Upal Ghosh, Professor, CBEE, has a new publication in the ACS Environmental Science & Technology special issue “60th Anniversary of Environmental Science and Technology”. PhD student Yu Ting (Ghosh) also served as a co-author. 

Published in ACS Environmental Science & Technology

Title: 
A Half-Century Perspective on the Microbial Bioremediation of PCBs

Authors: 

Upal Ghosh; Donna Fennell; Harold May; Kevin Sowers; Yu Ting

Description: 

In this recent Perspective article on Microbial Bioremediation of PCBs
we analyze the arc of scientific and engineering developments from early field observations of microbial transformations half a century ago to recent attempts to identify bottlenecks, scale organism growth, and translate viable engineering approaches for remediation to the field.
The trajectory serves as a model for remediating other legacy and emerging “forever chemicals” that have accumulated in the environment. While the progress has been significant, support for continued development of economical and sustainable bioremediation technologies is needed to achieve large-scale clean-up of the many remaining contaminated sites. (https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7506004263962173444/)

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c07322

Debash Teklie, of the AMEE Research Group under Dr. Özgür Çapraz, Associate Professor, CBEE, has 2 new publications in ACS Applied Energy Materials and ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Published in ACS Applied Energy Materials

Title: 
Synergistic Integration of Hierarchical Secondary Si/C Microrod Architecture and Fluorinated Ether Electrolyte for Stable Lithium-Ion Batteries

Authors: 

Sung-Kwang Jung; Esin Aydemir; Debash Teklie; Martin Byung-Guk Jun; Juanjuan Lu; Haiyan Wang; Ömer Özgür Çapraz; Vilas G. Pol

Abstract:

Increasing the energy density of lithium-ion batteries is a central challenge for next-generation electrified technologies. Silicon (Si) is a premier anode candidate due to its high theoretical capacity; yet, its practical use is hindered by extreme volume expansion and subsequent mechanical failure. To address these chronic issues, we demonstrate a comprehensive electrode-electrolyte engineering strategy by synergistically pairing a hierarchical secondary Si/C microrod (μ-rod) architecture with a customized ether-based electrolyte. This approach targets to bridge the gap between nanoscale reaction kinetics and microscale electrode stability without relying on complex, nonscalable particle synthesis. Multiscale structural characterizations confirmed the robust, anisotropic geometry of the secondary micrometer-sized rods consisting of the nanocrystalline Si primary particles. Electrochemical evaluations demonstrate that the integrated μ-rod architecture exhibits superior electromechanical stability when paired with the fluorinated ether electrolyte, outperforming conventional carbonate systems. Consequently, the Li||Si half-cell achieved 76.4% capacity retention after 300 cycles, while practical validation in a Si||NMC622 full cell revealed 71.4% capacity after 100 cycles. Operando strain measurements demonstrate mechanically resilient response of the μ-rod architecture in fluorinated ether electrolyte. These results highlight the synergy between a commercially viable mesoscale structured electrode and a compatible electrolyte in enabling structurally durable and electrochemically stable Si-based anodes.

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.6c02143

Published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

Title: 
The Role of Fluoroethylene Carbonate as an Electrolyte Additive on the Chemomechanical Stabilities of NaCrO2 Cathodes in Na-Ion Batteries

Authors: 

Debash Teklie; Sankalpita Chakrabarty; Sreedeep Sreekumar; Minal Wable; Malachi Noked; Ömer Özgür Çapraz 

Abstract:

Sodium-ion batteries are promising energy storage devices beyond Li-ion batteries; however, their cycling stability is limited by chemomechanical instabilities in transition-metal oxide cathodes. Although electrolyte additives and other surface modification strategies have been widely used to improve electrochemical performance, the mechanisms underlying these improvements remain poorly understood. Here, sodium chromium oxide (NaCrO2) and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) were selected as model cathode and electrolyte additive systems, respectively. FEC improved the capacity retention of the NaCrO2 cathode from 66% to 85% after 50 cycles at C/20 rate. Operando digital image correlation (DIC), together with ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques, was employed to investigate the mechanical, chemical, and structural evolution of the NaCrO2 cathode. The cathode exhibited nearly identical chemomechanical deformations and phase evolution regardless of FEC except during the first charge, where a distinct deformation response indicated the interfacial reconstruction associated with cathode-electrolyte interphase formation. XPS, FTIR, and HR-TEM measurements demonstrated the formation of a thinner, more uniform NaF-rich cathode-electrolyte interphase with improved preservation of surface Cr3+ species in the presence of FEC. Additional XPS analysis of the Na-metal anode revealed NaF-rich solid-electrolyte interphase formation in the presence of the FEC additive. The enhanced cycling stability of the NaCrO2 cathode against the Na-metal anode is primarily attributed to the cohesive impact of the improvement in chemical stability of the electrodes’ interphases rather than bulk chemomechanical deformations of the cathode alone at a slower rate. The operando mechanical measurements revealed a unique mechanical signature associated with interfacial reconstruction in the presence of FEC, providing a direct mechanistic link between interphase formation and electrochemical performance.

