Wei Lab
Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion
Who we are
The Wei Lab is based in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of New Mexico (UNM).
Our research focuses on understanding the fundamentals of electrochemical processes in electrodes and at electrode/electrolyte interfaces, and on that basis developing next generation high-energy batteries for energy and environmental applications. We are also interested inf nanocomposites and biomaterials design and their applications in electrochemical energy storage. Current research projects include developing cheap chemical waste batteries by using earth abundant materials that can capture/convert greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and at the same time generate/store electricity.
News and Events
March 2023
Jianda’s review on Heterogeneous Electrocatalysts for Metal–CO2 Batteries and CO2 Electrolysis!
March 2023
Chris’s reserach article on secondary Al-CO2 battery has been published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces!
January 2023
We received ACS PRF Doctoral New Investigator grant to study electrochemical methane conversion. Read the News.
January 2023
We received NSF fund to explore new solutions for longer-lasting, affordable batteries. Read the News.
January 2023
New graduate students Gustavo Diaz and Olumide Oladoyin have joined the lab. Welcome!
November 2022
We are at the AIChE in Phoenix! Chris and Matt present their reserach projects.
November 2022
Wei presents chemical and materials engineering department seminars at New Mexico State University.
October 2022
Our team receives UNM Rainforest Innovations funding for battery device. Read the News.
October 2022
We welcome many prospective high school students and their parents visiting us at the SOE Open House. Live demos provided by our graduate students are so fun!
October 2022
Dr. Raju Vadthya has joined the lab as a postdoctoral fellow. Welcome Raju!
October 2022
Matt’s research paper on porous zinc anode has been published in the Journal of Electrochemical Society!
June 2022
Wei receives UNM Women in STEM Awards! Read the News.
May 2022
Our students win big at the 2022 Pitch Deck Competition. Chris, Cameron and Ngoc win First Place with a $10,000 Prize after pitching their innovative business and startup ideas on Aluminum-air battery for grid storage energy. Read the News.
April 2022
CBE Senior undergraduate student Jacquelyn Tolth awarded the NSF GRFP for the year 2022. Big congratulations to Jackie!
April 2022
Wei presents mechanical engineering department seminars at UNM.
April 2022
Wei presents a talk at the TRIMMing CO2webinars.
November 2021
AIChE in Boston! Prof. Wei chairs the session of Lithium and Beyond: Fundamental Advances in High Performance Batteries.
September 2021
Wei receives major NSF EPSCoR Track 2 funding for project to manage carbon dioxide in manufacturing. Read the News.
September 2021
New graduate students Matt Powell, Jianda Wang and Hao Nguyen have joined the lab. Welcome!
September 2021
Matt and Chris’s review on Bio‐derived nanomaterials for energy storage and conversion has been published in Nano Select and featured on the cover!
December 2020
Wei receives the ORAU Ralph E. Powe Award. Read the News.
September 2020
New graduate students Chris Fetrow and Jessica McDow have joined the lab. Welcome Chris and Jessica!
January 2020
Wei presents the group's work at the Sandia National Laboratories.
Novermber 2019
Welcome perspective high school students and their parents to the SOE Open House! Wei teaches K-12 kids how to build a fruit battery at Discovery Festival. Read the News.
Novermber 2019
AIChE in Orlando!
October 2019
ECS in Atlanta!
August 2019
Wei officially starts working at UNM as an assistant professor. Go lobos!