Extensive effects in supercooling and thermal energy storage density of salt hydrates Youngmun Lee, Sung Bum Kang, Paul V. Braun, Sanjiv Sinha Applied Energy, 2026 Supercooling of salt hydrates is a challenge in engineering these materials for thermal energy storage. Understanding supercooling in a salt hydrate such as sodium sulfate decahydrate (SSD) is further complicated by scatter in basic data reported for phase transitions. To understand the role of extensive effects in measurement uncertainties, we model the probability of nucleation as a function of sample size to quantify its relationship with the statistical uncertainty in supercooling. We further conduct well-controlled measurements using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and the temperature-history method (T-history) that span sample volume by three orders of magnitude. Finally, we simulate these experiments using basic heat transfer modeling to explore the source of discrepancies between DSC and T-history data. This work shows that extensive effects are dominant, explains why there is scatter in the literature data and then provides insights into how to correctly set conditions and interpret data. This is a crucial step toward realizing large-scale practical thermal energy storage. Additionally, this work suggests that while DSC should use the slower ramp rate of 1 °C min −1 to avoid issues related to heat compensation, it is advantageous to use a faster ramp rate of 4 °C min −1 in the T-history method for reduced errors and measurement times. • Nucleation probability model explains the mass-dependent effect on supercooling. • Experimental comparison between DSC and the T-history method follows the model. • Small salt hydrate mass reduces nucleation probability, causing larger supercooling. • Lower measured energy storage density is observed as a result of phase segregation. • The extensive effect on supercooling is more pronounced in cycling.
Development of high-performance NH3 gas sensor through novel MoSe2/PANI/Ti3C2Tx composite for medical diagnosis and industrial applications Preety Yadav, Neeraj Dhariwal, Akanksha, Amit Sanger, Sung Bum Kang, Vinod Kumar, O. P. Thakur Npj 2d Materials and Applications, 2025 Ammonia (NH 3 ) monitoring in environmental and biomedical contexts poses significant challenges due to its impact on sensor sensitivity and selectivity. In the present study, a novel ternary MoSe 2 /PANI/Ti 3 C 2 T x composite was synthesized using hydrothermal and oxidative polymerization techniques for high-performance NH 3 sensing. The newly developed sensor exhibits an exceptional response of 6481.1 upon exposure to 1000 ppm of NH 3 gas at room temperature (28 °C). Notably, the sensor shows an ultrafast response and recovery time of 4.7 s and 18.4 s, respectively, with a limit of detection of 0.6 ppm, along with outstanding selectivity and long-term stability over 90 days. Furthermore, the effect of humidity up to 90% RH and cross-sensitivity over various similar amines was also studied. A wireless IoT-enabled NH 3 leak detection prototype was developed, confirming the sensor’s practical utility. Furthermore, clinical evaluations on uremic patients highlight its promise for non-invasive chronic kidney disease (CKD) monitoring.
Beyond Heat Harvesting: Thermoelectric Materials and Hybrid Devices for Smart Sensing and Sustainable Technologies Neeraj Dhariwal, Preety Yadav, Akanksha, Sakshi Bisht, Ramesh Chandra, O. P. Thakur, Paul V. Braun, Sung Bum Kang, Amit Sanger, Vinod Kumar Advanced Energy Materials, 2025 Heat is a plentiful energy source available within us and in our surroundings, yet it is still underutilized and wasted. Capturing even a small fraction of this energy provides an opportunity to contribute to an eco‐friendly and sustainable society. Although traditional solid‐state inorganic semiconductor materials have led the research stage of thermoelectric (TE) energy conversion, carbon‐based hybrid materials and hydrogels provide an emerging TE platform for wearable, flexible, and low‐temperature energy harvesting devices for powering sensors. These materials have expanded the application of these thermoelectric materials beyond heat‐to‐electrical energy conversion to power various smart devices for use in healthcare monitoring and environmental remediation. This review is divided into three main categories. First, this work focuses on the fundamentals of TE generators and their classifications. In the second section, a thorough discussion of integrated sensor fabrication, including single and hybrid systems and their performance matrices, is given. Special attention is given to self‐healing materials that improve device longevity and achieve environmental sustainability. Section three discusses the incorporation of machine learning (ML) techniques into TE‐powered sensors. By emphasizing the latest discoveries to tabulate the entire range of thermoelectric‐powered sensors, this review bridges materials science, wearable technologies, and advanced engineering.
