Narrative CV

Dr. Chih Wei Chu is a Research Fellow specializing in sustainable energy research. His work focuses on next-generation solar cells with high conversion efficiency and high-energy-density batteries, driving innovation in energy materials. He earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from UCLA. With over 250 peer-reviewed publications and more than 23,000 citations (H-index: 70), his research has made a significant impact in photovoltaics and energy storage.

Dr. Chu leads two major research initiatives aimed at transforming the future of renewable energy and energy storage. The first focuses on developing high-efficiency perovskite/Si tandem solar cells to surpass the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit. By overcoming critical interfacial challenges, his team recently achieved an efficiency exceeding 31%, paving the way for more cost-effective and scalable solar energy solutions. The second project advances solid-state battery technology by designing high-ion-conductivity polymers with superior thermal stability. These breakthroughs are now being applied in real-world battery systems, enhancing safety and energy density, and accelerating the transition to a sustainable energy future.

Dr. Chu's future research aims to further advance high-efficiency solar energy and next-generation energy storage solutions while fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. By bridging fundamental research with practical applications, he strives to develop scalable, sustainable technologies that drive the global transition to clean energy. His work will continue to address critical challenges in renewable energy and battery safety, ensuring a lasting impact on both academia and society by accelerating the adoption of innovative energy solutions for a more sustainable future.

Education

• Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (2006)

Positions and Career

• Adjunct Professor, Institute of Applied Mechanics, National Taiwan University, (2024 – )
• Deputy Director, Research Center for Applied Sciences (RCAS), Academia Sinica (2016 – 2022)
• Acting Executive Officer of the thematic center for Mechanics and Engineering Science, Academia Sinica (2023 – )
• Adjunct Professor, Department of Photonics, National Yang- Ming Chiao Tung University (2019 – )
• Adjunct Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, (2017 – 2020)
• Research Fellow, RCAS, Academia Sinica (2014 – )
• Adjunct Professor, College of Engineering, Chang Gung University (2014 – )
• Associate Research Fellow, RCAS, Academia Sinica (2010 – 2014)
• Assistant Research Fellow, RCAS, Academia Sinica (2006 – 2010)

Honors and Awards

• 2022 World's Top 2% Scientists
• 2022 SPIE Senior Member
• 2019 Young Scientist of Asia Pacific Academy of Materials
• 2019 Associate Academician of Asia Pacific Academy of Materials
• 2014 Career Development Award, Academia Sinica

