Research into materials for applications such as energy harvesting (e.g. piezoelectric, thermoelectric, photoelectric materials) is another focus of the centre. There is significant focus on electrocatalytic systems and the interface of materials and electrochemistry.

Theme 4 - Materials for Energy Related Devices
Image depicting outputs from Research Theme 4 - Materials for Energy related Devices

Broader energy focused research is also at the heart of AMPEiRE research, where materials science, electrochemistry and atomic modelling are combined to deliver for a range of applications. Piezoelectric applications have been targeted using Pb-free, biomolecular crystals. There is also focus on high-entropy and bottom-up designed nanomaterials for energy and electrocatalytic applications.

Research outputs

  • 'Temperature promotes selectivity during electrochemical CO2 reduction on NiO:SnO2 nanofibers' Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2024 https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TA04116J

  • 'High Entropy Oxides: Mapping the Landscape from Fundamentals to Future Vistas' ACS Energy Letters, 2024 https://doi.org/10.1039/D3NH00097D

  • 'Engineering polymorphs in colloidal metal dichalcogenides: precursor-mediated phase control, molecular insights into crystallisation kinetics and promising electrochemical activity' Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2023 https://doi.org/10.1039/D2TA09892J

  • 'Electrosynthesis of Biocompatible Free-Standing PEDOT Thin Films at a Polarized Liquid|Liquid Interface' Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2022 https://doi.org/4.10.1021/jacs.4c09638

  • 'Colloidal synthesis of the mixed ionic–electronic conducting NaSbS2 nanocrystals' Nanoscale Horizons, 2023 10.1039/D3NH00097D

  • 'Getting the Lead Out: Biomolecular Crystals as Low-Cost, High-Performance Piezoelectric Components' Accounts of Materials Research, 2022 https://doi.org/10.1021/accountsmr.2c00124