Wang’s dendrite suppressing membrane nominated for WARF Innovation Award

A research project led by Xudong Wang, a professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and recent PhD graduate Yutao Dong, was selected as a semifinalist for the 2024 Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) Innovation Awards.

For the award, an independent panel of judges selected a field of six finalists drawn from hundreds of invention disclosures submitted to WARF by UW-Madison researchers over the prior 12 months.

Wang and Dong’s project, discussed in detail in this article, addresses a major problem in rechargeable batteries: anode dendrite formation, which limits battery performance. The researchers developed a separator membrane that slows the growth of developing dendrites, resulting in higher energy density and higher capacity zinc- and lithium-ion batteries. Another Ph.D. student in the Wang lab, Jiajie Sui, is currently working with NSF’s ICorps program to further develop the technology toward commercialization.

“Each year, our Innovation Awards shine a spotlight on the most exciting early-stage discoveries on campus,” says Erik Iverson, CEO of WARF. “We’re pleased to celebrate the nominees and all UW-Madison innovators working to discover and translate research with the power to impact lives.”

Lean more about the nominees and the winning projects at WARF.

Featured Image: PhD student Yutao Dong (left) and Professor Xudong Wang (right).