Sooyeon Hwang

Brookhaven National Laboratory

Center for Functional Nanomaterials
Bldg. 735
P.O. Box 5000
Upton, NY 11973-5000

(631) 344-6247
soohwang@bnl.gov

Expertise | Research | Education | Appointments | Publications

Expertise

High Resolution Scanning / Transmission Electron Microscopy (S/TEM), In-situ / Operando TEM on battery materials, Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS), Electron X-ray Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDX)

Research Activities

My research is dedicated to uncovering the intricate mechanisms governing electrochemical reactions and degradation processes in electrode materials. I employ a combination of ex-situ and in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques to provide detailed insights. I am particularly interested in real-time observations and comprehensive structural and chemical analyses of these materials. Through exploring nano-scale intricacies, my aim is to gain fundamental insights into energy storage materials, which in turn can pave the way for the development of novel materials exhibiting exceptional performance characteristics.

Education

• B.S. Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea (2008)
  • Major: Materials Science and Engineering
• M.S. KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), Daejeon, Republic of Korea (2010)
  • Major: Material Science and Engineering
• Ph.D. KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), Daejeon, Republic of Korea (2015)
  • Major: Material Science and Engineering
  • Dissertation Title: Investigating Local Degradation and Thermal Stability of Cathode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries by Electron Microscopy
• Postdoctoral Training at Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea (2015-2016)
  • Project: Study on degradation mechanism of cathode materials for secondary ion batteries 
• Postdoctoral Research Associate, Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Lab (2016-2019)
  • Project: In situ TEM studies on energy-related materials

Professional Appointments

Research and Professional Experience

2022 –present    Associate Scientist, Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory 

2019 –2022        Scientific Associate, Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory 

Synergistic Activities

2022 –present    Editorial Board Member of Scientific Reports

Selected Publications

• Zhang Y, Hu A, Xia D, et al (2023) Operando characterization and regulation of metal dissolution and redeposition dynamics near battery electrode surface. Nature Nanotechnology 18:790–797. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-023-01367-6
• Li S, Sun Y, Li N, et al (2022) Porosity Development at Li-Rich Layered Cathodes in All-Solid-State Battery during In Situ Delithiation. Nano Letters 22:4905–4911. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c01401
• Chen M, Li C, Zhang B, et al (2022) High-Platinum-Content Catalysts on Atomically Dispersed and Nitrogen Coordinated Single Manganese Site Carbons for Heavy-Duty Fuel Cells. Journal of The Electrochemical Society 169:034510. https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ac58c7
• Li S, Shadike Z, Kwon G, et al (2021) Asymmetric Reaction Pathways of Conversion-Type Electrodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries. Chemistry of Materials 33:3515–3523. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.0c04466
• Hwang S, Chen X, Zhou G, Su D (2019) In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy on Energy-Related Catalysis. Advanced Energy Materials 10:. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201902105
• Li J, Hwang S, Guo F, et al (2019) Phase evolution of conversion-type electrode for lithium ion batteries. Nature Communications 10:. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-09931-2
• Hwang S, Yao Z, Zhang L, et al (2018) Multistep Lithiation of Tin Sulfide: An Investigation Using in Situ Electron Microscopy. ACS Nano 12:3638–3645. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.8b00758
• Hwang S, Meng Q, Chen P, et al (2017) Strain Coupling of Conversion-type Fe3O4 Thin Films for Lithium Ion Batteries. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 56:7813–7816. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201703168
• Hwang S, Kim SM, Bak S-M, et al (2015) Investigating the Reversibility of Structural Modifications of LixNiyMnzCo1–y–zO2 Cathode Materials during Initial Charge/Discharge, at Multiple Length Scales. Chemistry of Materials 27:6044–6052. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.5b02457
• Hwang S, Chang W, Kim SM, et al (2014) Investigation of Changes in the Surface Structure of LixNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 Cathode Materials Induced by the Initial Charge. Chemistry of Materials 26:1084–1092. https://doi.org/10.1021/cm403332s