October 1
@
4:00 PM
–
5:00 PM
The ME 903: Graduate Student Lecture Series features campus and visiting speakers who present on a variety of research topics in the field of mechanical engineering. Professor Yijin Liu is an Associate Professor at The University of Texas at Austin.
Presentation Title: Structural and Chemical Dynamics in Electrochemical Energy Storage Systems
Abstract: Lithium-ion batteries exhibit structural and chemical complexity across multiple length scales. Understanding their function, degradation, and failure therefore requires a holistic perspective that integrates structural, chemical, mechanical, and dynamic information. In this talk, I will present our efforts to investigate these coupled processes by combining advanced operando imaging with computer vision algorithms to visualize the evolving structural hierarchy of practical battery cells. Our analyses capture damage, deformation, and chemical heterogeneity across multiple length scales and connect these observations to a range of degradation phenomena. The results highlight the critical role of electrode mechanical properties, which evolve during cycling and strongly influence both short-term electrochemical performance and long-term stability. I hope this presentation will spark new ideas and foster future collaborations in this rapidly advancing field.
Bio: Dr. Yijin Liu received his B.S. (2004) and Ph.D. (2009) degrees from the Physics Department at the University of Science & Technology of China. He joined Stanford University as a postdoctoral scholar in 2009 and became an Associate Staff Scientist at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in 2012, a Staff Scientist in 2015, and a Lead Scientist in 2020. In August 2023, Dr. Liu joined the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering at UT Austin as an Associate Professor.
In his previous role as a National Lab Scientist, Dr. Liu led the technical developments and scientific applications for the Transmission X-ray Microscopy program at SLAC/Stanford. With nearly 20 years of experience in this field, Dr. Liu has developed and applied X-ray characterization methods for a broad range of research fields. In more recent years, Dr. Liu’s research focused on studying energy storage materials using high-throughput experimental methods as well as machine learning-assisted statistical analysis. Specific areas of focus include battery manufacturing, safety, degradation, and failure analysis.