Emily Ryan, Institute Junior Fellow, Gives Dec 2, 2015 Meet Our Fellows Talk

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM on Wednesday, Dec 2, 2015
Hariri Institute for Computing, Room 180
Refreshments to follow

Modeling the Physics and Performance Issues in Advanced Battery Technologies

Emily Ryan
Junior Faculty Fellow, Hariri Institute for Computing
Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Division of Materials Science and Engineering

With an introduction by Professor Alice White, Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department

Abstract: Advanced batteries, such as lithium air and lithium sulfur batteries, have the potential to substantially increase the energy density of lithium batteries; however they are still in the research and development stages. Computational modeling can be used to understand the operation, performance and degradation of new battery technologies and is capable of resolving physics that cannot be seen experimentally. A mesh-free Lagrangian computational model has been developed to investigate the issue of dendrite growth in lithium batteries and to explore mitigation strategies to suppress dendrite growth. Dendrite growth occurs at the anode-electrolyte interface of the battery and is a performance and safety issue in lithium batteries. Over multiple charge and discharge cycles dendrites grow into the electrolyte decreasing the lithium available for electrochemical reactions and increasing the risk of short circuit. Mass transport in the electrolyte is a main driving force for the growth and morphology of dendrites. A computational model has been developed to investigate the effects of anisotropic transport properties and electro-osmotic flow on dendrite growth. Results suggest that anisotropic materials, such as liquid crystals, could reduce dendrite growth and produce a more robust structure, and that low viscosity electrolytes suppress growth. Results from the model are being used to inform data-driven materials informatics to identify new electrolyte materials.

Bio: Professor Emily Ryan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Division of Materials Science and Engineering at Boston University. She received her Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 2009, where her dissertation research focused on numerical modeling of chromium poisoning in the cathode of a solid oxide fuel cell. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon she worked as a post-doctoral research associate and staff computational scientist in the Computational Mathematics and Engineering group at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Since joining Boston University in 2012, she founded the Computational Energy Laboratory, which focuses on the development of computational models of advanced energy systems, including fuel cells, carbon capture technologies, and advanced battery technologies.