The Materials Today Energy Rising Star Award recognizes a researcher in the area of energy materials research within 10 years of completing their PhD who has demonstrated themselves to be the most exceptionally capable researcher with the potential to become a future leader in the field.
The applications were evaluated and the winner selected by the editorial team of Materials Today Energy led by editor-in-chief Prof. Hong Jin Fan.
The winner of this year’s award is Dr. Chuancheng Duan, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Kansas State University.
Learn more about Dr. Duan’s research by visiting his research page here: https://sites.google.com/view/cduan
He also provided information about his work below:
My principle areas of interest are in advanced materials for energy conversion and storage, membrane reactors, electrochemical reactors, electrosynthesis, catalysis, fuel cells, electrolyzers and sustainable chemical manufacturing. At Kansas State University, I established the Materials Research Laboratory for Sustainable Energy with goals to develop advanced energy materials, novel electrochemical devices, and new processes to address critical energy and environmental issues.
My current research focuses on designing, synthesizing, and characterizing materials for protonic ceramic electrochemical cells, oxygen-ion conductor solid oxide cells, anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers, electrochemical membrane reactors. The objectives are to enhance the power generation efficiency, produce low-cost and green hydrogen, achieve long-term energy storage, reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and upgrade natural gas, biomass, and waste materials to value-added products.
My future research will focus on collaborating with research labs, universities, and industries to further optimize our materials, devices, and processes, aiming to accelerate its scaleup and commercialization.