YAROSLAV GROSU

GROUP LEADER

The group is dedicated to the study of interfacial phenomena and chemical reactions for the benefit of energy applications. This involves the study of thermal, mechanical, and electrical energies during liquid displacement, in particular under nanoconfinement.

Additionally, chemical reactions, which take place at the interface of different construction/storage materials and heat transfer fluids and affect their performance, are the focus of the group.  Some of the active topics are:

• Molecular spring and nanotriboelectricity. When bulk non-wetting liquid is forced to spread over a solid surface, mechanical, thermal, and even electrical energy must be supplied to sustain this bulk-to-interface transition. Therefore, three types of energy can be stored upon reversible non-wetting liquid intrusion into nanopores. Such systems are called molecular springs and are explored in the group for hybrid concepts of thermal-mechanical-electrical energy storage/generation/dissipation.

• Materials stability and aging. The interfacial chemical reactions relevant for storage and construction materials are explored for the benefit of thermal energy storage applications. It involves the determination of kinetics, mechanism, and mitigation strategies. Nano-additives, as well as local decomposition reactions, are a particular focus of interest.