Global Research Partnership Investigators

2007 Winner Profiles

Dr. Yi Cui

Stanford University

Palo Alto, California

The Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials

View Dr. Yi Cui's presentation at the GRP Symposium

Dr. Yi Cui, KAUST Investigator, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Stanford University in the United States. Among Dr. Cui’s many honors, he was the recipient of the MIT Technology Review 2004 World’s Top 100 Young Innovator Award.

KAUST Investigator Award: Advanced Electrical Energy Storage Using Nanowires

Electrical energy storage devices such as rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors have been important in many areas of applications such as portable electronic devices, electric and hybrid vehicles, and implantable medical devices. Electricity generated from renewable energy requires the parallel development of a large-scale energy storage technology. In addition, energy storage devices will also provide distributed power sources for grid regulation.

This project explores the state-of-the-art development in nanotechnology to provide ultrahigh density of electrical energy storage. Particularly, the focus is to develop nanowire materials and to test them as critical components for energy storage. Specifically, this project involves synthesis, characterization, property of nanowires and device fabrication and testing. My early study has shown that silicon nanowires can provide 10 times more charge storage capacity than carbon anodes used in lithium ion batteries. We will further explore the advantages of nanowires for a variety of energy storage devices in this project.

The project resonates with KAUST’s interest in energy science as well as nanomaterials science and engineering. I am excited about forming a partnership with KAUST and will support the missions of the KAUST Global Research Partnership (GRP). I will give research seminars and short courses on the frontier of nanoscale and energy science and engineering research at the KAUST. I will also be engaged in discussions with KAUST about any academic matters. KAUST students and faculty can also schedule visits to my laboratory to exchange research ideas. Selected KAUST graduate students will have opportunities to work in my laboratory as visiting students for part of their graduate studies and learn about the expertise in my group. The outcomes of this project will include new technology development and student education, which will benefit my research group as well as KAUST and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

About Stanford University

Located between San Francisco and San Jose in the heart of Silicon Valley, Stanford University is recognized as one of the world's leading research and teaching institutions. Established in 1891, Stanford has seven schools in the fields of earth sciences, engineering, humanities and sciences, business, education, law, and medicine. The synthesis of teaching and research is fundamental to Stanford. All faculty do scholarly research, most often in association with graduate students or advanced undergraduates. Stanford is noted for multidisciplinary research within its schools and departments, as well as its independent laboratories, centers and institutes. More than 4,000 graduate students and many undergraduates are involved in sponsored research at the university.