Engineering an Ultrafast Ambient NO2 Gas Sensor Using Cotton-Modified LaFeO3/MXene Composites Neeraj Dhariwal, Preety Yadav, Manju Kumari, Akanksha, Amit Sanger, Sung Bum Kang, Vinod Kumar, Om Prakash Thakur ACS Sensors, 2024 This work presents a room-temperature (RT) NO2 gas sensor based on cotton-modified LaFeO3 (CLFO) combined with MXene. LaFeO3 (LFO), CLFO, and CLFO/MXene composites were synthesized via a hydrothermal method. The fabricated sensor, utilizing MXene/CLFO, exhibits a p-type behavior and fully recoverable sensing capabilities for low concentrations of NO2, achieving a higher response of 14.2 times at 5 ppm. The sensor demonstrates excellent performance with a response time of 2.7 s and a recovery time of 6.2 s, along with notable stability. The sensor's sensitivity is attributed to gas interactions on the material's surface, adsorption energy, and charge-transfer mechanisms. Techniques such as in situ FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) spectroscopy, GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy), and near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed to verify gas interactions and their byproducts. Additionally, finite-difference time-domain simulations were used to model the electromagnetic field distribution and provide insight into the interaction between NO2 molecules and the sensor surface at the nanoscale. A prototype wireless IoT (Internet of Things)-based NO2 gas leakage detection system was also developed, showcasing the sensor's practical application. This study offers valuable insight into the development of room-temperature NO2 sensors with a low detection limit.
Ambient-Temperature-Independent Power Generation in Wearable Thermoelectric Generator with CNTs/MoS2 Solar Absorber Myeong Hoon Jeong, Sung Bum Kang, Kyoung Jin Choi ACS Applied Electronic Materials, 2024 The low-temperature difference (Δ T ) of the body-heat-driven wearable thermoelectric generators (WTEG) is one of the major issues that set back the application of the device. Recently, we proposed a WS-TEG that achieves a high Δ T by introducing a solar absorber on the hot side of the device, which has inspired many subsequent studies. Here, we propose a systematic approach to further increase the Δ T by considering heat conduction and convection in WS-TEG. For the fabrication of WS-TEGs, TE legs are dispenser-printed with BiTe-based ink, and the CNT/MoS 2 solar absorber was spin-coated on a polyimide substrate. The Δ T was ramped up by incorporating a PDMS lid to prevent convective heat loss on the hot side and Cu foams as heat sinks to accelerate heat dissipation on the cold side. Upon exposure to sunlight, the wearable TEG exhibits a Δ T of 33.9 °C. In addition, unlike conventional WTEG, the Δ T of the WS-TEG is maintained almost independently of ambient temperature due to the stable and sustained absorption of sunlight. We believe that the suggested methodology is a pragmatic and viable solution to the Δ T issue, one of the biggest hurdles for wearable TEGs.
Extensive effects in supercooling and thermal energy storage density of salt hydrates Y Lee, SB Kang, PV Braun, S Sinha Applied Energy 413, 127763 , 2026 2026
Porous anode for a lithium ion battery cell, method of fabricating a porous anode, and method of assembling a lithium ion battery cell PV Braun, SB Kang, Y Zhang, H Kim, H Jeong, Y Arikawa, J KIM, Y Kim US Patent App. 18/924,673 , 2026 2026
Room-Temperature NO 2 Sensing via Interfacial Charge Amplification in Nanocomposite BiOCl/PANI Heterojunction S Mehlawat, S Panda, N Dhariwal, P Singh, M Arif, SB Kang, A Sanger ACS Applied Nano Materials 9 (12), 5628-5639 , 2026 2026
Interface Engineering in Sensor Devices N Dhariwal, SB Kang Advancement in Gas Sensors: Self-Powered Innovations for Real-World Impact … , 2025 2025
Development of high-performance NH 3 gas sensor through novel MoSe 2 /PANI/Ti 3 C 2 T x composite for medical diagnosis and industrial applications P Yadav, N Dhariwal, Akanksha, A Sanger, SB Kang, V Kumar, ... npj 2D Materials and Applications 9 (1), 78 , 2025 2025 Citations: 8
