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Katrina was born in the US in Orange County, California. She attended The University of California, Berkeley where she completed her undergraduate Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. After graduation, she worked at Maxterial, Inc., a materials science start-up company in the San Francisco bay area specializing in the development of protective coatings for anti-corrosion, hydrophobic and easy-clean applications. In 2018 she moved to London to complete her Master’s degree in Materials for Energy and Environment at UCL where her research focused on nanocomposite electrode materials for supercapacitor devices. The engaging research and dedicated team convinced her to start her PhD in Chemical Engineering in October of 2019 as part of the EIL.
Research Summary
Title: Materials for Supercapacitor Electrodes
Katrina’s project focuses on the optimization of facile, solution-based synthesis methods of producing graphene/metal oxide nanocomposite materials for supercapacitor electrodes from ionic solutions of two-dimensional graphene. Creating a hybrid electrode in this way allows for key enhancements to the electrode morphology that can better exploit both the electrostatic and faradaic charge storage mechanisms of each material.
The nanomaterials formed will be characterized using Raman spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction to expose the type and mechanism by which the metal oxide forms. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and electron dispersive spectroscopy techniques will be employed to provide insight to the morphological construction of the material and the electrochemical performance will be analyzed using cyclic voltammetry.
If successful, the research performed has the potential to push the boundaries of supercapacitor design and production by forming electrodes with an enormous potential to have a large specific capacitance and extended cycle stability. Electrodes of this fashion will thus contribute to the development of energy storage devices for a more sustainable future.