Knocking into the Battery Wonderland
Bor Yann Liaw, Ph.D.
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Abstract
Stressed environments, depleting existing resources, aged grid systems – due concerns on sustainability awake us to adopt renewable energy technologies and electrification in transportation as sensible alternatives. Undoubtedly, advanced battery systems are a critical and indispensable component in these transformations. Innovative ideas – from materials to system integrations – is of great interest and importance to propel battery research to the next level. This presentation highlights recent endeavors taken by the speaker to unlock some of the challenges in electrochemical energy conversion and storage – ranging from the use of carbohydrates as the fuel for fuel cells to mechanistic understanding of battery degradation for diagnosis and prognosis – to address some of the impeding issues in battery technology.
Biosketch
Dr. Bor Yann Liaw directs the Electrochemical Power Systems Laboratory at the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His primary research interests include biofuel-based electrochemical cells; in situ, non-invasive characterizations of solid-liquid interfaces; battery testing, modeling, simulation, diagnosis and prognosis; and, evaluation of electric and hybrid vehicles, charging infrastructure, and micro-grid energy storage systems. Dr. Liaw received his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University. He conducted his post-doctoral fellow research at the Max-Plank-Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart, Germany, before joining the faculty at the University of Hawaii in 1989.