Materials Scientist
Materials Scientist

Biography

J. David Bazak is a materials scientist on the Interfacial Processes team within Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL) Physical and Computational Sciences directorate. His research focuses on properties of solutions and interfaces in multivalent and redox-flow battery systems, with a variety of chemistries, along with mass transport measurement in the associated electrolytes. His principle discipline is nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, specializing in gradient techniques (such as pulsed-field gradient NMR and magnetic resonance imaging) and solid-state NMR (static and magic-angle-spinning [MAS]), but he is also developing his skill set with density-functional theory calculations/molecular dynamics simulations and is doing early work on the new high-field MAS-dynamic nuclear polarization (MAS-DNP) system.

Research Interest

  • Energy storage
  • MAS-DNP
  • Pulsed-field gradient NMR
  • Mass transport

Disciplines and Skills

  • Batteries
  • Electrochemistry
  • Fortran
  • Impedance spectroscopy
  • Materials science
  • Matlab
  • NMR spectroscopy
  • Physical chemistry
  • Viscometry

Education

  • PhD in physical chemistry, McMaster University
  • MS in physics, McMaster University
  • BS in chemical physics, Trent University

Publications

2025

  • Chang Li, Rishabh D. Guha, Stephen D. House, J. David Bazak, Yue Yu, Laidong Zhou, Kevin Zavadil, Kristin A. Persson, Linda F. Nazar. A dynamically bare metal interface enables reversible magnesium electrodeposition at 50 mAh cm−2, Joule, Volume 9, Issue 2, 2025, 101790, ISSN 2542-4351. DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2024.11.007.
  • Y. Chen, M.-T. Nguyen, J. Yao, K. S. Han, S. Ravula, M. Zhang, Y. Xia, E. D. Walter, J. D. Bazak, R. P. Young, Z. Zhu, J. E. Bara, N. M. Washton, D. J. Heldebrant, CO2 in Ionene–Ionic Liquid Composite Membranes. Adv. Sustainable Syst. 2025, 2400802. DOI: 10.1002/adsu.202400802.

2024

  • Baltej Singh, Yubo Wang, Jue Liu, J. David Bazak, Abhinandan Shyamsunder, and Linda F. Nazar. Critical Role of Framework Flexibility and Disorder in Driving High Ionic Conductivity in LiNbOCl4. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2024 146 (25), 17158-17169. DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c03142.
  • J. David Bazak, Karl T. Mueller, Vijayakumar Murugesan. Battery detectives: Uncovering cathode impact on anode-free Li cell performance by operando NMR, Chem, Volume 10, Issue 10, 2024, Pages 2935-2937, ISSN 2451-9294, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chempr.2024.09.009.
  • Laidong Zhou, J. David Bazak, Chang Li, and Linda F. Nazar. 4 V Na Solid State Batteries Enabled by a Scalable Sodium Metal Oxyhalide Solid Electrolyte. ACS Energy Letters 2024 9 (8), 4093-4101. DOI: 10.1021/acsenergylett.4c01855.
  • Tiffany L. Kinnibrugh, J. David Bazak, Ajay Karakoti, Juan Garcia, Hakim Iddir, Vaithiyalingam Shutthanandan, Xiaoping Wang, Vijayakumar Murugesan, and Tim T. Fister. In Situ Characterization of Metastable Pb3O5 and Pb2O3 Phases During Thermal Decomposition of PbO2 to PbO. Inorganic Chemistry 2024 63 (31), 14313-14324. DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c04482.
  • Ruozhu Feng, Xueyun Zheng, Peter S. Rice, J. David Bazak, Aaron Hollas, Yuyan Shao, Yangang Liang and Wei Wang. Redox Activity Modulation in Extended Fluorenone-Based Flow Battery Electrolytes with π-π Stacking Effect. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Volume 171, Number 9, 2024, 171 090501. DOI 10.1149/1945-7111/ad7324.
  • Robert G. Felsted, Trent R. Graham, Yatong Zhao, J. David Bazak, Emily T. Nienhuis, Peter J. Pauzauskie, Alan G. Joly, Carolyn I. Pearce, Zheming Wang, and Kevin M. Rosso. Anionic Effects on Concentrated Aqueous Lithium Ion Dynamics. The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 2024 15 (19), 5076-5087. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c00585.
  • Yubo Wang, J. David Bazak, Laidong Zhou, Qiang Zhang, Baltej Singh, Linda F. Nazar. Liquid-like solid-state diffusion of lithium ions in super-halide-rich argyrodite, Cell Reports Physical Science, Volume 5, Issue 12, 2024, 102314, ISSN 2666-3864, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2024.102314.
  • Ying Chen, Rasha Atwi, Dan Thien Nguyen, J. David Bazak, Nathan T. Hahn, Jaegeon Ryu, Jesse A. Sears, Kee Sung Han, Minyung Song, Zheng Li, Abhijeet J. Karkamkar, Jian Zhi Hu, Kevin R. Zavadil, Nav Nidhi Rajput, Karl T. Mueller, and Vijayakumar Murugesan. From Bulk to Interface: Solvent Exchange Dynamics and Their Role in Ion Transport and the Interfacial Model of Rechargeable Magnesium Batteries. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2024 146 (19), 12984-12999. DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c13627.
  • Z. Li, D.-T. Nguyen, J. D. Bazak, K. S. Han, Y. Chen, V. Prabhakaran, T. T. Le, Z. Cheng, M. Song, V. G. Pol, K. T. Mueller, V. Murugesan, Stable Cycling of Mg Metal Anodes by Regulating the Reactivity of Mg2+ Solvation Species. Adv. Energy Mater. 2024, 14, 2301544. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202301544

