Flash Light Irradiation Process for Energy Conversion and Storage Devices

ABSTRACT

With the recent progress in sustainable energy technologies, the development of high-efficiency energy conversion and storage devices with enhanced performance and durability has emerged as a critical research focus. While earlier studies have primarily concentrated on the discovery of functional materials through computational science, there is now a growing demand for performance improvement via process innovation beyond material design. In particular, functional oxide materials typically require high-temperature, long-duration thermal treatments to achieve desirable material properties, which limits their broader applicability. To address these challenges, we propose the use of intense flash light irradiation, employing a xenon lamp with visible wavelengths, as a novel processing technique for next-generation energy conversion and storage devices. Flash light irradiation enables precise control over the electronic and thermal properties of nanostructured materials, thereby enhancing electrochemical performance while reducing energy consumption and improving process efficiency compared to conventional methods. In this study, we systematically analyzed the effects of various flash light irradiation conditions and applied them to lithium-ion batteries and fuel cell systems. The treated electrode materials exhibited improved crystallinity, uniform microstructure formation, and superior structural stability, maintaining integrity even under long-term cycling. Furthermore, enhanced surface reactivity led to improved ion diffusion and electronic conductivity, resulting in significant improvements in battery capacity retention and fuel cell performance. These findings demonstrate the potential of flash light irradiation as a key enabler for next-generation energy systems and suggest promising directions for future practical implementation.

BIOGRAPHY

Young-Beom Kim is a professor of Mechanical Engineering at Hanyang University, Seoul Korea. He received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering and PhD minor in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University in 2011. Prior to joining the faculty in 2012, he was a postdoctoral associate at Stanford. He is the director of the Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Systems lab whose research objective is to investigate energy devices such as batteries and fuel cells, along with the development of functional metal oxide materials. Recent research has focused on developing alternative thermal treatment processes to alleviate the constraints of conventional material applications.