ABOUT
Meilin
Liu
Regents' Professor and Hightower Chair in MSE
Member/Fellow:
IAAM, EurASc, ACerS, ECS
meilin.liu@mse.gatech.edu
404.894.6114
404.894.9140
LOVE 258

Dr. Liu's primary interests lie in the design, fabrication, in situ/operando characterization, and simulation of materials for energy storage and conversion. This includes electrolyte, electrode, and catalyst materials in the forms of membranes, thin films, coatings, and porous architectures with heterogeneous surfaces and interfaces, as well as devices such as fuel cells, batteries, electrolyzers, and membrane reactors for chemical transformation. The primary focus is on understanding how the structure, composition, and morphology of materials influence their electrical, chemical, catalytic, and electrochemical properties, particularly regarding charge and mass transfer along surfaces, across interfaces, and through complex porous structures. The overarching objective is to develop innovative strategies and materials aimed at enhancing efficiency while reducing the cost of chemical and energy transformation processes.

Dr. Liu's current research activities include:

  • Studying transport phenomena in ionic, electronic, and mixed conductors and the effect of materials microscopic features on electro-physical and electro-chemical properties
  • Controlled fabrication and characterization of membranes, thin films, and coatings; mesoporous and nanostructured electrodes and interfaces; and solid-state ionic devices
  • Performing in situ/operando characterization of surfaces and interfaces under realistic operating conditions using simultaneous Raman spectroscopy, impedance spectroscopy, and other complementary techniques
  • Developing new materials for high-power batteries, reversible solid oxide cells, and membrane reactors for chemical and energy transformation

Dr. Liu has published 20 review articles, 7 book chapters, and over 680 refereed papers in reputed journals such as Science (1), Nature (1), Nature Energy (1), Nature Communications (8), Energy & Environmental Science (25), Advanced Materials (20), Advanced Energy Materials (23), Advanced Functional Materials (24), Joule (2), Angewandte Chemie International Edition (8), Applied Catalysis B Environmental (5), Nano Letters (11), ACS Nano (14), Journal of the American Chemical Society (2), Chemical Society Reviews (1), ACS Energy Letters (5), Materials Science and Engineering: R (2), Materials Today (4), Nano Energy (31), ACS Catalysis (7), Energy Storage Materials (11), Advanced Science (6), Chemistry of Materials (13), and Journal of Materials Chemistry A (32).

Since 2018, he has been recognized as a Highly Cited Researcher in the fields of Materials Science, Chemistry, and/or Environment and Ecology. His work has garnered over 80,000 citations, with an h-index of 156 (according to Google Scholar as of July 27, 2024).

Dr. Liu holds 33 U.S. patents, co-founded a battery technology company PolyPlus Battery, and has delivered approximately 200 plenary, keynote, or invited lectures at conferences, workshops, universities, national labs, and industries around the world.

He has mentored around 100 postdoctoral and Ph.D. students, with approximately 30 of his former students now holding faculty positions at universities across China, the U.S., Taiwan, South Korea, Australia, and Spain.

Google Scholar Citations: ~80,000; h-index: 155 Highly Cited Researcher (2018 to present)

Recent Awards

  • 2024 – Elected Fellow, European Academy of Sciences (EurASc)
  • 2018 to 2023 - Highly Cited Researcher in materials science, chemistry
  • 2021 – Hightower Endowed Chair in MSE
Students:
Nikhil Govindarajan
Xueyu Hu
Jakub Pepas
Weining Wang
Yoojin Ahn
Rishav Choudhury
Yi-Chen Wu
Pengting Zhu
Selected publications


Google Scholar Citations:https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=1YvZ8LAAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&is_public_preview=1

