Announcing a new initiative from The Department of Chemistry, Mar Thoma College, Tiruvalla, – ‘Mastermind Moments’. It offers a platform for UG, PG, and research students to interact with eminent scholars in various disciplines all over the world. The first edition of the program will be held on July 26, 2024.
The speaker
Dr. Jayan Thomas, Professor, NanoScience Technology Center, College of Engineering and Computer Science Jt.Apt: CREOL, College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA.
Abstract:
As the need for clean energy grows, energy storage devices like supercapacitors and batteries are becoming very important. Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming more popular but still have issues like limited charge capacity and long charging times. This presentation introduces our solution: a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (e-CFRP) composite that stores electrical energy and also acts as a strong structural part for EV body panels. We created the high-strength multilayer e-CFRP composite in our lab using alternating layers of epoxy and gel electrolyte. This resulted in a single-layer e-CFRP with an areal energy density of over 0.31 mWh/cm² at 0.3 mm thickness, a tensile strength of 518 MPa, and a bending strength of 477 MPa. We showed its potential by using the e-CFRP panel to power a toy car, demonstrating its use for making EV body shells. Additionally, when combined with a solar panel, the e-CFRP stored solar energy and later powered an IoT device. This is especially promising for communication satellites, as the e-CFRP composite can reduce the mass of small spacecraft by removing the need for separate batteries and allowing more design flexibility.
About the speaker
Dr. Jayan Thomas is a tenured Professor of Nanotechnology, Optics, and Engineering at the University of Central Florida, with a scientific career spanning over three decades. His expertise include the development of innovative materials and devices for applications in energy storage, optoelectronics, and photovoltaics. Among his notable contributions are the development of electrical cable-based energy storage devices and energy-storing ribbons for self-powering textiles, as well as the development of plasmonic organic electrochemical transistors for advanced sensing and optoelectronic synapses for neuromorphic computing. Dr. Thomas’s impactful work is documented in over 130 peer-reviewed publications and conference proceedings, and he holds 12 issued patents with an additional four pending. His achievements have been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the R&D100 Award, NSF CAREER Award, Veeco’s Best Nanotechnology Innovation Award, Fulbright Specialist Award, and he was a finalist for the World Technology Network Award, sponsored by TIME and FORTUNE magazines. Further extending his academic influence, he has co-founded three spin-off companies.
