MatSE 590 “Materials for Sustainable Energy Future”

The Fall 2021 MatSE 590 for graduate students consists of an exciting and jam-packed schedule. MATSE 590 is a colloquium (1-3 credits) consist of a series of individual lectures by faculty, students, or outside speakers.

Graduate students will receive a weekly email with information via @psu.edu email. Graduate students are required to attend all 590 Seminars. If you have any questions, please email Hayley Barnes at hjc24@psu.edu. 

*Due to the ongoing Covid Pandemic this program is being offered virtually through Zoom. Please reference the weekly email from Hayley Barnes (hjc24@psu.edu) for Zoom link.

November 30, 2021

“Materials for Sustainable Energy Future”

Abdulhakeem Bello, Assistant Professor, Department of Theoretical and Applied Physics, African University of Science and Technology, Nigeria

Abstract

Renewable and clean energy technologies are central to the sustainable development of mankind. Globally, there is the need for energy storage devices that make easy the shift from fossil fuel-based to electric power to reduce carbon emission while continuing to satisfy the increasing energy demand. This has inspired several research efforts to develop electrodes for energy storage technologies. Batteries and electrochemical capacitor (Supercapacitors) play significant roles amongst the Electrochemical energy storage systems and are driven electrochemically by adsorption (electrosorption) and insertion of ions into solid materials. Presently, lithium-ion batteries dominate battery storage and as described by the Nobel Committee “they have laid the foundation of a wireless, fossil fuel free society and are of the greatest benefit to mankind”. Unfortunately, there are fire and safety issues with batteries and they perform poorly in high power demand applications. With the recent advancement in the engineering of nanomaterials, understanding the relationship between structures, properties and performance is key in the design, synthesis and characterization of materials.In this presentation Solid-state electrolytes will be discussed as promising electrolytes to achieve safe and high energy dense batteries. Emphasis will be made on the structural integrity of solid electrolytes from mechanical point of view. Recycling of batteries which is
causing extensive contamination in Africa and the mineral resources of Africa will also be discussed.

Bio
Dr. Abdulhakeem Bello is an assistant professor in the Department of Theoretical and Applied Physics at the African University of Science and Technology (AUST) Abuja Nigeria. His research interests and recent projects include: the use of nano/functional materials such as graphene, activated carbon, transition metal oxide (TMOs) and two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) for electrochemical applications (batteries and supercapacitors); using mechanical approach to study the robustness of solid states electrolytes. The development of low-cost perovskites devices; and sustainable approaches to providing clean water using carbon technology. He received a BSc (Hons) in Physics from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria Nigeria (2008), an MSc (2009) in Materials Science from the AUST, a Post graduate Diploma (2010) in materials Science from the International Center for Materials Science (ICMS) JNCASR Bangalore, India and a PhD (2014) in Physics from the University of Pretoria South Africa. Prior to joining AUST in 2017, he had a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the Institute of Applied Materials University of Pretoria South Africa. He is also a beneficiary
of the Pan African Materials Institute (PAMI) fellowship to Rutgers University New Brunswick New Jersey (2017) and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Worcester MA USA (2021).