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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Department of Chemical Engineering
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261016T120000
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DTSTAMP:20261002T173521Z
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UID:6207-1792152000-1792155600@che.northeastern.edu
SUMMARY:ChE PhD Dissertation Defense: Benjamin Leifer
DESCRIPTION:Name:\nBenjamin Leifer \nTitle:\nElectrolyte Design\, Interfacial Stability\, and Cell Scale-up for Low-Temperature Lithium-Ion Batteries \nDate:\n10/16/2026 \nTime:\n12:00:00 PM \nCommittee Members:\nProf. Joshua Gallaway (Advisor)\nProf. Qing Zhao\nDr. Yunume Fitchrova\nProf. Juner Zhu \nLocation:\nRyder 233 \nAbstract:\nLithium-ion batteries supply energy for transportation and equipment that must operate across a wide range of environmental conditions. At low temperature\, slower ion transport and electrode reactions increase polarization and reduce the capacity and energy available from the cell. Electrolyte design offers a route to improving cold operation\, but useful liquid transport must be accompanied by stable and reversible reactions at both electrodes. \nThe low cost and freezing points of ether solvents make them particularly attractive as platforms for low-temperature batteries\, but ether reactivity at the operating potentials of lithium-ion batteries hinders their adoption. Interphase-forming additives complement these transport properties by modifying electrode-electrolyte compatibility and subsequent charge storage. As cells are scaled up to application-relevant sizes\, electrolyte inventory plays a key role in managing separator wetting and electrode access\, also key determinants of low-temperature performance. \nThis dissertation examines how electrolyte composition\, electrode passivation\, and liquid inventory govern low-temperature battery performance. Mixtures of 1\,2-dimethoxyethane and tetrahydrofuran are investigated across solvent ratios and lithium-salt concentrations using Raman and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy\, conductivity measurements\, and electrochemical testing. The selected tetrahydrofuran-rich mixture retains higher conductivity than a conventional carbonate electrolyte at −40 °C\, while increasing salt concentration strengthens Raman responses associated with solvent coordination and ion association. Fluoroethylene carbonate\, vinylene carbonate\, and their combination are then evaluated as electrolyte additives through graphite\, positive-electrode\, and full-cell comparisons. Additive incorporation\, even in low amounts\, improves electrode-electrolyte compatibility while retaining useful cold transport. \nFinally\, a separate study of methyl propionate/fluoroethylene carbonate examines electrolyte fill effects in large format 1 Ah pouch cells. Increasing fill reduces room-temperature polarization and improves low-temperature discharge capacity in the 1 Ah cells. At the selected fill\, the prototype-scale 13 Ah cells deliver capacity and energy comparable to those of the control electrolyte. These findings establish a basis for selecting electrolytes through combined evaluation of cold transport\, electrode compatibility\, and electrolyte inventory in practical cell architectures. \n\nBenjamin Henry Leifer is a PhD candidate in Chemical Engineering at Northeastern University\, where he works with Professor Joshua W. Gallaway on lithium-ion batteries for cold environments. He grew up in Newton\, Massachusetts\, and earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis in 2016. Before joining Northeastern\, he worked at Veloxint Corporation on alloy development for high wear and 3-D metal printing\, and at Cabot Corporation on materials for lithium-ion batteries. His doctoral research examines how electrolyte chemistry and cell design influence battery performance in low-temperature lithium-ion batteries\, from reactions at electrode surfaces to the operation of larger cells. Outside the lab\, he can be found at various local parks with his wife\, Miri\, chasing after their two young children\, Ike and Ruthie.
