Evan Walter Clark Spotte-Smith was born and raised in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland. In 2019, they received their B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Columbia University, where they performed research on nanoparticle self-assembly dynamics and thermochemical energy storage. Currently, Evan works in the research group of Professor Kristin Persson. They develop methods to interrogate electrochemical reactivity and apply those methods to understand electrolyte degradation and solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation in metal-ion batteries. Evan has a passion for mentoring young scientists, and they love cool rocks, smart animals, and tea.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are a cornerstone of the modern energy economy, powering an ever-increasing array of devices from personal phones to automobiles. The success of LIBs is due in large part to the formation of a stable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI), a nanoscale layer that forms on the battery’s anode surface because of electrolyte reduction and degradation.

Under appropriate conditions, SEI formation is effectively self-limiting. As the SEI grows, electron transport slows, eventually preventing further reactivity. To design battery electrolytes that effectively control SEI growth, both in conventional LIBs and in next-generation technologies, a fundamental understanding of charge transfer during SEI formation is required. However, despite the critical role that charge transfer plays in energy storage, very little is known about the mechanisms involved.

During their fellowship, Evan aims to explore charge transfer through the SEI at the atomistic level using theoretical techniques. They will employ density functional theory (DFT) and chemical reaction networks (CRN) to predict (electro) chemical pathways for electrolyte degradation and to calculate the rates of homogeneous electron transfer between molecules making up the SEI. These calculations will then inform microkinetic simulations of electrolyte degradation and SEI formation, which can provide spatially and temporally resolved insights into charge transfer processes and SEI growth. Evan hopes that their work will enhance our understanding of battery chemistry and motivate future fundamental research on charge transfer.