"High Performance Carbons for Electrochemical Applications" Seminar

Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research presents Dr. Steve Lipka

Associate Director, Center for Applied Energy Research
Associate Director, Kentucky Argonne Battery Manufacturing R&D Center
University of Kentucky

Abstract

Electrochemical applications of carbon are ubiquitous, where carbon is used across all electrochemical energy storage devices, including fuel cells, primary and secondary battery systems and electrochemical capacitors. Current research and development efforts in the Electrochemical Power Sources Group at the University of Kentucky focus on the synthesis and use of specialty carbons as active materials in primary lithium batteries (Li/CFx), lithium-ion batteries, and electrochemical capacitors. Current interest lies in the synthesis of carbonaceous materials prepared by hydrothermal dehydration and degradation of carbohydrate precursors, including industrial biomass waste derivatives and recycled materials. Careful control of the hydrothermal reaction conditions allows for manipulation of particle size, monodispersity, chemical composition, and microscopic structure of the resultant carbons. The as-produced green materials are processed accordingly to produce high-performance cathode materials for Li/CFx primary batteries, or activated carbon electrode materials for capacitive charge storage featuring exceptional gravimetric and volumetric energy densities.

Bio

Dr. Lipka is an Associate Director for the Center for Applied Energy Research and the Associate Director of the newly formed Kentucky-Argonne Battery Manufacturing R&D Center. He is also an adjunct faculty position in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Kentucky. Prior to joining the University of Kentucky, he was a professor at Florida Atlantic University for 14 years. He has held several industrial research positions including a position at American Cyanamid’s Chemical Research Division. His current research interests are in electrochemical energy storage systems, including primary and secondary batteries, particularly lithium-ion, redox flow batteries,  electrochemical capacitors, activated carbons and electrodeposition. He holds four and seven pending US patents related to energy storage technologies. Dr. Lipka received a BS in Materials Engineering from Wilkes College and a MS and PhD in Materials Science from the University of Virginia.