“No great discovery was ever made without a bold guess.”
- Attributed to Sir Isaac Newton
Research Projects
Overview
Our research is focused on elucidating electrochemical mechanisms and understanding molecular interactions at electrode interfaces. Such interfaces are vital for the development of next-generation technologies to address global problems ranging from large scale energy storage to the sequestration of greenhouse gases.
Energy Storage
Solar and wind power generation technologies create a pathway towards minimizing greenhouse gas emissions; however, the intermittent nature of their power generation threatens grid stability.
Redox flow batteries (RFBs) could solve the problem of large-scale energy storage. Unlike traditional batteries for which the charge carrier and electrode are intrinsically coupled, RFBs employ a liquid electrolyte charge carrier that can be flowed over two oppositely polarized electrodes. This generates an oxidized (catholyte) and reduced (anolyte) species that are subsequently stored in separate holding tanks. By decoupling electrolyte storage from the charge/discharge electrode interface, it is possible to scale this energy storage device as needed by simply increasing the storage tank volume. The Hickey Group is focused on developing highly stable anolytes and catholytes that can be produced at scale.
Bioelectrocatalysis
Electricity can replace biological cofactors for driving redox enzyme-catalyzed reactions that are necessary for processes ranging from CO2 capture to drug synthesis; however, poor enzyme stability limits broad adoption of such technologies.
We are developing methods and materials to enable efficient electrochemical communication between redox enzymes and electrode surfaces. By incorporating self-assembling elements into electroactive hydrogels, we can design materials with controllable micro-environments that stabilize enzymes at an electrode interface.
Biosensors
Enzymatic electrochemical biosensors enable in vivo quantification of specific biomarkers in real-time. However, the interface of such electroenzymatic biosensors is often far too large to monitor signalling molecules between two specific cells.
We are utilizing a combination of computational and experimental approaches for designing exogenous electron transport pathways to enable electroenzymatic biosensors that can operate in less than 100 nm of space. The development of high-precision strategies for biosensor design will enable continuous measurement of any number of signaling molecules between cells, for example specific neurotransmitters within a synapse or bioanalytes at a host-pathogen interface.
RESEARCH AREAS
Materials for enzyme electrocatalysis
Grid-scale energy storage
Biosensors