Selected Publications

• Chintam Hanmandlu, Rohan Paste, Hsinhan Tsai, Shyam Narayan Singh Yadav, Kuan-Wen Lai, Yen-Yu Wang, Chandra Shekar Gantepogu, Chen-Hung Hou, Jing-Jong Shyue, Yu-Jung Lu, Tushar Sanjay Jadhav, Jian-Ming Liao, Hsien-Hsin Chou, Hui Qi Wong, Ta-Jen Yen, Chao-Sung Lai, Dibyajyoti Ghosh, Sergei Tretiak, Hung-Ju Yen*, Chih Wei Chu*, "3D Nanographene Precursor Suppress Interfacial Recombination in PEDOT: PSS based Perovskite Solar Cells" Nano Energy, 107, 108136 (2023).
• Rohan Paste, Chintam Hanmandlu, Po-Yu Su, Cheng-Hung Hou, Hsin-An Chen, Chun-Wei Pao, Jing-Jong Shyue, Kuei-Hsien Chen, Heng-Liang Wu, Hong-Cheu Lin*, Chih Wei Chu*, "Intimate interaction of TFSI^- anions with MoO_3-x oxygen vacancies boost ionic conductivity of cathode-supported solid polymer electrolyte" Chemical Engineering Journal, 452, 139088 (2023).
• Syed Ali Abbas, Hsin-An Chen, Anisha Mohapatra, Anupriya Singh, Chun-Wei Pao, Chih Wei Chu*, "Sweetening Lithium Metal Interface by High Surface and Adhesive Energy Coating of Crystalline α-DGlucose Film to Inhibit Dendrite Growth" Small, 18, 2201349 (2022).
• Chintam Hanmandlu, Mamina Sahoo, Chi-Ching Liu, Yun-Chorng Chang, Chih Wei Chu*, Chao-Sung Lai*, "Few-layer fluorinefunctionalized graphene hole-selective contacts for efficient inverted perovskite solar cells" Chemical Engineering Journal, 430, 132831 (2021).
• Anupriya Singh, Po-Ting Lai, Anisha Mohapatra, Chien-Yu Chen, Hao- Wu Lin, Yu-Jung Lu, Chih Wei Chu*, "Panchromatic heterojunction solar cells for Pb-free All-Inorganic Antimony Based Perovskite" Chemical Engineering Journal, 419, 129424 (2021).
• Anisha Mohapatra, Anupriya Singh, Syed Ali Abbas, Yu-Jung Lu, Karunakara Moorthy Boopathi, Chintam Hanmandlu, Nahid Kaisar, Chih-Hao Lee, Chih-Wei Chu*, "Bilayer polymer solar cells prepared with transfer printing of active layers from controlled swelling/deswelling of PDMS" Nano Energy, 63, 103826 (2019).
• Mriganka Singh, Annie Ng, Zhiwei, Ren, Hanlin, Hu, Hong-Cheu Lin*, Chih Wei Chu*, Gang Li*, "Facile synthesis of composite tin oxide nanostructures for highperformance planar perovskite solar cells" Nano Energy, 60, 275 (2019).
• Yen-An Lu, Ting-Hsiang Chang, Shang-Hsuan Wu, Chi-Ching Liu, Kuan-Wen Lai, Yun-Chorng Chang, Yia-Chung Chiang, Hsin-Chun Lu, Chih Wei Chu, Kuo-Chuan Ho, Coral-like perovskite nanostructures for enhanced light-harvesting and accelerated charge extraction in perovskite solar cells", Nano Energy, 58, 138 (2019).

• Chintam Hanmandlu, Rohan Paste, Hsinhan Tsai, Shyam Narayan Singh Yadav, Kuan-Wen Lai, Yen-Yu Wang, Chandra Shekar Gantepogu, Chen-Hung Hou, Jing-Jong Shyue, Yu-Jung Lu, Tushar Sanjay Jadhav, Jian-Ming Liao, Hsien-Hsin Chou, Hui Qi Wong, Ta-Jen Yen, Chao-Sung Lai, Dibyajyoti Ghosh, Sergei Tretiak, Hung-Ju Yen*, Chih Wei Chu*, “3D Nanographene Precursor Suppress Interfacial Recombination in PEDOT: PSS based Perovskite Solar Cells” Nano Energy, 107, 108136 (2023).
• Rohan Paste, Chintam Hanmandlu, Po-Yu Su, Cheng-Hung Hou, Hsin-An Chen, Chun-Wei Pao, Jing-Jong Shyue, Kuei-Hsien Chen, Heng-Liang Wu, Hong-Cheu Lin*, Chih Wei Chu*, “Intimate interaction of TFSI−anions with MoO_3−x oxygen vacancies boost ionic conductivity of cathode-supported solid polymer electrolyte” Chemical Engineering Journal, 452, 139088 (2023).
• Syed Ali Abbas, Hsin-An Chen, Anisha Mohapatra, Anupriya Singh, Chun-Wei Pao, Chih Wei Chu*, "Sweetening Lithium Metal Interface by High Surface and Adhesive Energy Coating of Crystalline α-D-Glucose Film to Inhibit Dendrite Growth" Small, 18, 2201349 (2022).
• Chintam Hanmandlu, Mamina Sahoo, Chi-Ching Liu, Yun-Chorng Chang, Chih Wei Chu*, Chao-Sung Lai*, “Few-layer fluorine-functionalized graphene hole-selective contacts for efficient inverted perovskite solar cells” Chemical Engineering Journal, 430, 132831 (2021).
• Anupriya Singh, Po-Ting Lai, Anisha Mohapatra, Chien-Yu Chen, Hao-Wu Lin, Yu-Jung Lu, Chih Wei Chu*, “Panchromatic heterojunction solar cells for Pb-free All-Inorganic Antimony Based Perovskite” Chemical Engineering Journal, 419, 129424 (2021).