key research areas

Electrochemical Mechanisms in Materials

The group investigates proton- and ion-insertion coupled electron transfer in materials, revealing how structure, composition, and kinetics determine electrochemical properties.

Microstructure–Property Relationships in Electrochemical Materials

We design and synthesize electrochemical materials with controlled architectures, from their interlayer chemistry to nanoscale structure.

In Situ and Operando Characterization of Electrochemical Interfaces

Advanced X-ray, electrochemical, chemical, and optical methods reveal the structural and chemical evolution of materials during electrochemical processes. These time and potential-resolved insights inform the mechanistic understanding and design of high-performance electrodes.

Veronica Augustyn,
Principal Investigator

Veronica Augustyn, the Jake and Jennifer Hooks Distinguished Professor in Materials Science and Engineering and University Faculty Scholar, received her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. She earned her B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Arizona. She serves as a Scientific Editor for the Journal of Materials Chemistry A.

Faculty Profile

Research Focus: Understanding Electrochemical Materials from the Atomic to Microscale

Our group studies how materials store, release, and convert energy, with a focus on the fundamental mechanisms that govern electrochemical performance.

• Electrochemical Energy Storage
  • Materials for Li-ion and “beyond Li-ion” batteries
  • Aqueous batteries for grid scale energy storage systems
  • Cation-insertion coupled electron transfer with metal oxides
• Electrochemical Energy Conversion
  • Proton-coupled electron transfer with transition metal oxides
  • Heterogeneous electrocatalysis involving PCET
• Electrochemistry Under Confinement
  • Interlayer chemistry
  • Design of porous transition metal oxide hybrids
• Operando and In Situ Electrochemical Characterization
  • In-house capabilities: EC-XRD, EC-Raman spectroscopy and microscopy, EC-UV-VIS-NIR, EQCM, EC-MS
  • Experience with EC-coupled experiments at synchrotron (SLAC National Accelerator Lab) and neutron (Spallation Neutron Source) sources
• Core research goals
  • Reveal how materials structure and composition influences electrochemical behavior
  • Bridge solid-state chemistry and electrochemistry through advanced characterization

Recent High-Impact Publication

Protons Undermine Lithium-Ion Batteries With Positively Disastrous Results

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries can exhibit a voltage decay over time, a complex process that diminishes storable energy and device lifetime. Now, hydrogen transfer from the electrolyte solvent to the metal oxide cathode has been demonstrated as an operative mechanism for self-discharge.

Read the Nature article

Selected Recent Publications

• Operando Unveiling of Hydrogen Spillover Mechanisms on Tungsten Oxide Surfaces — JACS (2025)
• Competition Between Dissolution and Ion Exchange During Low-Temperature Synthesis of LiCoO2 on Porous Carbon Scaffolds — JOMC A (2025)
• Fundamentals of Proton-Insertion Coupled Electron Transfer (PICET) in Metal Oxides for Aqueous Batteries — ACS Energy Letters (2025)
• Interlayer Pillaring Influences The Octahedral Tilting and Electrochemical Capacity of Tungsten Oxides — JOMC A (2025)
• Influence of Finite Diffusion on Cation Insertion-Coupled Electron Transfer Kinetics in Thin Film Electrodes — ECS (2025)

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