Burcu Gurkan

Our research program is built on developing experimental approaches to understand the physical, electrochemical and transport properties of ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents, and applying these fundamentals to electrochemical processes, separations, and sensors. Our work has three research pillars: 

1. Solvation and transport;
2. Electrode-electrolyte interfaces;
3. Engineering Materials.

Solvation and Transport: Ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents and similarly concentrated electrolytes present new capabilities and opportunities in electrochemical energy storage such as access to wide range of soluble charge carriers at high concentrations, improved electrochemical stability and storage capacity, reduced flammability and volatility. In such complex electrolytes, the ion solvation structure and transport mechanism differ from ideal electrolytes. We apply a suite of spectroscopic tools to understand liquid structure and species transport.

Electrode-electrolyte Interfaces: We are developing approaches that simultaneously apply electroanalytical techniques, surface enhanced spectroscopy and reflectivity techniques to probe the interfacial structure of complex electrolytes that are pertinent to energy storage devices, advanced sensors, and electrocatalytic processes.

Our work in the area of solvation, transport and interfaces specific to deep eutectic solvents is part of a greater effort by BEES (Breakthrough Electrolytes for Energy Storage) – an Energy Frontier Research Center.

Engineering Materials: While this research pillar supports many of the projects, our main effort is the development of engineered materials for separations. Our unique contribution in the field of CO₂ separations addresses the low absorption capacity of existing materials for direct air capture, inadequate gas-liquid surface area and leaching of liquid from its support upon variable pressures and in microgravity. Specifically, we are developing functional and highly selective solvents, and incorporating into polymeric architectures for applications in absorption, adsorption, membrane separations, and potentially adaptable for capture and conversion processes.