Highly sensitive and selective room temperature triethylamine gas sensor based on novel BiOCl/ZnO heterojunction N Dhariwal, P Yadav, S Panda, S Mehlawat, A Sanger, T Ueda, SB Kang, ... Chemical Engineering Journal, 167086 , 2025 2025 Citations: 6
Beyond Heat Harvesting: Thermoelectric Materials and Hybrid Devices for Smart Sensing and Sustainable Technologies N Dhariwal, P Yadav, Akanksha, S Bisht, R Chandra, OP Thakur, ... Advanced Energy Materials, 2502895 , 2025 2025 Citations: 18
A review unveiling recent advances in the flexible-wearable futuristic thermoelectric device P Yadav, N Dhariwal, A Sanger, SB Kang, V Kumar Nano Energy 135, 110696 , 2025 2025 Citations: 39
Engineering an Ultrafast Ambient NO 2 Gas Sensor Using Cotton-Modified LaFeO 3 /MXene Composites N Dhariwal, P Yadav, M Kumari, Akanksha, A Sanger, SB Kang, V Kumar, ... ACS sensors 9 (12), 6800-6814 , 2024 2024 Citations: 28
Experimental and theoretical studies of sputter deposited pure SnO 2 thin films for high selective and humidity-tolerant H 2 gas sensor V Kumar, D Gautam, YK Gautam, A Kumar, R Adalati, A Sanger, SB Kang, ... Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics 35 (30), 1957 , 2024 2024 Citations: 5
Hydrogel-Salt Hydrate Composite for Highly Stable Heat Energy Storage with Reduced Supercooling SB Kang, Y Lee, W Eom, W Fu, M Prabhudesai, D Hsieh, S Tawfick, ... University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign , 2024 2024
Identifying Molecular Scale Interactions of Nucleating Agents with Salt Hydrates for Thermal Energy Storage Applications M Prabhudesai, SB Kang, Y Lee, D Hsieh, J Taylor, P Braun, S Sinha University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign , 2024 2024
Impact of Cooling Rate and Thermal Mass on Supercooling in a Salt-Hydrogel Complex for Thermal Energy Storage Y Lee, D Hsieh, SB Kang, P Braun, S Sinha University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign , 2024 2024
Fabrication of a room-temperature NO 2 gas sensor with high performance at the ppb level using an rGO/BiOCl heterostructure N Dhariwal, P Yadav, A Sanger, SB Kang, MS Goyat, YK Mishra, V Kumar Materials Advances 5, 4187-4199 , 2024 2024 Citations: 23
Ambient-Temperature-Independent Power Generation in Wearable Thermoelectric Generator with CNTs/MoS 2 Solar Absorber MH Jeong, SB Kang, KJ Choi ACS Applied Electronic Materials 6 (5), 2960-2968 , 2024 2024 Citations: 8
Highly Stretchable Photovoltaic Module with Improved Mechanical Robustness through Elastomeric Interconnections B Salimzhanov, JE Kang, NA Raju, SB Kang, KJ Choi Solar RRL , 2024 2024 Citations: 5
Highly Ordered Eutectic Mesostructures via Template-Directed Solidification Within Thermally Engineered Templates SB Kang, G Huang, G Singhal, D Xie, D Hsieh, Y Lee, AA Kulkarni, ... Advanced Materials, 2308720 , 2024 2024 Citations: 6
Experimental and theoretical investigation of palladium-doped zinc oxide nanorods for NO 2 gas sensor AK Ambedkar, D Gautam, M Singh, S Vikal, BP Singh, AK Malik, SB Kang, ... Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics 34 (33), 2213 , 2023 2023 Citations: 1
Interface Engineering-Driven Room-Temperature Ultralow Gas Sensors with Elucidating Sensing Performance of Heterostructure Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Thin Films A Kumar, A Sanger, SB Kang, R Chandra ACS sensors 8 (10), 3824 , 2023 2023 Citations: 23
Thermal Conductivity of a Novel Salt-Hydrogel Complex as a Phase Change Material for Building Thermal Management D Hsieh, Y Lee, M Prabhudesai, SB Kang, HC Chang, W Fu, J Taylor, ... University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign , 2023 2023
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Wearable solar thermoelectric generator driven by unprecedentedly high temperature difference YS Jung, DH Jeong, SB Kang, F Kim, MH Jeong, KS Lee, JS Son, JM Baik, ... Nano Energy 40, 663-672 , 2017 2017 Citations: 168
Morphology-Controlled Aluminum-Doped Zinc Oxide Nanofibers for Highly Sensitive NO2 Sensors with Full Recovery at Room Temperature A Sanger†, SB Kang†, MH Jeong, MJ Im, IY Choi, CU Kim, H Lee, ... Advanced Science 5 (9), 1800816 , 2018 2018 Citations: 78
