The research in Prof. Shuqiang Jiao group is greatly interested in metallurgical and material physical chemistry fields, with the emphasis on new extraction and refinement approach of metal titanium, comprehensive utilization of complex titanium mineral resources, inert anode materials, molten oxides electrolysis, electrochemical capture and transformation of CO₂ in molten salts, novel aluminum-ion batteries, and so on.

The physical chemistry of metallurgy we have developed in previous years will be critical for the group research in forthcoming years. Future work in the group will primarily focus on Ti refining, electro-transformation of CO₂, and novel cathode materials and electrolytes for Al-ion batteries. Significant efforts will also be devoted to developing practical and industrial high-purity titanium and energy storage devices.

Research projects are active in the following areas:

Extraction and refinement of Ti

The Jiao laboratory has popularized the preparation of titanium metal using TiC_xO_y solid solution anode by molten salt electrolysis, advanced the semi-industrial experiment, optimized the high-purity titanium technology by electrolytic refining process, designed the pictographic electrodes and the structure of cathode and anode with matching current density, and realized the electrochemical preparation of 4N high-purity titanium.

Inert anode

The Jiao group has developed the series of oxide and ceramal inert anodes suitable for electrolytic process in molten salts, which are applied to the metal preparation by the electrochemical deoxidation, oxygen preparation in special environment, electrochemical transformation of CO₂ in molten salts.

Molten oxides electrolysis

With the oxide melt as electrolyte, the oxidation resistance alloy as inert anode, ferric oxide, titanium oxide and other metal oxide as raw active materials, the liquid iron, titanium and its alloy are obtained by electrolysis in the molten oxide electrolyte systems, meanwhile the oxygen gas is generated by the discharge of oxygen ion in anode interface.

Capture and transformation of CO₂

CO₂ capture is performed in different molten salts. And the electrochemical conversion of CO₂ into high value added carbon material such as ultrathin graphite sheets, graphene and carbon nanotubes, has been produced. Moreover, the process and mechanism of the electrochemical deoxidation of amorphous carbon are studied in molten salt system, and the electrochemical graphitization process of amorphous carbon is explored in lower temperature.

Aluminum-ion batteries

The technologies of aluminum-ion batteries based on graphitic carbon cathode materials are detailedly researched. The room-temperature ionic liquid, high-temperature molten salt and solid electrolyte are developed, and the large-capacity and high-stability cathode materials for aluminum-ion batteries are carried out.