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NC STATE UNIVERSITY College of Engineering Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
SuPER Lab

SuPER Lab

Sustainable Processing and Energy Resilience Lab

Electrochemical Engineering for a sustainable energy future.

We design materials, electrolytes, and processes that enable the next generation of batteries, reactors, and separations — for grid-scale energy storage and clean manufacturing.

SuPER Lab is moving to NC State — a Top-15 public engineering program (U.S. News) — this summer!

SuPER Lab is moving to NC State — a Top-15 public engineering program (U.S. News) — this summer!

SuPER

Three applied thrusts, two fundamental themes.

Thrust 1

Sustainable Processing and Critical Materials

Low-emission, electricity-driven processes for metal recovery, direct lithium extraction, waste utilization, and co-production of critical materials from complex feedstocks.

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Thrust 2

Energy Storage and Batteries

Novel electrolytes for cheaper, safer, longer-lasting, more powerful batteries — for grid storage, transportation decarbonization, space exploration, and defense.

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Thrust 3

AI-Powered Data-Driven Design

Integrating AI/ML tools into our experimental workflow to accelerate discovery, design, and optimization of electrolyte materials for processing and energy storage.

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Highlights

2026

Yana's work on sodium-ion battery electrolytes is published in ACS Energy Letters
Yana's paper on Na-ion battery electrolyte is published in ACS Energy Letters 2026-06
The SuPER Lab is relocating from the University of Utah to North Carolina State University, Summer 2026
SuPER Lab is moving to NC State — a Top-15 public engineering program (U.S. News) — this summer! 2026-06
Dr. Gao receives the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award from the University of Utah in 2026
Dr. Gao receives the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award from the University of Utah in 2026 2026-04
Dr. Gao with the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award plaque from the University of Utah, 2026
The Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award (University of Utah, 2026) 2026-04
Jing's work on transition metal thermodynamics is published in Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Jing's work on transition metal thermodynamics is published in Journal of Physical Chemistry C 2026-02
The Gao group perspective on lithium nucleation is published in Nature Chemistry
Our views on Li deposition is published in Nature Chemistry 2026-01

2025

Dr. Gao receives the Investigator on the Rise award at the 2025 U of U Innovation Awards
Dr. Gao receives the Investigator on the Rise award at the 2025 U of U Innovation Awards 2025-10
The Gao group work on lithium-ion intercalation kinetics is published in Science
Our work on the insertion reaction kinetics is published in Science 2025-10
Jing's work on iron electrowinning is published in Electrochimica Acta
Jing's work on iron electrowinning is published in Electrochimica Acta 2025-09
Dr. Gao receives the NSF CAREER award to explore iron chemistry for green applications
Dr. Gao receives the NSF CAREER award to explore iron chemistry for green applications 2025-06
Yana develops a magnesium-organic flow battery for low-cost energy storage
Yana develops a magnesium-organic flow battery for low-cost energy storage 2025-03
ScholarGPS ranks Prof. Gao among the top 1% of scholars in the field of chemical engineering and energy
Prof. Gao is among the top 1% ranked scholar in the field of chemical engineering and energy by ScholarGPS 2025
Yana's work on conjugated amine electrolytes is published in Chemical Science
Yana's work on conjugated amine electrolytes is published in Chemical Science 2025-01

2023–2024

Jiwei's work on physics-guided machine learning is published in Batteries
Jiwei's work on physics-guided machine learning is published in Batteries 2024-08
Yana's work on carboxylate ester electrolytes is published in Chemical Science
Yana's work on carboxylate ester electrolytes is published in Chemical Science 2024-01
Jing develops a new battery for the environment
Jing develops a new battery for the environment 2023-03
Zongjian's work on single-oxygen ether electrolytes is published in Journal of Materials Chemistry A
Zongjian's work on single-oxygen ether electrolytes is published in Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2023-01

2022

Jing's work on aqueous Fe metal batteries is published in ACS Central Science
Jing's work on aqueous Fe metal batteries is published in ACS Central Science 2022-05
The Gao Lab develops magnesium flow batteries for grid-scale energy storage
The Gao Lab develops magnesium flow batteries for grid-scale energy storage 2022-03
Dr. Gao receives the Early Career Rising Star Award from the ACS Energy & Fuels Division
Dr. Gao receives the Early Career Rising Star Award from ACS 2022
Dr. Gao is recognized as a Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher
Dr. Gao is recognized as a Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher 2022
Dr. Gao is named a Rising Star of Science in 2022
Dr. Gao is named a Rising Star of Science in 2022 2022
Junhui's work on lithium deposition mechanisms is published in Energy & Environmental Science
Junhui's work on lithium deposition mechanisms is published in Energy & Environmental Science 2022-01

2020–2021

Dr. Gao demonstrates how to assemble a coin cell battery in a glove box
Dr. Gao demonstrates how to assemble a coin cell battery in a glove box 2021
Souvenir from Prof. John B. Goodenough's 98th birthday workshop, commemorating his 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Souvenir from Prof. John B. Goodenough's 98th birthday workshop 2020
Dr. Gao attends Prof. John B. Goodenough's 98th birthday symposium in 2020
Dr. Gao attends Prof. John B. Goodenough's 98th birthday symposium in 2020 2020