Innovative Technologies and Materials Advancing Battery Research

Dr. Krystelle Mafina is a product manager at PerkinElmer, overseeing the UVS & TEA business. She holds a PhD in Biomedical Biomaterials Science and is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and Chartered Scientist (CSci) with a strong background in materials science. A member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining (IOM3) since 2009 and a committee member since 2019, Krystelle is committed to continuous professional development. Her blend of scientific knowledge and industry experience makes her a valuable contributor to PerkinElmer and the wider scientific community.

Dr. Gao Liu is a Senior Scientist and Group Leader of the Applied Energy Materials Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He is also a Fellow of the Electrochemical Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry. With over 20 years of experience in developing materials and system engineering for electrical energy storage, Dr. Liu’s research integrates synthetic chemistry, composite engineering, and electrochemistry to address interdisciplinary challenges in energy generation, storage, and usage. Dr. Liu’s lab employs advanced diagnostics to uncover fundamental and critical issues in energy systems and utilizes synthetic techniques to create new materials that enhance overall system performance. He pioneered research in multifunctional conductive polymer adhesives and has significantly contributed to the fundamental understanding of polymeric binder behaviors in composite electrodes. This work has led to the rational design of functional electrode binders for new storage chemistries. Dr. Liu’s current research in energy storage encompasses a broad range of topics, including electrode binders, silicon, sulfur, and lithium metal materials, electrode engineering, electrolytes and additives, and solid-state conductors. In addition to energy storage research, he is also involved in materials and engineering research focused on building resiliency, circular economy, and advanced manufacturing. Dr. Liu serves as the Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) Consortium lead and coordinator for the Net Zero World Initiative, a global partnership dedicated to helping countries achieve their climate goals and accelerate transitions to net zero, resilient, and inclusive energy systems. He has authored over 190 peer-reviewed publications and holds 28 granted patents.