  1. Z. Luo, X. Hu, Y. Zhou, Y. Ding, W. Zhang, T. Li, M. Liu*, Harnessing High-Throughput Computational Methods to Accelerate the Discovery of Optimal Proton Conductors for High-Performance and Durable Protonic Ceramic Electrochemical Cells, Adv. Mater.,2311159 (2024).
  2. Z. Luo, Y. Zhou, X. Hu, N. Kane, T. Li, W. Zhang, Z. Liu, Y. Ding, Y. Liu, M. Liu*, Critical role of acceptor dopants in designing highly stable and compatible proton-conducting electrolytes for reversible solid oxide cells, Energy Environ. Sci. 15 (7), 2992-3003 (2022).
  3. T Li, G Nam, K Liu, J Wang, B Zhao, Y Ding, L Soule, M Avdeev, Z Luo, W Zhang, T Yuan, P Jing, M Kim, Y Song, M Liu*, A niobium oxide with a shear structure and planar defects for high-power lithium-ion batteries, Energy Environ. Sci.15 (1), 254-264 (2022).
  4. K. Pei, Y. Zhou, K. Xu, H. Zhang, Y. Ding, B. Zhao, W. Yuan, K. Sasaki, Y. M. Choi*, Y. Chen*, M. Liu*, Surface restructuring of a perovskite-type air electrode for reversible protonic ceramic electrochemical cells, Nature Comms 13 (1): 2027, 1-10 (2022).
  5. H. Zhang, Y. Zhou, K. Pei, Y. Pan, K. Xu, Y. Ding, B. Zhao, K. Sasaki, Y.M Choi*, Y. Chen*, M. Liu*, An efficient and durable anode for ammonia protonic ceramic fuel cells, Energy Environ. Sci., 15 (1), 287-295, (2022).
  6. Y Zhou, E Liu, Y Chen*, Y Liu, L Zhang, W Zhang, Z Luo, N Kane, B Zhao, L Soule, Y Niu, Y Ding, H Ding, D Ding, M Liu*, An Active and Robust Air Electrode for Reversible Protonic Ceramic Electrochemical Cells, ACS Energy Letters 6 (4), 1511-1520 (2021).
  7. Y. Chen, B. deGlee, Y. Tang, Z. Wang, B. Zhao, Y. Wei, L. Zhang, S. Yoo, K. Pei, J. Kim, Y. Ding, P. Hu, F. Tao*, M. Liu*, A Robust Fuel Cell Operated on Nearly Dry Methane at 500C Enabled by Synergistic Thermal Catalysis and Electrocatalysis, Nat. Energy, (2018).
  8. Yang, S.Z. Wang, K. Blinn, M.F. Liu, Z. Liu, Z. Cheng, and M. Liu*, Enhanced Sulfur and Coking Tolerance of a Mixed Ion Conductor for SOFCs: BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.2-xYbxO3-d, Science, 326, 126-129, (2009).
  9. L. Huang, D. Chen, Y. Ding, S. Feng, Z. Wang and M. Liu*, Nickel-cobalt hydroxides nanosheets coated on NiCo2O4 nanowires grown on carbon fiber paper for high-performance pseudo-capacitors, Nano Lett.,13 (7), pp 3135-3139, (2013).
  10. Z. Lin, G. Waller, Y. Liu, M. Liu*, and C.P Wong*, Facile Synthesis of Nitrogen-Doped Graphene via Pyrolysis of Graphene Oxide and Urea, and its Electrocatalytic Activity toward Oxygen-Reduction Reaction, Adv. Energy Mater., Vol. 2, No. 7, pp. 884-888 (2012).
  11. D. Ding, X. Li, S. Lai, K. Gerdes, and M. Liu*, Enhancing SOFC Cathode Performance by Surface Modification through Infiltration, Energy Environ. Sci., 7, 552-575, (2014).
  12. J. Lee, S. Kim, R. Cao, N. Choi, M. Liu. K. Lee, J. Cho*, Metal-Air Batteries with High Energy Density: Li-Air versus Zn-Air, Adv. Energy Mater., 1 (1), 34-50, (2011).
Patents
  1. Weilin Zhang, Meilin Liu, Ying Liu, Yucun Zhou, “Air electrodes of solid oxide electrochemical cells”, US Patent No. 11,909,085, February 20, 2024.
  2. Meilin Liu, R Murphy, "Proton-conduction electrolytes for reversible solid oxide cells", US Patent No. 11,495,818 B2, November 8, 2022.
  3. Meilin Liu, Dong Ding, Yu Chen, Lei Zhang, “Catalyst coating of a perovskite film and particles exsoluted from the perovskite film”, US Patent No. 11,018,346, May 25, 2021.
  4. Mingfei Liu, Meilin Liu, Ting He, “Electrolyte formation for a solid oxide fuel cell device”, US Patent No. 10,811,717, October 20, 2020.
  5. Dong Ding, Meilin Liu, "Electro-catalytic conformal coatings and method for making the same", US Patent No. 9,914,649, March 13, 2018.
  6. Meilin Liu, Xiaobing Zhu, Min Kyu Song, John G. Muldoon, Kohei Hase, "Fuel cell electrodes with triazole modified polymers and membrane electrode assemblies incorporating same ", US Patent No. 9,012,108, April 21, 2015.
  7. Lei Yang, Zhe Cheng, Ze Liu, Meilin Liu, "Chemical compositions, methods of making the chemical compositions, and structures made from the chemical compositions", US Patent No. 8,932,781, January 3, 2015. 
  8. Meilin Liu, Ze Liu, Mingfei Liu, Lifang Nie, David Spencer Mebane, Lane Curtis Wilson, Wayne Surdoval, "Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Having Porous Cathodes Infiltrated with Oxygen-Reducing Catalysts", US Patent No. 8,802,316 B1, August 12, 2014. 
  9. Wen Li, Siwen Li, Meilin Liu, "Proton exchange membranes (PEM) based on hybrid inorganic-organic copolymers with grafted phosphoric acid groups and implanted metal cations," US Patent No. 8,465,857 B2, June 18, 2013.
  10. Meilin Liu, Xiaobing Zhu, Min Kyu Song, John Muldoon, and Kohei Hase, "Fuel Cell Electrodes with Triazole Modified Polymers and Membrane Electrode Assemblies Incorporating the Same", US Patent No.: 7,947,410 B2, May 24, 2011.
  11. Siwen Li, Zhen Zhou, Meilin Liu, Wen Li, Kohai Hase, "Heterocycle grafted monomers and related polymers and hybrid inorganic-organic polymer membranes", US Patent No.: 7,576,165, August 18, 2009.
  12. Joe K. Cochran, Kon Jiun Lee, Meilin Liu, William L. Rauch, "Hybrid monolithic fuel cell", US Patent No. 7, 220, 506, May 22, 2007.
  13. Meilin Liu, William Lynn Rauch, Zuoyan Peng, "Oxygen Sensor and Emission Control System", US Patent No. 7, 018,673, March 28, 2006.
  14. Meilin Liu, "Oxygen Sensor and Emission Control System", US Patent No. 6,440,283, August 27, 2002.
  15. Ashok Joshi, Liang Jun Li, Anil Virkar, Meilin Liu, "Multi-functinonal and NOx Sensor for combustion systems", US Patent No. 6,051,123, April 18, 2000.
  16. Meilin Liu, Liangjun Li, "Multi-functional Sensors for Combustion Systems", U. S. Patent No. 5,667,652, September 16, 1997.
  17. Meilin Liu, Ashok V. Joshi, Yousheng Shen, Kevin Krist, Anil V. Virkar, "Composite mixed ionic-electronic conductors for oxygen separation and electrocatalysis", US. Patent No. 5,478,444, December 26, 1995.
  18. Meilin Liu, Jiemin Zhu, Ashok V. Joshi, "Electrochemical catalytic reduction cell for the reduction of NOx in an O2-containing exhaust emission" U. S. Patent No. 5,401,372, March 28, 1995.
  19. Meilin Liu, Ashok V. Joshi, Yousheng Shen, Kevin Krist, "Mixed ionic-electronic conductors for oxygen separation and electrocatalysis", U. S. Patent No. 5,273,628, December 28, 1993.
  20. Steven J. Visco, Meilin Liu, Lutgard C. DeJonghe, "Cell for making secondary batteries", U. S. Patent No. 5,162,175, November 10, 1992.
  21. Meilin Liu, Ashok V. Joshi, "Sodium Ion Sensor", U. S. Patent No. 5,120,422, June 9, 1992.
  22. Lutgard C. De Jonghe, Steven J. Visco, Meilin Liu, Catherine C. Mailhe, " Lithium/organosulfur redox cell having protective solid electrolyte barrier formed on anode and method of making same", U. S. Patent No. 4, 917,974, April 17, 1990.
Education
  • B.S. Materials Science & Engineering, 1982, South China Institute of Technology
  • M.S. Materials Science & Engineering, 1986, University of California, Berkeley
  • Ph.D. Materials Science & Engineering, 1989, University of California, Berkeley
Awards

