Welcome to the MRMES Lab website
Our research group aims to apply advanced solid-state NMR techniques, in combination with electrochemical characterisation, to the study of materials of interest as chemical power sources. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEM-FC) and secondary lithium ion batteries provide environmentally friendly energy alternatives. As yet under-exploited is the unique advantage of solid-state NMR for investigating the protons in PEM-FCs, and the lithium ions in Li-ion rechargeable batteries, which can be thought of as the “work horses” of these two systems. Solid-state NMR is well known for its ability to provide site-specific information on structure and dynamics. Processes and interactions such as hydrogen-bonding, ionic conductivity, and polymer chain ordering or mobility can be effectively probed. In recent years, the field of solid-state NMR has experienced rapid technological and methodological growth, allowing a broader range of materials questions to be addressed.
Our research extends the use of these powerful new methods to innovative, electrochemically-relevant materials in which structure-property relationships will be determined. As compared to solution-state NMR, where fast isotropic tumbling causes dipolar, quadrupolar, and chemical shielding anisotropies to be averaged, these interactions are retained in the solid state, and thus provide a rich source of information. Advanced solid-state NMR methods, including high-resolution ¹H NMR achieved at high speed Magic Angle Spinning (>30kHz), 2D homonuclear double quantum NMR, heteronuclear multiple quantum NMR, and 2D exchange are used to characterize both structure and dynamics.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion laboratory
The Magnetic Resonance & Material for Energy Storage Lab (or the Goward Group) acknowledges the value of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) principles within our lab. Our diverse group of undergraduate students; graduate students; postdoctoral researchers; and administrative and technical staff welcome the opportunity to work with and foster an environment that supports all members including those traditionally underrepresented in the field of chemistry. This includes but is not limited to Women, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Two Spirit, Intersex, Asexual, + (LGBTQ2SIA+), Black, Indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC), as well as those with visible or unseen disabilities, chronic illness, mental illness, and neurodivergence. In harmony with the McMaster University Equity and Inclusion Office’s “Guiding Principles for Best Practice”, Our lab continually works to build an inclusive atmosphere in which individuals are respected, feel supported, and treated fairly and equitably. We also acknowledge climate change’s disproportionate impact on under-represented groups and through our research and diverse membership aim towards a sustainable energy future with climate justice for all.
Job Opening
Help us help the world one battery at a time.
McMaster University, in partnership with Dr. Gillian Goward and the Faculty of Science have been awarded $1M to assess the Circular Economy for Endangered Elements Needed in Lithium-Ion Batteries and to implement advanced characterization strategies for evaluating recycled materials and LIB performance. We are looking for a postdoctoral fellowship (PDF) to join our team, working on this outstanding project.
This outstanding project will include collaboration with a forward-thinking industrial partner, and with academic teams synthesizing novel electrochemical materials. It is a unique opportunity to apply your knowledge, skills, and abilities to research that can have a direct impact on sustainability.
If you have prior experience in NMR and/or MRI, lithium-ion batteries, air-sensitive materials handling, and exposure to electrochemical systems this is the role for you. Interest and experience in battery recycling processes would also be valuable. The initial PDF contract will be for one year, with an option for renewal upon mutual agreement.
The Goward Group uses advanced solid-state NMR techniques to study changes to the structure and local dynamics in a wide variety of materials in the energy storage field. By combining spectroscopic and electrochemical methods, our lab aims to understand the microscopic details that ultimately lead to the production of better battery and fuel cell technologies.
McMaster University is a globally renowned institution of higher learning and a research community committed to advancing human and societal health and well-being. We are located on Lake Ontario, with easy access to both Toronto and Niagara Falls. The Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, with a contingent of 29 full-time faculty members, conducts leading-edge research and top-tier training of students in all areas of chemistry, and has achieved major breakthroughs in physical, inorganic, theoretical, analytical, and organic chemistry. We operate world-class facilities and instrumentation and maintain rich collaborative relationships with many McMaster research institutes and external academic and industrial partners.
The diversity of our group is at the core of our innovation and creativity and strengthens our research and teaching excellence. We strive to embody the values of respect, collaboration and diversity, and have a strong commitment to employment equity. We seek qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity and inclusion, who will contribute to the diversification of ideas and perspectives.
To find out more about recent activities and publications in the group, please visit our website.
Qualified candidates are invited to send their CV and a cover letter to Gillian at goward@mcmaster.ca.