SSM Lab Opening

We are excited to introduce the newest addition to the robust facilities provided here at the International College at Tunghai University! Thanks to the great efforts of our SSM faculty—particularly professors Dr. Omar and Dr. Mishra—March 2023 marks the launching of our own laboratory! Focused on research for our sustainability and green energy goals, this facility is designed for green energy-conversion and energy-storage materials and is set to be equipped with all the tools needed for in-depth analysis including: glass wares, hot plate and stirrer, hydrothermal reaction vessel, micropipettes, an oven (200 degrees celsius max) with a vacuum pump, a laboratory weighing scale, pH meter, solar simulator lamps, photocatalysis reaction cell, tabletop darkroom setup, gas chromatograph with all the necessary chemicals, a electrochemical testing unit, a centrifuge, personal protective equipment, a high-temperature oven and more! The lab has also been equipped with argon and helium gasses and an emergency eye washing station.

        The establishment of this lab could not have been accomplished without the combined effort of everyone at the IC—Dean James Sims’ efforts were crucial in persuading authorities to provide us with a space for a lab, and assistants like Ms. Daisy Wang and Ms. Kelly Chen were pivotal to the process. IC team member Amber helped contact Prof. Chen-Peng Chen of China Medical University for the Laboratory Safety Training lecture for the students who will be using the lab facilities. Dr. Mishra sketched the layout for the lab, working with architects to refine the design, and wrote the first draft of the proposal for the budget for the construction of the lab that was submitted to the university. Student assistants have also been an integral part of the process, with Mr. Peter Shen (Senior) and Ms. Anne Cheng (Sophomore) working to prepare and obtain quotes for the lists of equipment and consumables for the lab.

        Students are to begin their exciting work and study at the lab! Dr. Mishra is excited for students to conduct research involving the synthesis and study of "the efficiency of various novel photocatalysts that can facilitate the generation of hydrogen. Another direction of research with the photocatalysis setup will be centering on photocatalysts for solar carbon (carbon dioxide) capture- conversion to value-added products such as formic, acid, methanol, methane, etc. Further, the same setup can be used for research on photocatalysts that can aid the degradation of organic pollutants. There is an undergraduate student (a junior) who wants to work on transparent wood as a potential construction material. The application will be indoor air purification and building-integrated photovoltaics. Catalysts for application in fuel cells will be studied too.” In regards to energy storage, she hopes “we can synthesize and study electrocatalysts for application in lithium and sodium-ion batteries and supercapacitors” and work on the topics of hydrogen fuel cells, and semiconductors-carbon composites for applications in supercapacitors. Many SSE students have already become acquainted with the facilities through a series of safety training procedures and we here at the IC are excited to see the fruitful research and projects that they are to embark on!