Curriculum Vitae

Education

Doctor of Philosophy, Nanoscale Science

College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Albany, August 2016

  • Cumulative GPA: 3.57 out of 4.00
  • Dissertation: “Development of Integrated TiO2 on Carburized Si Nanowires as a Catalyst/Support Structure for Alkaline Fuel Cells”

Bachelor of Science, Physics

Le Moyne College, Syracuse, NY, May 2007

  • Cumulative GPA: 3.82 out of 4.00
  • Graduated Magna Cum Laude
  • Did undergraduate research and presented on work at 2007 American Physical Society March Meeting in Denver, CO
  • Participated in Integral Honors Program, which including writing an undergraduate thesis to earn Integral Honors Degree
  • Minored in Philosophy

Research Experience

Characterizing Effect of Ionomer Loading on ORR Kinetics of Silver Nanowires in KOH

  • Made ink using commercial silver nanowires and various quantities of anionomer solution
  • Electrochemically characterized using rotating ring-disc electrode (RRDE) in KOH electrolyte
  • Conducted cyclic voltammetry (CV) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) polarization experiments
  • Looked at effect of ionomer loading on oxygen kinetics using Koutecky-Levich analysis

Synthesis of MnOx via Hydrothermal Synthesis

  • Planned out and analyzed data using design of experiment (DOE) and Minitab
  • Used Mn(MO3)2 as precursor and sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) as surfactant
  • Combined solutions, then sealed and heated in autoclave
  • Varied solution ratios, temperature, and time
  • Used Taguchi methods to strategically alter variables in order to optimize results
  • Dispersed resulting MnOx particles in AgNO3 solution and used 365 nm light to photoelectrochemically deposit silver
  • Physically characterized Ag/MnOx using SEM, EDS, XPS, etc.
  • Made ink from powders and electrochemically characterized using RRDE in KOH electrolyte

Accelerated Testing of Pt/Nb-TiO2

  • Collaborated with Canadian partner, Ballard Power Systems
  • Mixed solutions of boric acid, ammonium hexafluorotitanate, ammonium fluoroniobate
  • Pluronic P-123 added as surfactant to control particle size
  • Mixture stirred thoroughly until particle precipitated out
  • Precipitate dried and annealed in quartz tube furnace to remove residual fluorine
  • Platinum reduced from chloroplatinic acid hexahydrate precursor using HCl to deposit onto Nb-TiO2
  • Resulting Pt/Nn-TiO2 physically characterized and subject to electrochemical endurance testing in perchloric acid electrolyte
  • Coordinated with contacts at Ballard, including through teleconferencing

Synthesis of TiO2 on Carburized Si Nanowires

  • Electroless wet chemical etch of Si wafer using piranha etch to form Si nanowires
  • Annealed in quartz tube furnace flowing methane to carburize nanowires
  • Used sol-gel technique to deposit TiO2 onto carburized Si nanowires
  • Produced inks from resultant nanosctructures
  • Electrochemically characterized using rotating ring-disc electrode in KOH electrolyte

Weekly Group Meetings and Colloquia

  • Gave regular reports providing updates on research
  • Participated in weekly group meetings
  • Attended colloquia and presented annually on work done

Core Competencies

Laboratory and Experimentation

  • Maintaining clean lab area
  • Keeping organized lab notes
  • Safety training and observance of best practices
  • Design of experiment (DOE) techniques
  • Taguchi methods and use of Minitab

Materials Science

  • Synthesis of composite nanostructured materials
  • Work with noble metals and non-noble metal oxides
  • Synthesis of ceramic materials
  • Tailoring of complex nanostructured materials
  • Annealing of materials using quartz tube furnace
  • Structural and compositional analysis through a variety of metrology techniques

Electrochemistry

  • Preparation of catalyst inks
  • Rotating ring-disc electrode (RRDE)
  • Cyclic voltammetry
  • Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) polarization
  • Koutecky-Levich analysis
  • Electrochemical endurance testing

Wet Chemistry

  • Hydrothermal synthesis
  • Sol-gel synthesis
  • Electroless chemical etching
  • Deposition via photoreduction

Physical Characterization

  • Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
  • Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS)
  • X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)
  • Transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM)
  • Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS)

Communication

  • Writing reports and giving regular updates
  • PowerPoint presentations
  • Drafting manuscripts for peer-review publication
  • Teleconferencing

Professional Associations

  • Electrochemical Society
  • American Physical Society

Publications & Conferences

  • “Development of Integrated TiO2 on Carburized Si Nanowires as a Catalyst/Support Structure for Alkaline Fuel Cells,” A. J. Lemke, Doctoral Thesis, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany, 2016.
  • “Unexpected Hydrogen Oxidation Selectivity of Pt/NbTiO2 Catalysts,” D. Banham, S. Ye, A. O’Toole, A. Lemke and E. Eisenbraun, Nano Energy, 27 (2016), p. 157.
  • “The Effect of High Ionomer Loading with Silver Nanowires Catalysts on the Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Alkaline Environment,” A. J. Lemke, A. W. O’Toole, R. S. Phillips and E. T. Eisenbraun, J. Power Sources, 256 (2014), p. 319.
  • “Electrochemical Catalytic Behavior for Platinum Functionalized TiO2 Nanotube Arrays in PEM Fuel Cells,” A. Y. Kawde, A. W. O’Toole, X. He, R. Phillips, A. Lemke, T. Murray, R. Geer and E. Eisenbraun, MRS Proceedings, 1497 (2013).
  • “Decoherence and the Uncertainty Principle: Theory,” D. Craig and A. Lemke, 2007 APS March Meeting, Denver, CO.
  • “Decoherence and the Uncertainty Principle: Numerics,” D. Craig and A. Lemke, 2007 APS March Meeting, Denver, CO.