Materials science and engineering doctoral student Zakariya Mohayman has the perfect research area befitting a Knight. His impactful work, uncovering what makes batteries “charge on,” was recently recognized at an international conference for energy storage held in Orlando last month.
Mohayman was recognized with the Best in Show award at the 43rd International Battery Seminar and Exhibition’s poster competition for his work, “Coal-Derived Silicon Oxycarbide Composite for Sustainable Li-ion Battery Anode,” which was sponsored by Oviedo-based battery company X-Batt and partially funded by the Florida High Tech Corridor. His poster earned the top honor from a total of 71 entries.
Originally from Bangladesh, Mohayman started at UCF in 2021. He chose UCF for its strong research reputation and state-of-the-art resources for advanced characterization and computational methods.
“I was especially interested in joining a group where I could combine experimental work with modeling, instead of treating them as two separate disciplines,” he says. “That combination was very important to me.”
He says he was drawn to Associate Professor Akihiro Kushima’s work, which focused on exactly what he was looking for: a novel approach to incorporating advanced microscopy with computational materials science.
“That combination is very powerful because it allows us to both observe material behavior directly and understand the atomic-level mechanisms behind it,” he says. “I felt that this environment would give me the right training to grow as a researcher and work on meaningful problems in energy materials.”
In his research, Mohayman studies advanced battery materials using in-situ electron microscopy and atomistic modeling, analyzing the electrochemical process within a battery while it is in use. His overall mission is to understand what keeps batteries from working by examining their materials to uncover why they degrade or fail.
“In simple terms, I study what is happening inside a battery while it is working, rather than only looking at it before and after,” he says. “This helps us understand how to design batteries that last longer, perform better and operate more safely.”
Mohayman’s work could have a widespread impact, as the world relies on portable, reliable power for so many applications.
“My research can help improve the design of next-generation batteries by giving a clearer understanding of how materials behave during charging and discharging,” he says. “That knowledge can be used to develop batteries with better lifetime, safety and performance. In the long run, this is important for applications such as electric vehicles, portable devices and grid energy storage.”
He says he’s honored and grateful to have been recognized at the symposium. Following graduation, he hopes to continue pursuing research in energy, working in characterization, microscopy and modeling.
In the meantime, his award serves as an ideal motivator to help him “charge on” to his goal of earning his advanced degree.
“It was a meaningful moment for me because research often involves a lot of patience, setbacks, and long-term effort that people do not always see,” Mohayman says. “Receiving the award felt like an acknowledgment of that work, and it motivated me to keep pushing forward.”
- Written by Bel Huston