Abstract:

Next-generation energy and sustainability technologies, such as solid-state batteries, fuel cells and thermoelectrics, require a fundamental understanding of thermal, electronic and ionic transport of the constituent materials to realize successful devices. Although the transport of heat, electrons and ions is inherently atomic-scale, there is also emergent behavior that manifests at larger length-scales due to the presence of interfaces and defects in bulk materials. Thus, there is a critical need to not only understand the microscopic mechanisms of atomic-scale transport, but also develop hierarchical models to describe transport at length-scales relevant for engineering design. We are working to characterize the role of atomic vibrations (phonons) in the transport of heat and ions at the atomic scale, while also developing models of thermal and ionic transport that includes system-level complexity like interfaces and porosity. These efforts support the realization of electrothermal models that will enable improved design of solid-state batteries and other technologies.

Biography:

Dr. Matthias T. Agne is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Oregon. He received his Bachelor and Master degrees in Materials Science and Engineering from Drexel University in 2015. While at Drexel, Matthias spent 4 years researching MAX phase ceramic composites under Professor Michel Barsoum. He completed his Ph.D under the advisory of Professor Jeffrey Snyder and graduated from Northwestern University in 2020. There, his research was concentrated in thermodynamics and materials physics with applications to solid-state transport phenomena, thermoelectric materials and measurements. From 2020-2023, Matthias studied solid-state ionics as an Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow in the Chemistry Department at the University of Münster in the group of Professor Wolfgang Zeier. Currently, his group in Oregon investigates the physics of thermal and ionic transport in solid electrolytes and thermodynamic landscapes in electrochemical devices.