Dr Patrick Cullen
Senior Lecturer in Renewable Energy
Admissions Lead for Chemical Engineering, Admissions Lead for Sustainable Energy Engineering, EDI Co-Lead - Culture and Policy
School of Engineering and Materials Science
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
Energy materials, Batteries, Catalysis, Operando studies, Neutron scattering
Interests
My expertise is in synthesising scalably made nanomaterials and embedding them into energy devices for increased performance. These include devices such as Li-ion batteries, Na-ion batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. I also develop novel operando techniques for probe the materials in energy devices as they work. My work takes place in the lab at Queen Mary or at neutron or synchrotron X-ray sources such as ISIS and Diamond.Interests
Our mission is to pioneer the development of new materials and integrate them into innovative applications and devices. We focus on addressing critical challenges in energy storage, environmental sustainability, and advanced manufacturing.
Our vision is to be a leading hub for groundbreaking materials research and to drive the transition to a more sustainable and technologically advanced future.
Research Themes and Areas of Interest
Core Research Areas: Our lab specializes in the interdisciplinary fields of material science, chemistry, and physics, with a primary focus on designing novel materials and leveraging them for practical applications.
Current Projects
*Operando Neutron Scattering of Electrochemical Devices: Utilizing advanced neutron scattering techniques to understand the in-situ behavior of electrochemical devices, enhancing their performance and durability.
*Nanomaterial Production and Characterisation: Synthesizing new nanomaterials and characterizing their properties for various industrial and technological applications.
*Carbon Dioxide Reduction: Developing innovative materials and methods for efficient CO2 capture and conversion, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
*Hydrogen Storage Materials: Creating safe and efficient materials for hydrogen storage, a critical component in the shift towards clean energy.
*Suzuki Coupling Electrocatalysis: Enhancing the efficiency of Suzuki coupling reactions through novel electrocatalysts, impacting pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals manufacturing.
*Solid State Electrolytes: Designing high-performance solid electrolytes for safer and more efficient batteries.
*Li and Na-ion Battery Electrodes: Developing advanced electrode materials for lithium and sodium-ion batteries to improve energy density and battery life.
Techniques and Technologies
Our lab is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to push the boundaries of material science. We have the facilites to manufacture and synthesise materials in air-free environemnts, which is important for many energy technologies including various types of batteries.
In terms of battery testing we have an 80 channel battery cycler and a 32 channel battery cycler that can do more advanced analysis including EIS (Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy).
Our group are also regular users of the synchotron at Diamond light source and of neutron scattering at ISIS neutron and muon source, both of which are in Oxfordshire.
Publications
Publications of specific relevance to the Centre for Sustainable Engineering2024
King J, Lin Z, Zanca F, Luo H, Zhang L, Cullen P, Danaie M, Hirscher M, Meloni S, Elena AM and Szilágyi PÁ (2024). Controlling nanocluster growth through nanoconfinement: the effect of the number and nature of metal–organic framework functionalities. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, Royal Society of Chemistry 01-01-2024
Li Q, Zhao Q, Pedersen A, Zhang M, Lin Z, Xu Y, Cullen PL, Sapelkin A, Di Tommaso D, Titirici M-M and Jones CR (2024). Investigating the effect of Fe–N 5 configuration in the oxygen reduction reaction using N-heterocycle functionalized carbon nanotubes. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) vol. 12 (41), 28074-28084. 01-01-2024
2023
Xu Y, Titirici M, Chen J, Cora F, Cullen PL, Edge JS, Fan K, Fan L, Feng J, Hosaka T, Hu J, Huang W, Hyde TI, Imtiaz S, Kang F, Kennedy T, Kim EJ, Komaba S, Lander L, Le Pham PN, et al. (2023). 2023 roadmap for potassium-ion batteries. JPhys Energy, IOP Publishing vol. 5 (2) 06-04-2023
Marinov AD, Bravo Priegue L, Shah AR, Miller TS, Howard CA, Hinds G, Shearing PR, Cullen PL and Brett DJL (2023). Ex Situ Characterization of 1T/2H MoS16-03-2023
2022
Rana ZI, Shah AR, Llewellyn AV, Mazloomian K, McAlernon P, Miller TS, Cullen PL, Shearing PR and Brett DJL (2022). A new high: Cannabis as a budding source of carbon-based materials for electrochemical power sources. Current Opinion in Electrochemistry, Elsevier vol. 31 01-02-2022
2021
