Rao Lab
Cover story
Better batteries, from the atom up
Safer, longer-lasting energy storage built from abundant elements.
Now hiringWe are chemists, physicists and engineers working on the materials that will store the world’s clean energy. Our batteries use cheap, abundant elements, survive thousands of cycles and fail safely.
We build our own instruments to watch batteries while they work, and we share our data and code openly.
— Prof. Ananya RaoProfessor of Chemistry
Research
All research
Sodium-ion batteriesCathodes and electrolytes that replace scarce lithium and cobalt with sodium, iron and manganese.Explore 
Solid-state electrolytesCeramic and polymer electrolytes that make batteries that cannot catch fire.Explore 
Watching batteries workOperando X-ray and spectroscopy methods that follow a battery’s chemistry while it charges.Explore News
All news
Our moisture-proof cathode is on the cover of Nature EnergyPriya’s paper shows that a thin phosphate shell keeps sodium cathodes stable in humid air. Congratulations to everyone involved!
Welcome, Jonah and Ana!Two new members join the lab this semester: Jonah Brooks (PhD) and Ana Souza (MSc).
Ananya Rao receives the Swarnajayanti FellowshipThe fellowship supports five years of work on safer batteries for the grid.We’re recruiting
PhD positions in sodium-ion batteries · Postdoctoral researcher: operando X-ray methods · Summer research internships
Funding & affiliations
- National Research Foundation
- Clean Energy Mission
- Deccan Institute of Science
- Open Battery Consortium
- Materials Innovation Fund