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<\/p>\nSabanc\u0131 University Nanotechnology Research and
\nApplication Center (SUNUM), Turkey
\nPadova University, Italy<\/p>\n
Electrospinning is a highly versatile and powerful technique for producing nanostructured materials, particularly suited to energy storage and conversion applications [1]. It enables the fabrication of nanofibrous electrodes and membranes with exceptionally high surface area, uniformly distributed ionically conductive phases, and finely tunable porosity. These features collectively enhance mass transport, ionic conductivity, mechanical\/thermal\/chemical stability, and catalytically active sites in devices such as fuel cells, electrolyzers and batteries. Beyond their performance advantages, electrospun architectures are simple, scalable, and cost-effective to manufacture, making them ideal candidates for next-generation energy materials.<\/p>\n
In this presentation, next-generation polymer electrolyte membranes will first be introduced, including composite\/hybrid, layered, and bipolar membrane designs engineered for high-performance fuel cells and electrolyzers. These advanced membranes, fabricated through electrospinning, exhibit controlled swelling, enhanced ionic conductivity, improved mechanical robustness, and superior overall device performance [2]. The second part of the talk will focus on novel strategies for developing highly active, durable, and economically viable electrocatalysts and electrodes. This section will cover both platinum-group-metal (PGM) and PGM-free electrocatalysts incorporated into electrospun nanofiber-based electrodes tailored specifically for fuel cells and electrolyzers [3,4]. In the final part of the talk, recent research in electrospun nanofiber-based electrodes and interlayers for Li-ion batteries will be discussed, in which their porous, high-surface-area networks enhance electrolyte interactions, increase void volume to facilitate more efficient Li+ transport, and improve charge-transfer kinetics [5].<\/p>\n
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[1] Cho, Y., Baek, J. W., Sagong, M., Ahn, S., Nam, J. S., Kim, I. D., Adv. Mater., 2025, 37(28), 2500162.
\n[2] Rajabalizadeh Mojarrad, N., K\u0131rl\u0131o\u011flu, A. C., Yarar Kaplan, B., Solid State Ion., 2023, 392, 116152.
\n[3] Iskandarani, B., Rajabalizadeh Mojarrad, N., Y\u00fcr\u00fcm, A., Alkan G\u00fcrsel S., Yarar Kaplan, B., ACS Energy Fuels, 2022, 36 (16), 9282-9294.
\n[4] Rahbarshendi, F., Charkhesht, V., Rajabalizadeh Mojarrad, N., \u00c7etiner, B., Yarar Kaplan, B., Electrochem. Acta, 2025, 541, 147329.2.
\n[5] Charkhesht, V., Yurum, A., Alkan Gu\u0308rsel, S., Yarar Kaplan, B., ACS Appl. Energy Mater., 2021, 4(12), 13922-13931.<\/p>\n
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Dr. Beg\u00fcm Yarar Kaplan received her BSc and MSc degrees from the Department of Chemistry at Hacettepe University, and her PhD from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Sabanc\u0131 University. During her doctoral studies, she investigated graphene and carbon-based catalyst layers for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells, ex-situ and in-situ electrochemical characterization of materials for fuel cells. As a part of her doctoral work, she conducted research on electrospun electrodes for fuel cells at Vanderbilt University (USA), in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Following her PhD, she pusued postdoctoral research on graphene-based catalysts for fuel cells, contributing to the EU-funded Graphene Flagship Project under FP7 and Horizon 2020 between 2017 and 2018. Dr. Yarar Kaplan has participated in multiple international and national projects as both principal investigator and researcher, focusing on electrospun materials for fuel cells, electrolyzers, and Li-ion batteries. Her scientific achievements have been recognized with notable distinctions, including the Young Researcher Award from the Hydrogen Technologies Association in 2020 and the L\u2019Or\u00e9al-UNESCO For Women in Science Scholarship in 2023. Dr. Yarar Kaplan\u2019s research focuses on the design and electrochemical evaluation of advanced electrocatalysts, electrodes, and membranes. Her expertise spans electrospun electrodes and membranes for hydrogen energy technologies as well as high-performance materials for Li-ion batteries.<\/p>\n
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Beg\u00fcm Yarar Kaplan Sabanc\u0131 University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), Turkey Padova University, Italy Electrospinning is a highly versatile and powerful technique for producing nanostructured materials, particularly suited to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10305,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_tribe_events_status":"","_tribe_events_status_reason":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"tribe_events_cat":[60],"class_list":["post-10304","tribe_events","type-tribe_events","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tribe_events_cat-unam-seminars","cat_unam-seminars"],"yoast_head":"\n