Advanced Energy Materials Group
The group had an amazing time celebrating Christmas 2023. Lots of pizzas, fun moments, and of course, Secret Santa! Thanks everyone for being such a great bunch! Let’s wish 2024 will bring new success, people and adventures!
Congratulations to Carlos on his first paper, also as first author! Carlos’ work on spin selective electron transport on chiral systems for oxygen evolution reaction has just been published in ACS Mater Au. This has been the result of a 4 year- collaborative project with Dr Bob Schroeder from UCL. More related work to be published soon….Well done, Carlos!
Ana Sobrido has been shortlisted for this year’s Journal of Materials Chemistry Lectureship Award for her work on solar flow batteries, a niche technology able to directly store solar energy and use it to photocharge a battery.
The Journal of Materials Chemistry annual lectureship honours researchers who have made a significant contribution to the field of materials chemistry.
The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) has put together a collection featuring some of the shortlisted candidates’ recent work published in their journals.
The group enjoyed a well deserved break from research to do some pumpkin carving. It was a lot of fun. The winner was Brittany with her Catrina-looking pumpkin, followed by Mauricio who carved a courgette very skillfully and Jesus with a pumpkin in honour of the Dia de Los Muertos.
Ana has been promoted to Professor! Prof Jorge Sobrido started her independent career at QMUL as Academic Fellow in 2016, before becoming Lecturer in 2019, Senior Lecturer 2019, Reader in 2021 and now Full Professor! She is lucky to have a fantastic research team that has contribute to her success. Also an amazing bunch that welcome her with balloons on her office door to congratulate her after her promotion. Celebrations are due! 😀
A collaboration led by NPU’s academic Prof Xuanhua Li in collaboration with Dr Ana Sobrido has resulted in a publication in Science, In situ photocatalytically enhanced thermogalvanic cells for electricity and hydrogen production.
In thermogalvanic cells, temperature-driven concentration gradients of redox active species can lead to a potential difference that can produce electricity. This work describes a pioneering system combining electricity generation with H2 production by harnessing energy from solar radiation.
The photocatalytically enhanced thermogalvanic devices were demonstrated through an in situ–induced photocatalytic process that produced a continuous concentration gradient of FeCN4– and FeCN3– ions on both hot and cold sides. The system displayed a photocatalytically enhanced thermopower of 8.2 mV K−1 accompanied by simultaneous solar-driven water splitting with an STH efficiency of up to 0.4%.
Ana spent three days in Reading at a workshop on leadership organised by the FLF Development Network, along with other 19 fellows.
The workshop programme, facilitated by Steve Joy and Tracey Stead, included topics such as self-leadership, team dysfunction, important conversations and action planning.
For those FLF who have not had the opportunity to participate in one, Ana would encourage them to do so!
Carlos passed his PhD viva with very minor corrections on the 1st June 2023. His PhD studied the electron spin selectivity through chirality and probed the effect of electrons spin selectivity on oxygen evolution reaction. Well done Carlos! Many congratulations! We can’t wait to see what you will do next.
Michael and Mauricio attended the final workshop of the European project HIGREEW held at CIC Energigune in May 16-17, focused on redox flow batteries.