PNNL

As societies move toward electrification with minimal carbon dioxide footprints, a variety of sustainable and cost-effective energy storage technologies are required to support this transition in a meaningful way. Although commercially available batteries will play an integral role in this monumental shift, new technologies are required to meet the demands ultimately desired by the target application. However, batteries that employ metallic anodes or solid-state electrolytes that promise tremendous advantages also have challenges associated with electrolyte materials and the nature of the anode. Dr. Rana Mohtadi, PhD, will discuss research efforts behind new materials that transform the understanding of an “ideal” electrolyte, and she will share future perspectives.

About the speaker:

Dr. Rana Mohtadi is a senior principal scientist at the materials research department at Toyota Research Institute of North America and has been in the decarbonization research and development field for over two decades. Through her leadership, she has contributed important advancements in the areas of creation, design, and demonstration of transformative materials for chemical and electrochemical energy storage technologies, including the research of novel battery electrolyte chemistries for liquid and solid-state batteries. In addition to publishing influential research, she has been awarded over 30 patents. Notable recognitions include receiving the R&D100 award (2011) and being named in “40 under 40” by Automotive News (2014) and Crain’s Detroit Business (2014). She was recognized and showcased in the “We Run on Brain Power” initiative by the Michigan State governor in 2015 as a face of cutting-edge innovation. More recently, she was elected to serve as chair for the Metal-Hydrogen Systems Gordon Research Conference in 2025. Dr. Mohtadi also acts as a principal investigator at the Advanced Institute for Materials Research at Tohoku University.