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Winnie Wong-Ng
Research chemist; Materials Measurement Science Division, NIST
Research Interests
- Materials for energy applications (including energy conversion materials for thermoelectric and photocatalysis, and energy storage).
- Thermoelectric standards, metrology, and data (Seebeck coefficient, resistivity, and thermal conductivity).
- Sorbent materials for sustainability (porous materials include metal organic frameworks (MOFs), zeolites, and porphyrins).
- High throughput combinatorial approach (pulsed laser deposition technique for film synthesis) for novel materials discovery and property optimization for energy conversion applications.
- Crystallography, phase equilibria, and crystal chemistry of energy materials to understand their structure and property relationships. Structural studies involve synchrotron X-ray and neutron diffraction techniques.
Figure 1(left): Synchrotron X-ray crystal structure of a flexible pillared Ni(CN)4-based Hoffman-Type Metal Organic Framework (MOF) for CO2 capture application; Figure 2(center): Phase diagram of the Ca-Sr-Co-O system showing the thermoelectric phase (Ca,Sr)3Co4O9; Figure 3 (right): Crystal Structure of a layered (Bi,Pb)CuSeO thermoelectric material.
Postdoctoral Research Opportunities
(1) Thermoelectrics and other Energy Conversion Materials
(Research opportunity No. 50.64.31.B6767)
Currently, a major challenge for the US economy is to provide inexpensive, efficient, compact, safe, and environmentally-friendly technologies for energy generation and conversion. Thermoelectric materials enable the direct conversion between thermal and electrical energy through the Seebeck and Peltier effects. Thermoelectric materials are currently undergoing a renaissance and are poised for large-scale applications. Recent improvements in thermoelectric conversion efficiency have made these materials attractive to the automotive industry for waste heat recovery applications, as well as in the environmental arena for reliable solid-state refrigeration, since no moving parts are involved. Specific research activities include (1) structure and property (Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity, and thermal conductivity) measurements and phase equilibria studies of novel thermoelectric materials, (2) development of a novel method for high-temperature Seebeck coefficient measurements, (3) deposition of combinatorial thin film libraries using a state-of-the-art sputtering-pulsed laser tool, and (4) utilization of NIST first-in-world high throughput techniques for mapping Seebeck coefficient and electricity resistivity. The thermoelectric materials may be quantum dots, thin films, single crystals, or bulk metals, alloys or oxides. Opportunities exist to investigate other materials and devices and develop additional high-throughput methods for batteries, photovoltaics, photocatalysis, super-capacitors, and sustainable energy.
(2) Carbon (CO2) Capture Materials
(Research opportunity No. 50.64.31.B7417)
Global warming is at least partially attributable to increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. The increased levels are of anthropogenic origin, mostly from coal-fired electrical power generation plants. Capture of the CO2 as it is emitted from the flue is one viable scheme to address this enormous environmental problem. The goal of this project is the highly efficient and inexpensive capture of CO2 using solid sorbent materials such as zeolites and metal-organic-framework (MOF) materials. Crucial factors for understanding the absorption efficiency of these materials are their chemical and physical reactivity with CO2, and their pore structure. The experimental work in this project will include the use of neutron and synchrotron beamline techniques such as neutron diffraction, synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and small angle X-ray and neutron scattering, including non-ambient studies. Such techniques will enable in-situ, real-time measurements of the structure of sorbents, pore interconnectivity, pore structure, CO2 distribution, and local absorbate/ CO2 bonding structure.
Professional Activities
(1) American Ceramic Society (ACerS)
- Electronic Division Trustee, 2013-2016
- Associate Editor, J. American Ceramic Society, since 2012
- Chair, Electronics Division, 2005-06
- Member, ACerS Publication Committee, 2013-15
- Member, ACerS Nominating Committee, 2008-10
(2) American Crystallographic Association (ACA)
- ·Local chair, ACA annual meeting, 1998
- ·Chair, Continuing Education Committee, 2002-2003
- ·Chair, (Data, Standards & Computing Committee), 2009-2010
- ·Member, Succession Committee, 2015-2016
(3) US National Committee for Crystallography (USNC/Cr)
- Secretary and Treasurer, 2000-03
- Member-at-large, 1999
(4) International Centre for Diffraction Data (ICDD)
- Board of Directors, Member-at-large, 2010-2014
- Editor, Powder Diffraction Reports, 1999-present
- Consulting editor, PDF, 1993-pesent
- Chair, Ceramics Subcommittee,1992-2010, 2014-present
(5) Applied Superconductivity Conference (ASC)
- Board of Director, member-at-large, 2006-2012
(6) Boise State University
- Adjunct Professor, Materials Science and Engineering Department, 2014-present.
Summary of Scientific Output
- Publications: (> 350 scientific papers including 7 book chapters and 1 handbook chapter)
- Phase diagrams for oxide systems: >50 (published in various Journals and Phase Diagrams for Ceramists published by the American Ceramic Society)
- X-ray standard reference powder diffraction patterns: > 800 patterns (published in Powder Diffraction File (PDF))
- Editor/co-editor: > 25 books
- Standard reference materials (SRMTM) and Data: Ruby Spheres (SRM1990 for single crystal X- Ray diffractometer calibration); Bi2Te3 (SRM 3451 for low-temperature Seebeck Coefficient standard)
- Talks/presentations: > 290 (70 invited)
- Symposia/workshops organized: > 45
- Post-docs/research associates mentored: 15
- Graduate/undergrad/HS students mentored >20
Significant contributions from the above record are a collection of phase diagrams of complex multi-component ceramic systems and crystal structures for materials processing; structure and property correlations of materials for electronic, energy, and carbon mitigation applications; standard reference data and materials for phase analysis and instrument calibration; modeling work for understanding materials behaviors; and high throughput thin film screening techniques for novel materials discovery.
Awards
- Academician of the World Academy of Ceramics (WAC), 2018
- Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2017
- Distinguished Fellow of International Centre for Diffraction Data (ICDD), 2017.
- Best Poster Award, ICDD, 2015.
- Fellow of the American Crystallographic Association, 2014.
- International Centre for Diffraction Data (ICDD) Leadership Award in Materials Analysis, 2014.
- ICDD Leadership Award (as a member of the Board of Directors), 2012.
- US Department of Commerce Bronze Medal Award, 2008.
- Richard & Patricia Spriggs Phase Equilibria Award, American Ceramic Society (ACerS), 2007.
- Recognitions from ACerS for serving as Chair of the Electronics Division, 2005-2006.
- Howard McMurdie Award, ICDD, 2004.
- US Department of Commerce Bronze Medal Award, 2002.
- Fellow of ACerS, 2002.
- PDF-4 Consulting Editor Award, ICDD, 2002.
- Fellow of ICDD, 2000.
- Recognitions from MRS as symposia organizer (2005, 1999) & short course organizer (1992).
- Recognitions from ACerS as symposia organizer (1998, 1999, 2001-2007).
- Recognitions from US Department of Energy (DOE) for receiving the highest scores in DOE Superconductivity Program Peer Reviews, 1997, 1999, and 2001 (plaques or certificates).
- Recognitions from the Association of NIST Asian Pacific Americans for serving as President, 2000-2003.
- ICDD citations for distinguished contributions to the Powder Diffraction File (1996,1998-2006).
- Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Lambda Upsilon, Iota Sigma Pi, Sigma Xi