UROP Proceedings 2021-22

School of Engineering Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 155 Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Electrochemical Organic Synthesis Supervisor: CHEN Qing / MAE Student: LAM Yan Yi / CHEM Course: UROP1100, Spring Organic synthesis is essential as it helps develop drugs and provides a more efficient way to synthesize drugs. However, the traditional method of organic synthesis will produce toxic products, byproducts, side products, and chemical waste. This leads to environmental problems. Besides, more severe natural disasters and global warming raise concerns about environmental protection.1 So, with the development of chemistry, green chemistry is getting more critical. Toxic reactants and catalysts are replaced by greener chemicals or avoided by developing alternative pathways. The electrochemical approach is one of the green methods in organic synthesis. The byproducts of electrochemical organic synthesis are mainly hydrogen and oxygen, which are caused by water splitting. In the development of electrochemical organic synthesis, a suitable choice of the electrode is important, which will directly affect the efficiency and selectivity of the target products. Polymer Na Composite Batteries Stabilizing Mn-based Positive Electrodes Supervisor: CIUCCI Francesco / MAE Student: WANG Ruoyi / CHEM Course: UROP1100, Fall Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been considered the most promising and successful rechargeable battery since 1991. They have a wide range of industrial applications and possesses several advantages like high voltage, high energy densities and low self-discharge rates. However, in face of mass marketization of gridlevel energy storage systems which demand a large amount of materials, LIBs commercialization has been hindered by lithium ions’ low earth abundance, limiting potential in energy density (estimated to reach its intrinsic maximum within a few years) and thermal instability due to volatile, toxic, flammable organic solvents typically used to increase the ionic conductivity of LIBs. Therefore, exploring possible alternatives to LIBs, this study investigated and proposed polymer sodium composite battery as a potential substitute. We believe this research has contributed to the literature of sodium-ion battery (SIB) as well as dual-salt polymer electrolyte (DSPE). Limitations and possible improvements in experimental design shall be discussed.

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