Xiaolei Wang, PhD

Area of Study / Keywords

Advanced Energy Materials Nanotechnology and Clean Energy Technologies Electrochemistry and Electrocatalysis Batteries and Supercapacitors Battery Recycling and Critical Minerals

About

Dr. Xiaolei Wang is a Canada Research Chair in Batteries for Sustainability and an associate professor of chemical engineering at the University of Alberta.  He runs his Nano For Advanced Clean Energy (NanoFACE) laboratory focusing on the rational design, development and application of novel nanostructured materials for energy-related technologies including lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, metal-air batteries, supercapacitors, and electrocatalytic systems.  Before joining UofA, he worked as tenure-track assistant professor at Concordia University from 2017 to 2019, and postdoctoral fellow researcher at the University of Waterloo from 2014 to 2017.  Dr. Wang received his Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA, 2013), M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering at Tianjin University (TJU, 2007), and B.Sc. in Polymer Chemical Engineering at Dalian University of Technology (DUT, 2004).  Dr. Wang is the recipient of Canada Research Chair (Tier 2), FoE Mid-Career Research Award (2023), NSERC Discovery Accelerator Supplement Award (DAS, 2018), Petro-Canada Young Investigator Award (2018) and Concordia University Research Chair-Young Scholar (2019).  He serves as associate editor and on the editorial board of many peer-reviewed journals in the fields of chemistry, electrochemistry, energy and nano, and as peer reviewer of over 70 leading international journals.  Dr. Wang has also act as committee members/organizers/session chairs of many international/national conferences. 

Research

Dr. Xiaolei Wang's NanoFACE research laboratory is interested in nanotechnology and clean energy technologies.  The research themes centre upon the design, development and application of novel nanostructured materials for energy-related technologies including lithium-ion batteries, aqueous zinc-ion batteries, lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, sodium (and other alkaline)-ion batteries, and electrocatalytic system such as metal-air batteries, water electrolyzer, fuel cells, and systems for electrochemical CO2 reduction.  We build upon our knowledge from the fundamental studies and understanding of mechanisms by correlating the electrochemical performance of clean energy technologies with materials' morphologies and microstructures, aiming to develop next-generation high-performance clean energy technologies for practical applications.

Rational Design and Development of Nanoarchitectured Materials

• Nanostructured Metal, Transition Metal Oxides/Sulfides/Nitrides/phosphides, Composite Materials
• Porous Materials, Self-Assembly
• Nanostructured Semiconductors, Quantum Dots/Wires
• Polymers and Polymer Composites; Carbon Materials

Clean Energy Technologies 

• Electrochemical Energy Storage: Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries and Supercapacitors, Lithium-ion Batteries and Supercapacitors, Lithium-Sulfur Batteries, Sodium-ion Batteries, Supercapacitors, Multivalent Ion Batteries
• Electrocatalysis: Water Splitting (OER and HER), H2O2 Production (2e- ORR), Fuel Cells (4e- ORR), Metal-Air Batteries (ORR and OER), CO2 Reduction System (CO2RR)
• Photoelectrocatalysis/Electrochromics: CO2 Reduction, Smart Windows

Battery Recycling/Upcycling and Critical Minerals 

• Hydrometallurgical Recycling of Critical Mineral Elements 
• Transition Metal Elements Leaching and Recycling
• Electrode Materials Recycling and Regeneration
• Electrode Upcycling and Upgrading 

Fabrication of Devices 

• Coin Cells and Pouch Cells for Batteries and Supercapacitors 
• Wearable and Flexible Devices
• All-Solid-State Devices
• Smart Composites/Devices

Dr. Xiaolei Wang is currently looking to accept graduate students in his lab group. Click here and learn how to apply for our programs today!

CH E 243 - Engineering Thermodynamics

An introduction to the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Prerequisites: MATH 101.

CME 494 - Special Topics in Chemical and Materials Engineering

Treatment of selected chemical and materials engineering special topics of current interest to staff and students.

CME 694 - Advanced Topics in Chemical and Materials Engineering

An advanced treatment of selected chemical and materials engineering topics of current interest to staff and students.

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