters, followed by two specific research topics, including high entropy nanoparticles and a high-performance battery membrane (Science 2020, 358, 521, Cover). Then I will give an overview of wood nanoscience and nanotechnologies and a few specific examples including transparent wood, superwood, solid state ion conductors, and radiation cooling.

SPEAKER -- Liangbing Hu received his B.S. in physics from the University of Science and Technology of China, where he worked on colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) materials. He did his Ph.D. at UCLA, focusing on carbon-nanotube-based nanoelectronics. In 2006, he joined Unidym, Inc. as a co-founding scientist, leading the development of roll-to-roll printed carbon nanotube films and device integration in touch screens, LCDs, flexible OLEDs, and solar cells. He did his postdoc at Stanford University, where he worked on energy storage technologies using nanomaterials/nanostructures. Currently, he is a Herbert Rabin Distinguished Professor at the University of Maryland, College Park. His research group focuses on materials innovations, device integration, and manufacturing, with ongoing research activities on electrified ultrahigh-temperature synthesis, energy storage beyond Li-ion batteries, and novel wood nanotechnologies.

Dr. Hu has published ~400 research papers (including 10 Science and Nature). His awards, include: the Highly Cited Researchers list by Clarivate Analytics, a Blavatnik National Awards Honoree; the TAPPI Nano Middle Career Award (2019); R&D 100 Winner, the Nano Letters Young Investigator Lectureship, the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award, and the Air Force Young Investigator Award. He is an MRS fellow. He is a Co-Founder of HighT-Tech and InventWood.

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