Dominance of Plasmonic Resonant Energy Transfer over Direct Electron Transfer in Substantially Enhanced Water Oxidation Activity of BiVO4 by Shape‐Controlled Au Nanoparticles MG Lee, CW Moon, H Park, W Sohn, SB Kang, S Lee, KJ Choi, HW Jang Small 13 (37), 1701644 , 2017 2017 Citations: 78
Stretchable and colorless freestanding microwire arrays for transparent solar cells with flexibility SB Kang, JH Kim, MH Jeong, A Sanger, CU Kim, CM Kim, KJ Choi Light: Science & Applications 8 (1), 121 , 2019 2019 Citations: 76
Increasing the thermoelectric power factor of solvent-treated PEDOT:PSS thin films on PDMS by stretching MH Jeong, A Sanger, SB Kang, YS Jung, I Oh, JW Yoo, GH Kim, KJ Choi Journal of Materials Chemistry A , 2018 2018 Citations: 75
All-transparent NO2 gas sensor based on free-standing Al doped ZnO nanofibers A Sanger†, SB Kang†, MH Jeong, CU Kim, JM Baik, KJ Choi ACS Applied Electronic Materials , 2019 2019 Citations: 67
Two-terminal DSSC/silicon tandem solar cells exceeding 18% efficiency J Kwon, MJ Im, CU Kim, SH Won, SB Kang, SH Kang, IT Choi, HK Kim, ... Energy & Environmental Science 9 (12), 3657-3665 , 2016 2016 Citations: 61
Heterogeneous Stacking of Reduced Graphene Oxide on ZnO Nanowires for NO2 Gas Sensors with Dramatically Improved Response and High Sensitivity SB Kang, A Sanger, MH Jeong, JM Baik, KJ Choi Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 133196 , 2023 2023 Citations: 59
Enhanced piezoresponse of highly aligned electrospun poly (vinylidene fluoride) nanofibers SB Kang, SH Won, MJ Im, CU Kim, WI Park, JM Baik, KJ Choi Nanotechnology 28, 395402 , 2017 2017 Citations: 49
Transfer of ultrathin molybdenum disulfide and transparent nanomesh electrode onto silicon for efficient heterojunction solar cells SB Kang†, KC Kwon†, KS Choi, R Lee, K Hong, JM Suh, MJ Im, A Sanger, ... Nano Energy 50, 649-658 , 2018 2018 Citations: 42
A review unveiling recent advances in the flexible-wearable futuristic thermoelectric device P Yadav, N Dhariwal, A Sanger, SB Kang, V Kumar Nano Energy 135, 110696 , 2025 2025 Citations: 39
Self-Assembled, Highly Crystalline Porous Ferroelectric Poly (Vinylidene Fluoride-co-Trifluoroethylene) interlayer for Si/Organic Hybrid Solar Cells SB Kang, MH Jeong, IY Choi, SD Sohn, SH Kim, HJ Shin, WI Park, ... Nano Energy 41, 243-250 , 2017 2017 Citations: 29
Engineering an Ultrafast Ambient NO 2 Gas Sensor Using Cotton-Modified LaFeO 3 /MXene Composites N Dhariwal, P Yadav, M Kumari, Akanksha, A Sanger, SB Kang, V Kumar, ... ACS sensors 9 (12), 6800-6814 , 2024 2024 Citations: 28
Fabrication of a room-temperature NO 2 gas sensor with high performance at the ppb level using an rGO/BiOCl heterostructure N Dhariwal, P Yadav, A Sanger, SB Kang, MS Goyat, YK Mishra, V Kumar Materials Advances 5, 4187-4199 , 2024 2024 Citations: 23
Interface Engineering-Driven Room-Temperature Ultralow Gas Sensors with Elucidating Sensing Performance of Heterostructure Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Thin Films A Kumar, A Sanger, SB Kang, R Chandra ACS sensors 8 (10), 3824 , 2023 2023 Citations: 23
Ambipolar Passivated Back Surface Field Layer for Silicon Photovoltaics SB Kang, WJ Park, MH Jeong, SH Kang, C Yang, KJ Choi Advanced Functional Materials, 2004943 , 2020 2020 Citations: 19
Beyond Heat Harvesting: Thermoelectric Materials and Hybrid Devices for Smart Sensing and Sustainable Technologies N Dhariwal, P Yadav, Akanksha, S Bisht, R Chandra, OP Thakur, ... Advanced Energy Materials, 2502895 , 2025 2025 Citations: 18
Colorful Transparent Silicon Photovoltaics with Unprecedented Flexibility SB Kang, B Salimzhanov, WJ Park, MH Jeong, JY Kim, KJ Choi Advanced Functional Materials, 2110435 , 2021 2021 Citations: 15
3D Multiscale Gradient Pores Impregnated with Ag Nanowires for Simultaneous Pressure and Bending Detection with Enhanced Linear Sensitivity VV Sharma, KN Kim, GH Han, EJ Gwak, JH Woo, SB Kang, KJ Choi, ... Advanced Materials Technologies, 1901041 , 2020 2020 Citations: 12
3D Hierarchical Indium Tin Oxide Nanotrees for Enhancement of Light Extraction in GaN‐Based Light‐Emitting Diodes MJ Park, CU Kim, SB Kang, SH Won, JS Kwak, CM Kim, KJ Choi Advanced Optical Materials 5 (2), 1600684 , 2017 2017 Citations: 9