The primary interests of Dr. Liu’s group lie in fundamental understanding of the effect of structure, composition, morphology, and defects on various properties of ionic and electronic conductors.  

His research centers on synthesis and fabrication, in situ characterization, and multi-scale modeling of membranes, thin films, and nanostructured electrodes with heterogeneous surfaces and interfaces.  

Research Goals

• Efficient energy storage/conversion: Achieving rational design of materials/structures with unique functionalities
• Ionic and electronic conductors: Understanding the effect of structure, composition, morphology, and defects on electrical, chemical, catalytic, and electrochemical properties 

Activities

• Ionic/Electronic conductors: Design, synthesis, fabrication, characterization, and applications 
• Fabrication and evaluation: Coatings, thin films, membranes, porous electrodes with nanostructured surfaces or interfaces, and solid-state ionic devices 
• Mechanisms of electrode processes: Probing and mapping adsorbed species and incipient phases on electrode surfaces and interfaces: 
  • Raman spectroscopy/scattering 
  • X-ray techniques 
  • Mass spectrometry 
  • Impedance spectroscopy 

Leadership

• Center for Innovative Fuel Cell and  Battery Technologies (co-director) 
• B. Mifflin Hood Chair 
• Regents' Professor Associate Chair