2023

  • Chen, Y., J. Ryu, J. D. Bazak, D. Nguyen, K. Han, Z. Li, and J. Z. Hu, et al. 2023. "Ion Solvation-Driven Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation in Divalent Electrolytes with Miscible Organic Solvents." Journal of Physical Chemistry C 127, 127 (31): 15443–15453. PNNL-SA-182765. doi:10.1021/acs.jpcc.3c01701
  • Han, K., J. D. Bazak, R. L. Sacci, Y. Chen, T. Bennett, J. Nanda, and V. Murugesan. 2023. "Halide Substitution Effects on Lithium-Ion Diffusion in Protonated Antiperovskites." Journal of Physical Chemistry C 127, 127 (9): 4451–4458. PNNL-SA-178430. doi:10.1021/acs.jpcc.2c09097
  • Walter, E. D., D. Zhang, Y. Chen, K. Han, J. D. Bazak, S. D. Burton, and K. E. O'Harra, et al. 2023. "Enhancing CO2 Transport Across a PEEK-Ionene Membrane and Water-Lean Solvent Interface." ChemSusChem 16 (13): e202300157–e202300157. PNNL-SA-177233. doi:10.1002/cssc.202300157
  • Zhou, L., J. D. Bazak, B. Singh, C. Li, A. Assoud, N. M. Washton, and V. Murugesan, et al. 2023. "A New Sodium Thioborate Fast Ion Conductor: Na3B5S9." Angewandte Chemie International Edition 62 (30): e202300404. PNNL-SA-181030. doi:10.1002/anie.202300404

2022

  • Lim, H., S. Chae, L. Yan, G. Li, R. Feng, Y. Shin, and Z. Nie, et al. 2022. "Crosslinked Polyethyleneimine Gel Polymer Interface to Improve Cycling Stability of RFBs." Energy Material Advances 2022. PNNL-SA-160359. doi:10.34133/2022/9863679
  • Perras, F. A., D. F. Flesariu, S. A. Southern, C. Nicolaides, J. D. Bazak, N. M. Washton, and T. Trypiniotis, et al. 2022. "Methyl-Driven Overhauser Dynamic Nuclear Polarization." The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 13 (18): 4000–4006. PNNL-SA-172525. doi:10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c00748
  • Wang, X., Z. H. Syed, Z. Chen, J. D. Bazak, X. Gong, M. C. Wasson, and N. M. Washton, et al. 2022. "Enhanced Catalytic Performance of a Ce/V Oxo Cluster through Confinement in Mesoporous SBA-15." ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 14 (47): 52886–52893. PNNL-SA-179487. doi:10.1021/acsami.2c15046

2021

  • Bazak, J. D., A. R. Wong, K. Duanmu, K. Han, D. M. Reed, and V. Murugesan. 2021. "Concentration-Dependent Solvation Structure and Dynamics of Aqueous Sulfuric Acid Using Multinuclear NMR and DFT." Journal of Physical Chemistry B 125 (19): 5089–5099. PNNL-SA-159548. doi:10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c01177
  • Li, X., P. Gao, Y. Lai, J. D. Bazak, A. M. Hollas, H. Lin, and V. Murugesan, et al. 2021. "Symmetry-Breaking Design of an Organic Iron Complex Catholyte for a Long Cyclability Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Battery." Nature Energy 6 (9): 873–881. PNNL-SA-157300. doi:10.1038/s41560-021-00879-6