2024

Fellow, European Academy of Sciences (EurASc)

Research.com Materials Science in United States Leader Award

Research.com Chemistry in United States Leader Award (https://research.com/u/meilin-liu)

2023

Highly Cited Researcher in the field of Materials Science (by Clarivate)

Research.com Materials Science in United States Leader Award

Research.com Chemistry in United States Leader Award

2022

Highly Cited Researcher in the field of Materials Science

Highly Cited Researcher in the field of Environment and Ecology

2021

Hightower Endowed Chair Professor

Fellow, International Association of Advanced Materials (IAAM)

Highly Cited Researcher in the field of Materials Science

2020

Highly Cited Researcher in the field of Materials Science

Highly Cited Researcher in the field of Chemistry

2019

Highly Cited Researcher in the field of Materials Science

2018

HTM Outstanding Achievement Award (Electrochemical Society)

Charles Hatchett Award (UK Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, IM3) 

Highly Cited Researcher in the field of Cross-Field

2017

Member, EU Academy of Sciences (EUAS)

Kolon Faculty Fellow (Kolon Industries)

2015

B. Mifflin Hood Endowed Chair Professor

2013

Outstanding Faculty Research Author Award (Georgia Tech)

2012

Fellow, Electrochemical Society (ECS)

2011

Fellow, American Ceramic Society (ACerS)

2010

Ross Coffin Purdy Award (American Ceramic Society)

2009

World Class University Professor, Ulsan National Inst. of Science & Technology, South Korea

2008

Regents' Professor

2007

NASA Tech Brief Award

Invited participant, US-Japan Frontiers of Engineering (National Academy of Engineering)

2005

Crystal Flame Innovation Award in Research (FuelCell South)

2003

Outstanding Achievement in Research Program Development Award (Georgia Tech)

 

Sustained Research Award (Sigma Xi)

2002

Senior Teaching Fellow (Georgia Tech)

2001

Best Faculty Paper Award (Sigma Xi)

1999

Outstanding Faculty Research Author Award (Georgia Tech)

1997

Invited participant, Frontiers of Engineering (National Academy of Engineering)

1996

Best MS Thesis Advisor Award (Sigma Xi)

1993

National Young Investigator (NYI) Award (National Science Foundation)