Energy sustainability.
The thematic work translates here — material design for the batteries, solar cells, fuel cells, and thermoelectric devices that the energy transition requires. Computation up front; experimental partnerships at the bench.
Photovoltaics that scale
Lead-free perovskite stacks reaching simulated single-junction efficiencies above 25% and multi-junction concepts above 49%. Materials choices target abundance and manufacturability, not just record numbers in a paper.
Storage for variable supply
Multivalent metal-ion (Zn, Mg, Al) chemistries to push energy density and safety while avoiding the lithium supply crunch. Plus carbon-rich electrodes for metal-air systems.
Hydrogen on the right side of the cost curve
Catalysts that lower the overpotential for water splitting and extend operational durability — making green hydrogen competitive in real grids.
Recovering waste heat
Thermoelectric materials with engineered phonon and band structures targeting earth-abundant compositions — viable for industrial recovery and off-grid generation.
ML-accelerated screening
Models trained on materials databases that prioritise which candidates are worth simulating in detail — a 10–100× speed-up at the proposal stage.