Karena W. Chapman, a scientist in the X-ray Science Division of Argonne National Laboratory, has been named a 2015 Materials Research Society (MRS) Outstanding Young Investigator. Chapman was cited “for her contributions to understanding the coupled structure and reactivity of energy-relevant systems and for developing the incisive experimental and analytical tools needed to interrogate these complex materials systems.” She will be presented with the award at the 2015 MRS Spring Meeting in San Francisco.
With established leadership in an emerging characterization field and a history of seminal developments and contributions on topical materials systems, Chapman has led the development of x-ray pair distribution function (PDF) methods, a rapidly growing and versatile tool capable of probing the atomic and nanoscale structure of materials beyond the limits of conventional crystallography, spanning crystalline, nanoscale, and amorphous materials, alike. Her current materials interests are focused on energy and span battery electrodes and electrolytes, catalysis, and porous framework materials for energetic gas storage and nuclear-waste capture.
Chapman received her BSc and PhD degrees in chemistry from The University of Sydney, Australia. Her doctoral research focused on structure–property relationships in cyanide-bridged open framework materials, including their anomalous thermo-mechanical properties (negative thermal expansion) and hydrogen gas storage. During this time, she employed a wide range of tools, including single-crystal methods, powder diffraction, and PDF methods.
Most recently, Chapman has made significant contributions to the area of chemical energy storage. She has developed in situ methodologies to examine the structure of batteries across a wide length scale—from atoms to electrodes—working to combine PDF with small-angle scattering, EXAFS, and imaging modalities to examine important phenomena related to ion/electron transport and structural transitions. Notable achievements include the first in situ PDF measurements, which required a new operando battery cell to be designed. These developments have had a major impact on a number of important materials systems, including lithium ion (LiFePO4), conversion chemistries, and multivalent systems (e.g., Mg), and have shed new light on storage mechanisms and major issues facing batteries, including cycle life and safety.
