B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UMBC, 2011
My research goal is to develop a biotemplated approach for the assembly of nanostructured electrode materials aimed to improve the performance of Li-ion battery. Solid-binding peptides (SBPs) present a promising biological template for inorganic materials due to its intrinsic ability in controlling the synthesis and assembly of inorganic structures at the nanoscale. This is achieved via specific interactions between the material of interest and amino acids carrying unique functional groups. SBPs with high affinity for electroactive materials are isolated using Phage Display procedure, and further used to design multifunctional peptides that will combine electroactive and conductive materials to produce hybrid electrodes. The application of biotemplated approach in the preparation of nano-structured Li-ion battery electrode materials would lead to higher capacity, greater cyclability, and high charge/discharge rate Li-ion battery.