Tufts to innovate clean energy materials in creation of $11.5m institute
'Innovative materials are needed to come up with innovative solutions that will help solve problems in the future,' said Handa.
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In lithium-ion batteries, the negative end is always made of graphite, but for the positive end, called the cathode, the possibilities are much wider. The cathode is commonly made with lithium, which is in limited natural supply, but other materials and chemical compounds can displace some of the lithium, reducing the amount of it that is used per battery, said Handa.
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Researchers in China began developing and commercializing batteries made with a low-cost, safer cathode compound called lithium iron phosphate roughly two years ago. With no manufacturing sites using the compound outside of China, Handa hopes the institute can explore new battery material options for the American market and beyond, contributing to the transition of energy sources from fossil fuel to batteries.
'There's a lot of innovation still to be done,' said Handa, who also said he expects to see major progress in the field in the next eight to 15 years.
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The partnership first took root in 2020 when Handa visited Tufts, from which he graduated in 2001. During his return to his alma mater, Handa said he was 'amazed' by how far the university had come with their biomedical materials and AI research, sparking conversations with Tufts leadership about how his business could get in on the action at the Medford campus.
The institute will further the school's development of solutions to real-world problems, said Kyongbum Lee, dean of the School of Engineering at Tufts, expanding the reach of student and faculty work far beyond the classroom.
'Being able to provide students the opportunity to really create material solutions with us, the faculty, is really exciting,' said Lee. 'For them to get the hands-on experience of working on problems that they can imagine are going to have an impact on the world, that's a big motivating factor.'
The institute's work will not only focus on the end product, but also on the processes and resources used along the way to make the batteries as sustainable and long-lasting as possible while leaving the least amount of waste possible.
'How these battery materials are made is just as important as the final purpose,' said Handa.
The sponsorship will support the hiring of three new faculty members in the university's engineering department, according to a
Maren Halpin can be reached at
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