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.6c08213

We hope everyone is enjoying their summer. With the Fall semester quickly approaching, we're looking forward to kicking things off with our scholars, affiliates, and fellow COEIT faculty/staff at CWIT's Welcome Back Social! Join us to reconnect with colleagues, friends, meet new faces, and enjoy games, music, and some delicious pizza and ice cream!

The AMEE Research Group, under Dr. Özgür Çapraz, Associate Professor, CBEE, has 2 new publications in the Journal of Energy Storage and MRS Communications, and a preprint article in ChemRxiv. 

Published in Journal of Energy Storage

Title: 
Electro-chemical and interfacial effects of both gel polymer electrolyte and cathode binder in rechargeable zinc-manganese dioxide alkaline batteries

Authors: 

Athira Anilkumar, Nachammai Nachiappan, Aswani Poosapati, Rohan Ambade, Aneisa Jangbahadur, Yucheng Lan, Joseph Washington, Priyanshu Banerjee, Rahuldeb Roy, Navid Etebari Alamdari, Deepa Madan

Abstract:

Flexible aqueous zinc‑manganese dioxide (Zn-MnO2) batteries offer a promising route toward safe, sustainable, and low-cost energy storage for wearable electronics, but their rechargeability is often limited by irreversible cathode structures, unstable electrode-electrolyte interfaces, and sluggish ionic transport. Here, we present a systematic co-optimization of gel polymer electrolytes and cathode binders to address these challenges. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), Poly acrylic acid (PAA) and Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) were used to synthesize three flexible gel polymer electrolytes, PVA-KOH, PVA -PAA, and PVA-PAA-KOH. The amorphous, microporous PVA-PAA electrolyte enabling efficient ion transport exhibited the highest ionic conductivity (155 mS/cm), with thickness of 0.23 mm, wide electrochemical stability window (~ 2 V), excellent swelling capacity, and mechanical robustness (tensile strength: 29.5 MPa). Parallel evaluation of cathode binder systems (Carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC), PVA-PAA, Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)) revealed that CMC promotes homogeneous dispersion of γ-MnO2, preserves the Mn3+/Mn4+ redox balance, and minimizes irreversible complex accumulation, resulting superior electrode cohesion, roughness, and ion-electron percolation pathways. Electrochemical testing confirmed that the optimized PVA-PAA electrolyte coupled with CMC binder, among tested, better supports reversible kinetics by creating suitable interface, delivering high specific capacity (257 mAh/g at C/4), > 95% coulombic efficiency, and the lowest charge-transfer resistance with reduced polarization for limited cyclic testing. Our results highlight the critical role of electrolyte-binder interactions in governing electrochemical performance, paving the way for rational materials design strategies for sustainable, flexible, and high-rate Zn-MnO2 energy storage devices.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2026.123729

Published in MRS Communications

Title: 
Utilization of particulate matter from marine engine as a carbonaceous anode for Na-ion batteries

Authors: 

Mariella Anderson, Mesut Eryigit, Mehedi H. Himel, Stephen B. Cronin & Ö. Özgür Çapraz

Abstract:

Maritime transport generates substantial amounts of carbon emissions and particulate matter (PM 2.5) particles waste, which is considered as abundant industrial waste. This study presents repurposing the PM as an anode for Li and Na-ion batteries. Structure and morphology properties of the PM particles were characterized with Raman spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry analysis at various rates indicated a pseudocapacitive charge storage mechanism in the annealed PM electrode, with diffusive contributions dominating at lower scan rates. This study provides insight for waste valorization by repurposing of PM particles from heavy fuel oil into electrochemical energy storage applications.

https://doi.org/10.1557/s43579-026-01012-y

Preprint Published in ChemRxiv

Title: 
Evidencing Fast and Reversible Proton Insertion of a Metastable Bilayered Tungsten Oxide

Authors: 

Noah P. Holzapfel, Saeed Saeed, Alan Ferris, Ruocun Wang, Naresh C. Osti, Eugene Mamontov, Bret Marckx, Ö. Özgür Çapraz, and Veronica Augustyn

Abstract:

