MatSE Assistant Professor Christopher Evans recently received a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award for his submitted proposal, “Nanoscale Resolution of Interfacial Materials Physics in Dry, Ionic Polymers.”
The NSF’s Early Career Development Program’s CAREER awards are prestigious, competitive awards given to young faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholar through outstanding research, excellent education, and the integration of education and research. The program will provide five years of support for each award.
“This research is important because the polymer-electrode interface ultimately determines how well a battery or capacitor will perform and how long it will last,” Evans said. “Improving the lifetime of energy storage devices will reduce material requirements and lower the costs of implementing such technologies.”
The proposed research seeks to advance the fundamental physical understanding of dry, ionic polymers in the bulk and at electrified interfaces.
“Outside of energy storage, our studies will provide fundamental insights regarding charged polymer physics which is crucial to designing flexible electronics, soft robots, and self-healing materials,” Evans continued. “One of the unique aspects of this work is our ability to probe polymers at the nanoscale with fluorescence spectroscopy. This will allow us to see how the macroscopic performance of a battery is related to the nanoscale, interfacial behavior.”
In addition to this exciting research, the project will contribute to education of students in forefront scientific and technological areas. Outreach activities include a day camp and weekend engineering fair with underrepresented demographics starting at a young age (elementary to middle school). A recurring, off-campus event will host talks open to the public to highlight cutting edge materials research.
For more information on this CAREER award, visit: http://bit.ly/2B9BmIO