Professor Kathryn Toghill
Professor in Sustainable Electrochemistry and Energy MaterialsResearch Overview
Renewable energy sources have advanced tremendously in the past 20 years, but these developments are fundamentally limited by a lack of suitable long duration energy storage systems. My research aims to further harness intermittent wind and solar generation by developing flexible, low-cost electrochemical energy storage systems (i.e. redox flow batteries) and explore electrochemically generated "green" fuels (hydrogen, CO2 reduction). My focus is on creating sustainable versions of these technologies, using low cost, environmentally friendly and abundant materials that have long-term potential as viable energy carriers in the future global energy network. Beyond energy I also look at transformative electrochemical health care platforms, looking to advance disease diagnostics.
PhD Supervision Interests
Electrochemical energy storage and conversion -- New chemistries in flow batteries
- Physical characterisation of flow battery processes
- Electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction
- Analytical electrochemistry
Applications are always welcome from MRes and PhD candidates, domestic and international, with their own funding. There is also opportunity to collaboratively apply for funding based on mutual interest. Please contact me!
Lancaster University boasts an a brand new and well provisioned multimillion pound Chemistry Department. It is also well supported by outstanding research facilities in Engineering, Physics, Environmental Science to name a few. Energy research is a particular focal point at Lancaster University with Energy Lancaster championing interdisciplinary research campus wide. This is an exciting time to become involved at Lancaster University, with vibrant, fresh and exciting research ideas central to our emerging chemistry portfolio. Visit our departmental website for more details http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/chemistry
IAA: Electropolymerised Quinone Films for Direct Air Carbon Capture (eQuiDACC)
01/03/2025 → 27/06/2025
Research
Horizon Europe: Dual circuit flow battery for hydrogen and value added chemical production
01/10/2022 → 30/09/2026
Research
Decoupled CO2 Reduction to High Value Products (DeCO-HVP)
01/10/2018 → 30/06/2025
Research
The evaluation of Bimetallic Nanoalloys and MXene Materials as Catalysts in Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
01/06/2018 → 31/12/2018
Research
Henry Royce Institute Summer project: Developing novel stainless steel porous catalysts for electrochemical water splitting via a simple corrosion synthesis route (SSCorrH2)
01/01/1900 → …
Research
IUPAC Global Women's breakfast 2025
Types of Business and Community - Hosting of external, non-academic visitor
Lancaster Chemistry Academia-Industry Symposium
Symposium
Campus in the City 2024
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
Jan Verlet
Hosting an academic visitor
Richard Compton
Hosting an academic visitor
Johnson Matthey visit to Lancaster University.
Types of Business and Community - Hosting of external, non-academic visitor
Alison Parkin
Hosting an academic visitor
UK Redox Flow Battery Network
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
The Braer Oil Disaster: The Clean Up
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
The Art of Chemistry
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
Rachel Evans
Hosting an academic visitor
MSF PhDs Cohort 2 (2019/20)
- Electrochemical and Surfaces Research Group
- Energy Lancaster
- Energy Storage
- FST Sustainability Advisory Committee
- MSF Supervisors 2019/20
- Physical and Analytical Chemistry