Prof. Vilas Pol | Batteries | Excellence in Research
Professor, Purdue University, United States
Prof. Vilas Pol is a distinguished academic and researcher in the field of chemical engineering and energy storage systems. Currently, he serves as a Professor at the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University. With a focus on sustainable energy technologies, his work integrates materials science, electrochemical energy storage, and battery technologies. He has received multiple prestigious awards, including the 2024 Asian American Engineer of the Year and the 2024 Fellowship of the Royal Society of Chemistry. His research also covers energy storage, sustainability, and nanomaterials for a better, greener future.
Profile
Education
Prof. Pol holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Bar-Ilan, Israel, where he worked in advanced materials and nanotechnology. He also completed his M.Phil. and M.Sc. in Chemistry at the University of Pune, India. His early academic foundation laid the groundwork for a career that integrates chemistry, materials science, and engineering. His extensive education and expertise have contributed to innovative solutions in energy storage and chemical processes.
Experience
Prof. Pol has a rich professional journey that includes significant roles such as the Purdue University Faculty Scholar and an Adjunct Professor at IIT Indore. He has been associated with high-profile positions, including a materials scientist at Argonne National Laboratory and a visiting faculty at NIMS, Japan. His expertise spans lithium-ion batteries, energy storage materials, and electrochemical technologies. He has also held postdoctoral appointments, including work at the Intense Pulsed Neutron Source at Argonne National Laboratory, expanding his influence in scientific communities worldwide.
Awards and Honors
Prof. Pol’s remarkable achievements have earned him several prestigious accolades, including the 2024 Asian American Engineer of the Year, the Royal Society of Chemistry Fellowship, and recognition as one of Purdue University’s most impactful faculty inventors. Other notable awards include the 2021 AIChE Excellence in Process Development Research Award and the R&D 100 Award for “Versatile Hard Carbon Microspheres Made from Plastic Waste” (2015). His groundbreaking work has also resulted in multiple Guinness World Records, most recently for the fastest arrangement of elements in the periodic table in 2018.
Research Focus
Prof. Pol’s research revolves around sustainable energy technologies, including the development of advanced materials for energy storage applications such as lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries. He focuses on enhancing battery performance and safety, exploring novel materials like hard carbon microspheres from plastic waste, and improving electrochemical systems. His work in materials science aims to reduce the environmental impact of energy storage devices, driving innovation in clean and efficient technologies for a sustainable future.
Publications
- Amorphous GeSnSe nanoparticles as a Li-Ion battery anode with High-Capacity and long cycle performance 🔋
- Nonwoven fabric supported flame-retarding quasi-solid electrolyte for wider-temperature safer Li-ion battery 🔥
- Operando Fabricated Quasi-Solid-State Electrolyte Hinders Polysulfide Shuttles in an Advanced Li-S Battery ⚡
- Glory of Fire Retardants in Li-Ion Batteries: Could They Be Intrinsically Safer? 🔥
- Inactivation kinetic parameters of hydrogen peroxide application in commercial sterility of aseptic processing systems 🧴
- Ultrathin (15 nm) Carbon Sheets with Surface Oxygen Functionalization for Efficient Pseudocapacitive Na-ion Storage 💡
- Innovative amorphous multiple anionic transition metal compound electrode for extreme environments (≤ −80 °C) battery operations 🏔️
- Optimization of the Form Factors of Advanced Li-S Pouch Cells ⚡
- Graphene triggered catalytic attack on plastic waste produces graphitic shell encapsulation on cobalt nanoparticles for ferromagnetism and stable Li+ ion storage 🔬
- Enriched supercapacitive performance of electrochemically tailored β-Co(OH)2/CoOOH nanodiscs from sacrificial Co3(PO4)2·4H2O microbelts 🔋