Research Overview

The Yan Lab focuses on solving materials challenges critical to the advancement of large-scale electrification technologies, including renewable energy storage and sustainable chemical production. We design and engineer materials across multiple length scales, with a particular emphasis on understanding fundamental electrode dynamics and catalysis at interfaces and within confined environments. Representative applications include alkene activation, fuel cells and electrolyzers, and the separation of critical materials. Given the interdisciplinary nature of our work, the group operates at the nexus of materials science, physical and analytical electrochemistry, and electrochemical engineering.

Research Interests

Project 1: Electrocatalytic Activation of Small Molecules

We aim to design electrocatalysts for activating small molecules critical to electrochemical energy storage and chemical production. Our focus is on leveraging layered materials that offer high surface area. While synthesis is the first step, the primary challenge lies in organizing, wiring, controlling, and characterizing these materials at the molecular level. Using these material platforms, we also seek to investigate the kinetics of interfacial electron and ion transfer—whether concerted or non-concerted.

Project 2: Dynamics and Catalysis at Electrode/Polymer Electrolyte Interface

Solid-state polymer electrolytes play a key role in enabling practical electrochemical devices such as fuel cells, electrolyzers, and solid-state batteries. Our goal is to understand the interfacial dynamics and catalytic processes between electrodes and polymer electrolytes, with the aim of designing multifunctional electrolyte materials. Insights from this work will complement mechanistic studies that have traditionally focused on liquid-phase electrolytes.

Project 3: Reactive Membranes for Separations

We are focused on designing reactive membrane platforms with precisely controlled nanoscale confinements, enabling us to manipulate and direct mass transport with exceptional precision. These platforms are leveraged for the separation of critical materials. Fundamentally, they are also compelling because nanoscale transport phenomena diverge from macroscopic behavior when the spatial dimensions approach the length scale of key physical parameters.