Location: Engineering Building, Room 211

Speaker: Dr. Yun Hang Hu, Charles and Carroll McArthur Endowed Chair Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Abstract: Advanced materials play critical roles in the development of energy devices and the protection of environment. In recent years, Prof. Hu’s group has made great efforts to develop novel materials for sustainable energy and environment, including solar energy conversion and utilization, electrical energy storages, hydrogen production and storage, CO₂ reduction, and the conversion of wastes to valuable materials. In this talk, he will discuss and highlight: (1) the design and synthesis of 3D graphene materials directly from CO₂ and their application for solar cells, (2) the superstructured materials for fuel cells and supercapacitors, and (3) the advanced functional materials from fallen leaves and their applications as biodegradable plastics and photocatalysts.

Biography: Dr. Yun Hang Hu is the inaugural Charles and Carroll McArthur Endowed Chair Professor at Michigan Technological University. He is fellows of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Chemical Society (ACS), the American Physical Society (APS), the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), the ASM International (ASM), and the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC, UK). He received the Rudolf A. Erren Award from the International Association for Hydrogen Energy (IAHE), ACS ChemLuminary Award, ACS ENFL Distinguished Service Award, and Michigan Tech Highest Research Award. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Energy Science & Engineering (a Wiley journal) and an editorial board member for 9 international journals (such as ACS Energy Letters). He was the chair of the ACS Energy and Fuels Division. He delivered more than 180 invited talks (including 55 plenary/keynote talks to national and international conferences) and published more than 300 papers in prestigious journals. His main research interests include nanomaterials and superstructured materials for energy and environments, energy devices (solar cells, batteries, supercapacitors, and fuel cells), hydrogen production and storage, CO₂ and methane conversion, catalysis and photocatalysis, and conversion of wastes to valuable materials.