Winner: 2025 Faraday early career Prize: Marlow Prize
Dr Chun Ann Huang
Imperial College London
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2025 Marlow Prize: awarded for pioneering the combination of imaging with X-ray Compton scattering and computed tomography (XCS-CT), and novel processing to unravel and control ion transport in 3D structures.
Dr Huang鈥檚 work involves developing new materials chemistry and processing to optimise microstructure, and developing novel operando X-ray correlative imaging of X-ray Compton scattering-computed tomography (XCS-CT) to image spatially resolved chemical compositions in 3D microstructure for electrochemical devices. This is useful in applications such as lithium ion batteries and solid-state batteries for imaging lithium ion distributions in electrode microstructure to uncover degradation mechanisms.
Biography
Chun Ann Huang is Reader in energy storage materials at Imperial College London. She completed her undergraduate study in Materials Science and Engineering at Imperial College London, followed by a DPhil in Materials Science at the University of Oxford. After postdoctoral research and receiving a UKRI EPSRC Innovation Fellowship, she had the opportunity to start a lectureship at King鈥檚 College London before moving back to Imperial College London. Her research is in electrochemical energy storage materials and devices such as batteries.
Gaining new knowledge and fundamentally understanding how materials work and why they work in this way really enthuses me.
Dr Chun Ann Huang
Q&A with Dr Chun Ann Huang
How did you first become interested in chemistry?
I had very good chemistry teachers for my GCSEs and A-levels. I truly thank them! During my GCSEs, I learnt about the chemical reactions involved in developing photographs when film is exposed to light, and it led me to become fascinated by chemistry.
What motivates you?
Gaining new knowledge and fundamentally understanding how materials work and why they work in this way really enthuses me. Watching my students and postdocs grow in confidence and develop their skills also motivates me to continue to work with them on the journey of research.
How are the chemical sciences making the world a better place?
Everything in the world is made of materials that are made from different arrangements of elements. The chemical sciences have the potential to improve the properties of materials to provide new functions and improve efficiency.
How can scientists try to improve the environmental sustainability of research? Can you give us any examples from your own experience or context?
Scientists can improve environmental sustainability and efficiency of laboratories 鈥� for example, through recycling lab gloves, lab coats, etc. From my own experience, my research develops aqueous and dry electrode processing for batteries to replace conventional toxic solvents to improve sustainability.