Understanding Atomistic Transport and Interfacial Evolution to Design Electrochemical Devices
Date: April 17, 2026; Time: 2:30 PM Location: PWEB 175
Abstract: Electrochemical devices rely on coupled transport within materials and charge transfer across interfaces involving both ions and electrons. Their performance and durability are often limited by interfacial reaction mechanisms, where sluggish charge transfer, parasitic reactions, and defect formation drive energy conversion and degradation and ultimately determine device efficiency and lifetime. Despite significant advances in materials and interface design, fundamental questions remain regarding how local chemistry and defects control reaction kinetics and the failure mechanisms that emerge under operating conditions. In this talk, the speaker will introduce the fundamental operating principles of electrochemical devices, with an emphasis on atomic-scale transport and interfacial processes that govern performance and degradation in lithium-ion battery cathode/electrolyte systems and proton-exchange membrane electrolyzers. The presentation will highlight research efforts from the speaker’s recently established group on identifying atomic-scale mechanisms of defect formation and electrochemical dissolution, and on designing improved electrochemical interfaces for enhanced stability and performance. Two Examples include protective coatings for battery materials and strategies to tune electronic structure of catalysts through chemical interactions with supports. Finally, the talk will discuss how a combined understanding of transport and interfacial chemistry enables the identification of physically grounded descriptors, opening pathways for the discovery of new materials and design strategies for next-generation electrochemical devices.
Biographical Sketch: Daniele Vivona is an Assistant Professor in the School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Manufacturing Engineering at the University of Connecticut. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he was a MathWorks Mechanical Engineering Fellow, Rohsenow Graduate Fellow, and member of the MIT Society of Energy Fellows. He holds B.Sc. and M.S. degrees in Energy Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Milan and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Connecticut.
His research focuses on the mechanisms governing degradation, dissolution, and interfacial reactivity in electrochemical energy systems, including batteries and catalysts. His group combines first-principles simulations, atomistic modeling, and electrochemical experiments to establish quantitative links between surface chemistry, reaction environments, and material stability. By integrating physics-based models with data-driven approaches, his work aims to develop predictive frameworks, and digital and experimental “twins” for the design and lifetime control of electrochemical materials and devices.