Deep decarbonization is necessary to avoid the most severe effects of climate change. Electrochemistry is positioned to play a significant role in many aspects of decarbonization. We are broadly interested in electrochemical devices for grid-scale energy storage used to support intermittent wind and solar energy and electrified manufacturing for building materials and commodity chemicals. Specifically, we are interested in electrochemical production of iron metal for steelmaking and the behavior of low-cost metal/metal oxide anodes used in aqueous batteries for long duration energy storage. Motivated by these applications of electrochemistry, we research how ions interact with interfaces, how interfaces interact with electrochemical stacks, and how stacks interact with energy networks.
Ion transfer reactions are a fundamental step to fuel forming electrochemical reactions, electroplating for manufacturing and energy storage, and corrosion reactions that limit the durability of devices. We prepare micro- and nanoscale electrodes that act as differential reactors, allowing the direct study ion transfer kinetics. Model systems of interest include metal adatoms at single-crystal surface, dissolution and reduction at individual nanoparticles, and ion transfer across liquid-liquid interfaces.
Research on the materials and design of electrochemical stacks is essential for realizing low-cost industrial electrochemical processes. We study advanced meshes and bipolar plates that lower stack costs, improve mass transport via controlled gas evolution, and allow continuous harvesting of metals produced via electrowinning.
Noble, B.B., Konovalova, A., Moutarlier, L.J., Brogden, V. & Kempler, P.A. (2024) Electrochemical chlor-iron process for iron production from iron oxide and salt water. Joule (in press)
Kempler, P. A., Coridan, R. H., & Lewis, N. S.* (2020). Effects of bubbles on the electrochemical behavior of hydrogen-evolving Si microwire arrays oriented against gravity. Energy & Environmental Science, 13(6), 1808-1817.
Energy networks and economics control the commercial viability of electrochemical processes for energy storage, transportation, and manufacturing. We use data on transmission networks for electricity, fuels, and transportation to understand how electrochemistry can be used to balance future electricity grids.
Kempler, P. A.,* Slack J., & Baker, A. M. (2022). Electrochemical research priorities for affordable seasonal energy storage using electrolyzers and fuel cells. Joule. In press. (featured in pv magazine international )
Funding
We are grateful for support from the U.S. Department of Energy Basic Energy Sciences program and the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy.
Evandi Rahman graduated from Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) with a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering in 2024. He previously developed metal oxide electrocatalysts for electrochemical processes, such as chlorine evolution reaction (ClER) and nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR). In the Kempler group, he is working on membrane optimization and cell reactor design for scaled-up ironmaking process. Additionally he is interested in chemical control of the iron plating process in concentrated alkaline electrolytes. His research interests are broadly described by developing efficient electrocatalysts and electrochemical cells for green energy sources.
Kira Thurman is a graduate of the Master’s internship program in polymer science and has also worked as a researcher at NREL prior to arriving at Oregon in 2021. She is co-advised by the Boettcher lab as part of the Liquid Sunlight Alliance (LiSA) and is studying fundamental aspects of corrosion reaction kinetics using well-defined monolayers on single crystal surfaces.
Andrew Goldman graduated from Lehigh University in 2019 with a BS in Materials Science and Engineering. While at Lehigh, he worked in the lab of Professor Nicholas Strandwitz studying electrostatic phenomena at the interfaces in Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor devices for photovoltaic applications. After graduating, he started a business as a small plant nursery specializing in nut trees and other edible perennials in an effort to facilitate the transition to a more regenerative and carbon-negative food system. Now at the University of Oregon Center for Electrochemistry, Andrew is studying the relationship between process, structure, and properties of iron films electrodeposited using the Chlor-Iron process with the goal of designing full-scale reactors to decarbonize steelmaking.
Stern
Caitlyn
Nadia Barnard is a fourth-year undergraduate student in the Robert D. Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon, majoring in chemistry while concurrently pursuing a master’s degree in electrochemistry through the Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP). Her research at Oregon focuses on the ion transfer kinetics of model systems, with her current project examining proton transfer into thin-film tungsten oxides in various environments. 
Favour Foday is an undergraduate at the University of Oregon, majoring in Biochemistry with a minor in Bioengineering. Her current research focuses on reverse current phenomena in alkaline water electrolysis. Favour is particularly interested in how electrochemical principles can be applied to biological systems, including biosensors, medical devices, and biofuel cells. Ultimately, she aims to contribute to innovations that merge biological processes with cutting-edge electrochemical technologies.
