Aicheng Chen

Headshot of Aicheng Chen
Professor, Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Electrochemistry and Nanoscience
Department of Chemistry
Email: 
aicheng@uoguelph.ca
Phone number: 
(519) 824-4120 ext. 54764
Office: 
MACN 122
Seeking academic or industry partnerships in the area(s) of: 
Water purification and wastewater treatment, mining, energy storage, food quality control
Available positions for grads/undergrads/postdoctoral fellows: 
Yes

Instrumentation

The Chen research laboratory is well equipped with advanced instruments including atomic force microscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electrochemical microscopy, total organic carbon (TOC) analyzer,  TGA/DSC analyzer, BET surface area analyzer, several electrochemical workstations, pure water system, and facilities for the synthesis of nanomaterials.


Capabilities

The instruments in the Chen laboratory have enabled the research team to design and study a wide range of nanomaterials and nanocomposites, using materials such as gold, copper, platinum, palladium, titanium dioxide, and graphene.

The Chen Research Team has designed and studied a wide range of gold, copper, platinum, palladium, titanium dioxide, and graphene-based nanomaterials and nanocomposites to develop electrochemical technologies for advanced energy, environmental, food, and medical applications. 


Education and Employment Background 

Dr. Chen received his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Guelph in 1998. He worked at Huron Tech Canada Inc. as a research scientist and FINNCHEM Canada Inc. as an electrochemical specialist before beginning his career as a professor at Lakehead University in 2002. He has been a Canada Research Chair since 2006 and joined the Department of Chemistry at the University of Guelph in 2017. He is also the director of the Electrochemical Technology Centre (ETC) at the University of Guelph.


Research Themes 

Dr. Chen’s research interests span the areas of Electrochemistry, Photoelectrochemistry, Green Chemistry, Biorefining, Materials Science and Nanoscience. Electrochemical technologies are extensively used in metal production, fuel cell development, energy storage, corrosion protection, water purification, wastewater treatment, and environmental analysis. Dr. Chen’s research program not only addresses fundamental issues relating to the structures and reactivity of electrochemical interfaces but is also dedicated to the development of nanomaterials-based electrochemical technologies for advanced energy, environmental, food, and medical applications. His research focuses on the following major themes:

  1. Developing advanced electrochemical technologies based on functional nanoscale materials that will help treat wastewater, conserve and store energy, and support the sustainable development of natural resources.
  2. Generating nanomaterials-based electrochemical sensors and biosensors to improve the detection of contaminants.
  3. Producing robust, highly active catalysts for hydrogen production and designing functionalized nanomaterials to purify and store them.

Full List of Publications

Highlights 

  • Ricardo Aroca Award of the Canadian Society for Chemistry (2023)
  • R.C. Jacobsen Award of the Electrochemical Society Canada Section (2020)
  • Fellow of the Chemical institute of Canada (FCIC), Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), Fellow of the International Society of Electrochemistry (FISE)
  • Editor for Electrochimica Acta, Associate Editor for Canadian Journal of Chemistry, Editorial Board Member for Applied Sciences and Journal of Electrochemistry, Honorary Editorial Board Member for Pure and Applied Chemical Sciences
  • W.A.E. McBryde Medal from Canadian Society for Chemistry
  • RBC Innovation Award – Innovative Hero of the Year 2015

Media Coverage