PhD students

Runzhe obtained a BSc in Materials Science and Engineering at Shanghai Tongji University (China) in 2018 and then moved to the UK to continue his study on materials science at Loughborough University, where he obtained a MSc in 2019. His undergraduate researh project focues on new materials for additive manufacturing of ceramic green body, and his master’s project explored cold sintering process of Li-ion battery cathode materials and the effect of the process on the materials’ microstructure and electrochemical performance. He joined the group in 2019, taking on new projects of post-Li batteries.

Research interest: synthesis and structure-performance relationship of Prussian blue analogue cathodes for Na-ion, K-ion and hybrid ion batteries.

Yi obtained his BSc at China University of Petroleum and MSc in Green Chemistry & Sustainable Industrial Technology at the University of York, UK. He took on a computational chemistry project at York, looking at the green aspects of solvent seletion and green chemistry principles, particularly reagrding the molecular understanding of PVdF in anti-solvents at different temperatures and pressures. He joined the group in 2020 and started working on K-ion batteries.

Research interest: transition metal chaldogenide anode materials, anode-electrolyte interface, and its property dependence on electrolytes.

Charlie joined the group in 2021. He previously attended The University of Edinburgh studying Chemistry, obtaining the Hamish McNab Memorial Prize in 2020 and his MChem (1^st Class) in 2021. His previous work included a Carnegie Trust sponsored Vacation Scholarship project that involved analysing the Cambridge Structural Database for structures that may show giant Barocaloric effects under Dr. Claire Hobday. His masters project investigated the sustainable extraction of lithium chloride from high magnesium containing brines under Prof. Jason Love and Prof. Carole Morrison. His current research focuses on transition metal oxides as high performance intercalation anodes for potassium-ion batteries.

Research interest: K-intercalation anodes, Na/K-intercalation cathodes, ionic liquid electrolytes.

Yupei joined the group in 2022. Prior to UCL, he received his bachelor’s (2018) and master’s (2021) degrees at the University of Electronics Science and Technology of China (UESTC). His previous reserach projects were closely related to electrode materials and separator modifications for Li-ion and Li-S batteries to reduce the shuttle effect of polysulfides and enable stable Li metal anode.

Research interest: K metal anode and K-S battery, separator and current collector functionalization.

Wanjun joined the group in 2022. Prior to UCL, she obtained her BSc in Polymer Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern Polytechnical University (China) and Queen Mary University of London (UK). She then moved to Singapore and obtained her MSc in the same subject at National University of Singapore in 2022. Her previous research experience focused on proton exchange polymer membranes with a composite structure and functional groups modification.

Research interest: Prussian blue analogue cathodes and post-Li ion intercalation mechniam

Matthew completed his master’s degree in Natural Sciences at the University of Bath in 2022 and joined the group afterwards. His master’s project studied electrohporetic coating of LiFePO₄ on carbon fibers to enhance the intercalation ability of Li-ions. His current research focuses on Na metal anode batteries. He likes playing board games and he is good at golf.

Research interest: current collector functionalization, dendrite growth behavior, and metal anode batteries.

Yudong graduated with a first class degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Queen Mary University of London in 2021. In the same year, he bagin his MSc study in Materials for Energy and Environment in Prof. David Scanlon’s group at UCL Chemistry, looking at Na-ion intercalation in layerd oxide cathodes from the computational point of view. He joined the group in 2022 and shifted his reserach to Ca-ion intercalation. In his spare time, he likes playing video games, traveling and doing sports. He is a big footaball fan.

Research interest: Ca-ion intercalation in materials with structual defects and low crystallinity.