Ai-Min Li

2007 – 2011,    B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Anhui University of Science & Technology, China

2011 – 2014,    M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry/Crystal Engineering, Capital Normal University, China

2014 – 2018,    Ph.D. in Chemistry/Material Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany

2018 – 2020, Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, USA

2020 – 2024, Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, USA

2024 – 2025, Assistant Research Scientist, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, USA

2025 – Present, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, China

Our research spans multidisciplinary fields, including organic and inorganic chemistry, materials science, and electrochemical engineering, targeting to advance innovative energy storage technologies. For instance, our small molecule design strategy has proven highly effective in creating new electrolytes for high-energy Li metal (Nat. Chem., 2024, 16, 922-929) and micro-sized Si anodes (Nat. Energy, 2024, 9, 1551–1560). The coordination and solvation approaches have shown promise in prioritizing electrochemical reduction for preferential interphase design (Nat. Nanotechnol., 2025, 1-9). We are also interested in deciphering the mysterious phenomenon in electrolyte-electrode interphases to pursue practical applications for our innovations (Nat. Comm., 2024, 15, 1206).

Key research topics include:

(1) Molecular electrolyte design: electrolyte synthesis and formulation for high-energy cathodes/anodes

(2) Materials innovation for energy storage and conversion

(3) Electrochemistry with new chemistries for sustainable energy

(4) Solvation structure investigation for electrolyte/electrode interphase construction

(5) New device fabrication and development for multiple energy storage scenes (fast-charge, variable temperatures, high-rate)

1. Li, A.-M., Zavalij, P. Y., Omenya, F., Li, X. & Wang, C. “Salt-In-PreSalt” Electrolyte for High-Voltage Sodium Metal Batteries. Nat. Nanotechnol., 2025, 1-9.

2.  Li, A.-M., Wang, Z., T. Lee, Zhang, N., Li, T., Zhang, W., Jayawardana, C., Yeddala, M., Lucht, B. L. & Wang, C. Electrolyte Design for High-Energy Lithium-Ion Batteries with Microsized Alloying Anodes. Nat. Energy, 2024, 9, 1551–1560.

3. Li, A.-M., Borodin, O., Pollard, T. P., Zhang, W., Zhang, N., Tan, S., Chen, F., Jayawardana, C., Lucht, B. L., Hu, E., Yang, X. Q. & Wang, C. Methylation enables the use of fluorine-free ether electrolytes in high-voltage lithium metal batteries. Nat. Chem., 2024, 16, 922-929.

4. Li, A.-M., Wang, Z., Pollard, T. P., Zhang, W., Tan, S., Li, T., Jayawardana, C., Liou, S. C., Rao, J., Lucht, B. L., Hu, E., Yang, X. Q., Borodin, O. & Wang, C. High voltage electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries with micro-sized silicon anodes. Nat. Commun., 2024, 15, 1-14.

5.  Li, A.-M., Wang, Y., Zavalij, P., Chen, Y.-S., Muñoz-Castro, A. & Eichhorn, B. W. Contrasting Bonding Extremes in Two [Ge6]n− Complexes: A Wadian Polyhedron (n = 2) versus a Hydrocarbon-like 2c–2e Polygermanide (n = 12). Inorg. Chem., 2021, 60, 14697-14705.

We currently have several openings across various research levels, visit our hiring page for details. Our team embraces diverse collaborative opportunities. For inquiries, please contact Prof. Ai-Min Li’s directly.