URL:https://che.northeastern.edu/event/che-phd-dissertation-defense-benjamin-leifer/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261021T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261021T130000
DTSTAMP:20261014T180833Z
CREATED:20261014T180833Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261014T180833Z
UID:6216-1792584000-1792587600@che.northeastern.edu
SUMMARY:Chemical Engineering Fall Seminar Series: Xiao-Dong Zhou
DESCRIPTION:The Potential and Potentials of Electrochemistry: From Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics to Energy\, Electrosynthesis\, and Electric Aviation  \nLocation: 108 Snell Engineering Center \nAbstract: Electrochemistry is a way to break and form chemical bonds with voltage\, and subsequently to regulate reactions by tuning electron chemical potential rather than by raising temperature or pressure. That capability has enormous potential to reshape chemical engineering\, from electrified manufacturing and electrosynthesis to energy conversion and storage that could enable new performance regimes (high power and high energy) and emerging applications such as electric aviation. But the same feature that makes electrochemistry powerful\, also creates a steep learning curve: electrochemistry relies on a family of distinct potentials that are not interchangeable\, yet are often blurred together in practice. Such confusion may lead to wrong interpretations of measurements and wrong design choices. \nThis seminar first builds a practical map of the potentials in electrochemistry\, including chemical potential\, electrostatic potential\, electrochemical potential\, reduced electrochemical potential (voltage scale)\, electrode potential\, and overpotential\, including their physical significance and how they connect thermodynamics\, transport\, and kinetics. \nWith that foundation\, we advance the seminar with frontiers in energy and power\, entailing ultrahigh-efficiency electricity generation\, high-power/high-energy storage\, and electrosynthesis routes relevant to GTL (gas-to-liquid)\, emphasizing how a rigorous “potential framework” can guide materials selection\, stability\, and system design to achieve record-breaking power density\, stability\, and energy conversion efficiency. \nWe then turn to the potential of electrochemistry by using nonequilibrium thermodynamics to move from equilibrium intuition to nonequilibrium reality: an area we have been working on for several years. In an active electrochemical system\, interfacial\, kinetic\, and transport-related potential drops (including overpotentials\, ohmic losses\, and concentration polarization) often determine selectivity\, efficiency\, and durability. Within this framework\, global nonequilibrium\, together with the local thermodynamic equilibrium theorem\, provides a basis for defining meaningful local state variables (e.g.\, chemical and electrochemical potentials) even under gradients\, enabling quantitative treatment of the power-durability coupling in electrochemical environments. \n\nProfessor Xiao-Dong Zhou is the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund professor of Green Hydrogen and Fuel Cells\, The Nicholas E. Madonna Chair in Sustainability\, Director of the\, Center for Clean Energy Engineering\, and a Professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\, Mechanical Engineering\, and Materials Science and Engineering at University of Connecticut. He is a special advisor to UConn President Radenka Maric in Sustainability. Dr. Zhou received J. B. Wagner Jr. Young Investigator Award in 2007 from the Electrochemistry Society (ECS) – High Temperature Materials (HTM) Division. He is the recipient of 2011 US DOD – DARPA Young Faculty Award. He is a Fellow of the Electrochemical Society and Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering. His research interests span theoretical and experimental studies of materials and interfaces for energy systems\, including batteries\, fuel cells\, and electrolyzers.
URL:https://che.northeastern.edu/event/chemical-engineering-fall-seminar-series-xiao-dong-zhou/
LOCATION:108 SN
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261108T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261108T160000
DTSTAMP:20261019T141529Z
CREATED:20261019T141529Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T141529Z
UID:6231-1794128400-1794153600@che.northeastern.edu
SUMMARY:2026 AIChE Annual Conference Student Recruitment Fair
DESCRIPTION:Join CHME Faculty and Staff at the 2026 AIChE Annual Conference in Minneapolis\, Minnesota! Ask your questions about our Master’s and PhD programs at our recruiting booth! We’ll be in the Minneapolis Convention Center\, Exhibit Hall B\, Table #90. We look forward to meeting you there!
URL:https://che.northeastern.edu/event/2026-aiche-annual-conference-student-recruitment-fair/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261109T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261109T213000
DTSTAMP:20261019T141620Z
CREATED:20261019T141620Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T141620Z
UID:6233-1794252600-1794259800@che.northeastern.edu
SUMMARY:2026 AIChE Annual Conference CHME Reception
DESCRIPTION:Join CHME Faculty and Staff at the 2026 AIChE Annual Conference in Minneapolis\, Minnesota! \nWe’ll be hosting our department reception in Minneapolis Convention Center\, Room 101CDE. Stop by to network with our faculty and visiting alumni. Light snacks and refreshments will be offered. We look forward to meeting you there! \n 
URL:https://che.northeastern.edu/event/2026-aiche-annual-conference-chme-reception/
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