Dr. Sudhan Nagarajan

Research interests

• Li-ion cathode chemistry (Ni- and Co-free, anion redox)
• Solid-state materials and electrochemistry
• High-temperature electrode–electrolyte interfaces

Education

• Ph.D., Mechanical EngineeringWayne State University
  Aug 2019 – Mar 2025 (Winter 2025) · Advisor: Prof. Leela Arava · Dissertation: Fundamental Understanding and Designing of Nickel and Cobalt Free Cathodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries
• M.S.Wayne State University
  2022
• B.Tech.CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI), India
  2017

Experience

• Research ScientistWayne State University, Mechanical Engineering (Arava Research Group)
  Jun 2025 – present
• Postdoctoral FellowWayne State University
  Mar – Jun 2025
• Graduate Research AssistantWayne State University
  2019 – 2025

Honors & credentials

• ECS F. M. Becket Summer Fellowship, 2022
• Thomas C. Rumble Graduate Fellowship, Wayne State, 2021
• 23rd National School on Neutron and X-ray Scattering (Argonne / Oak Ridge), 2021
• Ralph H. Kummler Distinguished Achievement Award, 2023
• Contributed talk, ORNL Neutron Scattering and Electrochemistry Workshop, 2023
• Poster, NSLS-II / CFN Users’ Meeting, Brookhaven National Laboratory, 2022

Publications (10)

• 2025Sudhan Nagarajan, Sooyeon Hwang, Cherno Jaye, Conan Weiland, Debora Motta Meira, Mahalingam Balasubramanian, and Leela Mohana Reddy Arava. Investigation of electrode-electrolyte interfaces to enable non-flammable Li-ion batteries operating up to 125°C with liquid electrolyte. Cell Reports Physical Science, 6(5), 102597 (2025). Link ↗
• 2025Veka Sri Ganesan, Sudhan Nagarajan, and Leela Mohana Reddy Arava. A Boron-Based Anion-Receptor Additive for High-Loading Lithium–Sulfur Batteries under Lean Electrolyte Conditions. ACS Applied Energy Materials, 8(5), 2810–2818 (2025). Link ↗
• 2025Electrolyte Design Using a Boron-Based Anion Receptor Additive for Practical Lithium-Sulfur Batteries. ECS Meeting Abstracts Link ↗
• 2024Sudhan Nagarajan, Subhayan Roychoudhury, Conan Weiland, Debora Motta Meira, Mahalingam Balasubramanian, David Prendergast, Sooyeon Hwang, and Leela Mohana Reddy Arava. Unleashing the Potential of Fast Charging Batteries: Leveraging Anion Redox Chemistry in Ni- and Co-Free Cathodes. Chemistry of Materials, 36(18), 8623–8638 (2024). Link ↗
• 2022Kiran Mahankali, Sundeep Varma Gottumukkala, Nirul Masurkar, Naresh Kumar Thangavel, Rahul Jayan, Abdulrazzag Sawas, Sudhan Nagarajan, Md Mahbubul Islam, and Leela Mohana Reddy Arava. Unveiling the Electrocatalytic Activity of 1T′-MoSe₂ on Lithium-Polysulfide Conversion Reactions. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 14(21), 24486–24496 (2022). Link ↗
• 2022Sudhan Nagarajan, Conan Weiland, Sooyeon Hwang, Mahalingam Balasubramanian, and Leela Mohana Reddy Arava. Depth-Dependent Understanding of Cathode Electrolyte Interphase (CEI) on the Layered Li-Ion Cathodes Operated at Extreme High Temperature. Chemistry of Materials, 34(10), 4587–4601 (2022). Link ↗
• 2022Investigating Mixed Cationic and Anionic Redox Chemistry in Chalcogen Based Cathodes for Li-Ion Batteries. ECS Meeting Abstracts Link ↗
• 2021Sudhan Nagarajan, Sooyeon Hwang, Mahalingam Balasubramanian, Naresh Kumar Thangavel, and Leela Mohana Reddy Arava. Mixed Cationic and Anionic Redox in Ni and Co Free Chalcogen-Based Cathode Chemistry for Li-Ion Batteries. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 143(38), 15732–15744 (2021). Link ↗
• 2021Chalcogen-Based Anion Redox Cathode Chemistry for Li-Ion Batteries. ECS Meeting Abstracts Link ↗
• 2020Kiran Mahankali, Sudhan Nagarajan, Naresh Kumar Thangavel, Sathish Rajendran, Munaiah Yeddala, and Leela Mohana Reddy Arava. Metal-Based Electrocatalysts for High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: A Review. Catalysts, 10(10), 1137 (2020). Link ↗

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