Materials that exhibit fast and reversible electrochemical modulation of properties such as electronic conductivity, optical absorption, and volume are of interest for electrochromic, neuromorphic, and actuator switching technologies. Here, we report on the rapid first-order phase transition during proton-insertion coupled electron transfer (PICET) in a metastable bilayered tungsten oxide hydrate (H2W2O7). We utilize quasi-elastic neutron scattering measurements to gain insights into the structural water content and dynamics. We employ operando electrochemical X-ray diffraction and optical microscopy to track changes in structure and color during PICET. X-ray diffraction results reveal that H2W2O7 has a rapid first-order structural transition characterized by the loss of octahedral tilting and the relaxation of geometric distortions within the inorganic layers. Operando stress measurements during electrochemical polarization reveal that the phase transition coincides with rapid mechanical deformation. Optical microscopy shows a reversible two-step color change concurrent with the structural transition, from transparent to blue to gold. These discrete optical regimes correspond to changes in electronic conductivity. Our results show that H2W2O7 is a promising material for electrochemical switching technologies.

https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv.15005668/v1

Exciting new research from Dr. Corine Jackman Burden, Assistant Professor, CBEE!

Title:

Quantitative analysis of bacterial cell-cell communication at the single-cell level using microdroplet arrays

Authors:

Corine Jackman Burden, Matthew Hou, Anne Liu, Lydia Eutsey, Rory Eutsey, Joel Greenhouse, Frederick Lann, Shelley L Anna, N Luisa Hiller

Abstract:

Cell-cell communication (CCC) contributes to bacterial survival and adaptability. Gram-positive bacteria employ secreted peptides to coordinate CCC. While the molecular pathways activated by these peptides are well studied, little is known about how individual cells contribute to initiating the signaling response. To address this question, we used microdroplet arrays to examine the major human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae and its TprA/PhrA regulator/peptide CCC system, which promotes colonization and virulence. We measured phrA promoter activity in wild-type (WT) cells and in a phrA deletion mutant, using populations seeded before signaling began. As signaling emerged, we observed heterogeneity in S. pneumoniae signaling within and across microdroplets. Addition of exogenous PhrA increased both the magnitude of signal and the percentage of signaling cells, yet it did not reduce the heterogeneity of signal. When examining whether PhrA peptide produced from WT cells was shared with ΔphrA cells, we found a preference for self-signaling over signaling to neighboring cells. Overall, we developed a platform to quantify cell-cell signaling at the single-cell level and determined that at early stages TprA/PhrA signaling is highly heterogeneous and primarily targets producing cells. We propose that this heterogeneity and its amplification through autoinduction may confer a fitness advantage to the population.

The publication is available here:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42304065/

Dr. Özgür Çapraz, Associate Professor, CBEE, was invited to showcase his contributions to the field of electrochemistry in a new publication in the Journal of Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage titled "Emerging Investigators in Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage 2025."

The article is available here:
Emerging Investigators in Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage 2025 - ASME

https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4071726

Editorial:

This special issue features the 2025 Emerging Investigators in Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage. Twenty-three emerging investigators were invited to this special issue to showcase up-and-coming scientists and engineers in the field of electrochemical energy conversion and storage. Emerging investigators are typically in the early stages of their independent careers (within about 12 years following graduation with a doctorate degree) and have demonstrated potential for high impact in the field. The purpose of this special issue is to highlight emerging scientists and engineers making outstanding contributions to the field of electrochemical energy conversion and storage. 

Reposted from COEIT myUMBC: Upal Ghosh’s recent research on PCB contamination in fish highlighted by the Bay Journal

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a group of likely carcinogenic chemicals, were banned in the U.S. in 1979. Yet because the chemicals were so widely used, and linger in the environment for so long, PCBs continue to be a major source of fish consumption advisories in Maryland and surrounding states. 
A recent study by Professor Upal Ghosh, in the Department of Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering, demonstrates the "unfinished work" of ridding our waters of PCB pollutants, the researchers write. The study was highlighted in a story in the Bay Journal.
The researchers, led by Ghosh and Research Assistant Professor Nathalie Lombard, analyzed PCB concentrations in fish that had been collected across 323 monitoring stations in Maryland over three decades. They identified five watersheds as highly impacted by PCBs, including the Upper Chesapeake Bay. Most impacted waterways have seen gradual, yet steady improvements over the years, with the exception of the Gunpowder-Patapsco near Baltimore, which showed no decrease in PCB pollution concentration levels in fish since 1996. 

Overall, the study showed that the ban on PCBs and pollution remediation efforts implemented across Maryland and surrounding states have helped waterways recover, the researchers say, but more efforts are still needed.

Tenure-Track, Assistant Professor Faculty Position in the Department of Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering at UMBC

Description

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