Shah AR, Shutt RRC, Smith K, Hack J, Neville TP, Headen TF, Brett DJL, Howard CA, Miller TS and Cullen PL (2021). Neutron studies of Na-ion battery materials. JPhys Materials vol. 4 (4) 27-09-2021
Leach AS, Hack J, Amboage M, Diaz-Moreno S, Huang H, Cullen PL, Wilding M, Magliocca E, Miller TS, Howard CA, Brett DJL, Shearing PR, McMillan PF, Russell AE and Jervis R (2021). A novel fuel cell design for operando energy-dispersive x-ray absorption measurements. Journal of Physics Condensed Matter, IOP Publishing vol. 33 (31) 16-06-2021
2020
Angel GMA, Mansor N, Jervis R, Rana Z, Gibbs C, Seel A, Kilpatrick AFR, Shearing PR, Howard CA, Brett DJL and Cullen PL (2020). Realising the electrochemical stability of graphene: scalable synthesis of an ultra-durable platinum catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction. Nanoscale 29-06-2020
Hack J, Rasha L, Cullen PL, Bailey JJ, Neville TP, Shearing PR, Brandon NP and Brett DJL (2020). Use of X-ray computed tomography for understanding localised, along-the-channel degradation of polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Electrochimica Acta vol. 352 23-05-2020
2019
Jorge Sobrido A, Jervis R, Crespo Ribadeneyra M, Grogan L, Au H, Schlee P, Herou S, Neville T, Cullen P, Kok M, Hosseinaei O, Tomani P, Titirici M, Brett D and Shearing P (2019). Lignin-derived electrospun freestanding carbons as alternative electrodes for redox flow batteries. Carbon, Elsevier 06-11-2019
Basma N, Cullen PL, Clancy AJ, Shaffer MSP, Skipper NT, Headen TF and Howard CA (2019). The liquid structure of the solvents dimethylformamide (DMF) and dimethylacetamide (DMA). Molecular Physics, Informa UK Limited vol. 117 (22), 3353-3363. 16-08-2019
Seel AG, Holzmann N, Imberti S, Bernasconi L, Edwards PP, Cullen PL, Howard CA and Skipper NT (2019). Solvation of Na– in the Sodide Solution, LiNa·10MeNH2. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, American Chemical Society (ACS) vol. 123 (25), 5337-5342. 30-05-2019
Watts MC, Picco L, Russell-Pavier FS, Cullen PL, Miller TS, Bartuś SP, Payton OD, Skipper NT, Tileli V and Howard CA (2019). Production of phosphorene nanoribbons. Nature, Nature Research vol. 568 (7751), 216-220. 11-04-2019
2018
Headen TF, Cullen PL, Patel R, Taylor A and Skipper NT (2018). The structures of liquid pyridine and naphthalene: The effects of heteroatoms and core size on aromatic interactions. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics vol. 20 (4), 2704-2715. 01-01-2018
2017
Miller TS, Suter TM, Telford AM, Picco L, Payton OD, Russell-Pavier F, Cullen PL, Sella A, Shaffer MSP, Nelson J, Tileli V, McMillan PF and Howard CA (2017). Single Crystal, Luminescent Carbon Nitride Nanosheets Formed by Spontaneous Dissolution. Nano Letters vol. 17 (10), 5891-5896. 11-10-2017
Buckley DJ, Hodge SA, Marco MD, Hu S, Anthony DB, Cullen PL, Mckeigue K, Skipper NT, Shaffer MSP and Howard CA (2017). Trajectory of the selective dissolution of charged single-walled carbon nanotubes. Journal of Physical Chemistry C vol. 121 (39), 21703-21712. 05-10-2017
Meyer Q, Mansor N, Iacoviello F, Cullen PL, Jervis R, Finegan D, Tan C, Bailey J, Shearing PR and Brett DJL (2017). Investigation of Hot Pressed Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Assemblies via X-ray Computed Tomography. Electrochimica Acta, Elsevier BV vol. 242, 125-136. 01-07-2017
Cullen PL, Cox KM, Bin Subhan MK, Picco L, Payton OD, Buckley DJ, Miller TS, Hodge SA, Skipper NT, Tileli V and Howard CA (2017). Ionic solutions of two-dimensional materials. Nature Chemistry vol. 9 (3), 244-249. 01-03-2017
2014
Hodge SA, Tay HH, Anthony DB, Menzel R, Buckley DJ, Cullen PL, Skipper NT, Howard CA and Shaffer MSP (2014). Probing the charging mechanisms of carbon nanomaterial polyelectrolytes. Faraday Discussions, Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) vol. 172, 311-325. 01-01-2014
2013
Lodge MTJH, Cullen P, Rees NH, Spencer N, Maeda K, Harmer JR, Jones MO and Edwards PP (2013). Multielement NMR Studies of the Liquid–Liquid Phase Separation and the Metal-to-Nonmetal Transition in Fluid Lithium– and Sodium–Ammonia Solutions. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, American Chemical Society (ACS) vol. 117 (42), 13322-13334. 13-09-2013
2012
Milner EM, Skipper NT, Howard CA, Shaffer MSP, Buckley DJ, Rahnejat KA, Cullen PL, Heenan RK, Lindner P and Schweins R (2012). Structure and Morphology of Charged Graphene Platelets in Solution by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering. Journal of the American Chemical Society, American Chemical Society (ACS) vol. 134 (20), 8302-8305. 14-05-2012
Grants of specific relevance to the Centre for Sustainable Engineering
Evaluation of Hydrogen Evolution in Pressurised ReactorHarshad Bhadeshia and Patrick Cullen
£327,520 Paramirum Limited (01-08-2022 - 05-09-2024)
Advanced Manufacturing of 3D Porous Electrodes for Redox Flow BatteriesAna Jorge Sobrido and Patrick Cullen
£132,524 Faraday Institution, The (01-06-2022 - 31-05-2023)