Laboratory of Applied Electrochemistry
Team leader: dr Damian Kowalski
Team leader’s e-mail address: damian.kowalski@chem.uw.edu.pl
Brief description of the research topic:
The research group is specialized in the synthesis of anodic 1D materials that display functional properties when applied to electrochemical energy storage devices. We take our inspiration from self-organized systems composed of a few or many components. The focus is on the control of the structures at the nanometer scale by using the tools offered by low- and high-voltage electrochemistry. One of the most recognizable examples is the nanotubular system formed on titanium and iron, leading to the formation of TiO2 and Fe3O4 nanotubes. Beyond fundamental understanding of anodic nanostructures growth, we seek to impart a variety of functions in functional materials, including the ability to store the charge, de-/lithiation, de-/sodiation, damage detection, self-healing, anti-corrosion, and light harvesting. One of the most interesting areas of our research is the implementation of anodic nanostructures in air-batteries such as Li-O2 and Na-O2. The electrochemical processes during charge/discharge are observed using “in-situ” techniques for a better fundamental understanding of the battery operation. Our research is highly interdisciplinary, represented from a variety of scientific disciplines including chemistry, engineering and physics.
The research group leader joined the Department of Chemistry at the University of Warsaw in 2016. He obtained Ph.D. at Hokkaido University in Japan in 2007 under the supervision of Prof. Toshiaki Ohtsuka. From 2007 to 2009 he was Global Center of Excellence fellow at the Department of Engineering at Hokkaido University (Prof. Hiroki Habazaki group) and then Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellow (2009-2014) at the Department of Materials Science at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany (Prof. Patrik Schmuki group). Then he moved to the Department of Physics at the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne in France before joining the University of Warsaw. His research interests lie in the field of applied electrochemistry with a focus on the synthesis of functional materials.