Zachary Schiffer

I will be starting as an Assistant Professor of Applied Physics at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences in January, 2024. For more information on the group and the research we will be conducting, check out our group webpage!

I am a Resnick Sustainability Postdoctoral Scholar in Prof. Harry Atwater's lab at Caltech. My research focuses on system design and catalyst development for photo(electro)chemical processes. In particular, I am studying photo(electro)chemical nitrogen reduction to ammonia and building devices for carbon capture from seawater. My work lies at the intersection of materials chemistry, electrochemical engineering, and applied physics.

Previously, I conducted my Ph.D. research in Prof. Karthish Manthiram's lab at MIT, where I worked at the intersection of theory and experiment to develop routes for electrochemical nitrogen-cycle reactions and investigate the electrification and decarbonization of the chemical industry. As an undergraduate, I studied the mechanics of Li-ion batteries with Prof. Craig Arnold at Princeton University.

Experience

Education

• Thermodynamics  |
• Transport Phenomena  |
• Numerical Methods  |
• Electrochemical Engineering  |
• Quantum Chemistry  |
• Quantum Mechanics & Statistical Physics  |
• Solid State Physics & Stochastic Processes  |
• Materials Science and Engineering  |
• Polymers  |
• Differential Equations  |
• Algorithms & Data Structures  |
• Programming Systems  |
• Analysis of Big Data  |
• Information Security  |
• Science & Technology Policy Boot Camp  |
• Negotiation Analysis Boot Camp

Research

To see my research experiences, click here.

Broad research interests: driving forces for chemical reactions, electrochemical engineering, sustainable chemistry & catalysis, decarbonization, synergy between experimental and computational chemistry.

Ongoing projects: photo(electro)chemical nitrogen reduction, carbon capture from seawater, electrochemical mechanisms for carbon dioxide reduction.

Publications

For PDFs of manuscripts, please contact me via email

1.   Schiffer, Z.J; Lucas, E.; Watkins, N.B.; Ardo, S.; Xiang, C.X.; Atwater, H.A.; "Electrochemical Hydrogen Looping Cell for Acid and Base Generation in Direct Ocean Capture of Carbon Dioxide." Submitted.
2.   Schiffer, Z.J; "Reports From The Frontier-Heterogeneous Electrocatalysis for Sustainable Electrochemical Synthesis." Electrochemical Society Interface (2023).
3.   Watkins, N.B.;^† Schiffer, Z.J;^† Lai, Y.; Musgrave, C.B.; Atwater, H.A.; Goddard, W.A.; Peters, J; Agapie, T.; Gregoire, J; "Hydrodynamics Change Tafel Slopes in Electrochemical CO₂ Reduction on Copper." ACS Energy Letters (2023).
4.  Schiffer, Z.J.; Chung, M..; Steinberg, K.; Manthiram, K.; "Selective Electrochemical Reductive Amination of Benzaldehyde at Heterogeneous Metal Surfaces." Chem Catalysis (2023).
5.  Schiffer, Z.J.; Biswas, S.; Manthiram, K.; "Ammonium Formate as a Safe, Energy-Dense Ionic Liquid." ACS Energy Letters (2022).
6.   Schiffer, Z.J.; Limaye, A. M.; Manthiram, K.; Thermodynamic Discrimination between Energy Sources for Chemical Reactions." Joule (2021).
7.   Park, J.; Jin, J.; Sahasrabudhe, A.; Chiang, P.; Maalouf, J.H.; Koehler, F.; Rosenfeld, D.; Rao, S.; Tanaka, T.; Khudiyev, T.; Schiffer, Z.J.; Fink, Y.; Yizhar, O.; Manthiram, K.; Anikeeva. P.; "In situ electrochemical generation of nitric oxide for neuronal modulation." Nature Nanotech (2020).
8.   Schiffer, Z.J.; Lazouski, N.; Corbin, N.; Manthiram, K.; Nature of the first electron transfer in electrochemical ammonia activation in a non-aqueous medium." J. Phys. Chem (2019).
9.   Yang, D.; Zhu, M.; Schiffer, Z.J.; Williams, K; Song, X.; Liu, X.; Manthiram, K.; Direct electrochemical carboxylation of benzylic C-N bonds with carbon dioxide." ACS Catalysis (2019).
10.   Lazouski, N.; Schiffer, Z.J.; Williams, K; Manthiram, K.; Understanding Continuous Lithium-Mediated Electrochemical Nitrogen Reduction." Joule (2019).
11.   Schiffer, Z.J. and Manthiram, K.; Electrification and Decarbonization of the Chemical Industry." Joule (2017).
12.   Schiffer, Z.J. and Arnold, C.B.; Characterization and Model of Piezoelectrochemical Energy Harvesting Using Lithium ion Batteries." Experimental Mechanics (2017).
13.   Schiffer, Z.J.; Cannarella, J.; Arnold, C.B.; Strain Derivatives for Practical Charge Rate Characterization of Lithium Ion Electrodes." The Journal of the Electrochemical Society (2016).
14.   Garrison, B. J.;Schiffer, Z.J.; Kennedy, P. E.; Postawa, Z.; Modeling Dynamic Cluster Sims Experiments." Surface and Interface Analysis (2013).
15.   Schiffer, Z.J.; Kennedy, P. E.; Postawa, Z.; Garrison, B.J.; Molecular Dynamics Simulations Elucidate the Synergy of C60 and Low-Energy Ar Cobombardment for Molecular Depth Profiling." The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters (2011).

---

Presentations

• Schiffer, Z.J.; Voltage As a Driving Force for Sustainably Forming Chemical Bonds
  • Poster at the 2022 AIChE meeting in Phoenix, AZ (abstract)
• Schiffer, Z.J.; Xiang, CX; Atwater, H.A.; Electrochemical Hydrogen Looping for Carbon Dioxide Capture from Ocean Water.
  • Talk at the 2023 Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage GRS in Les Diablerets, VD, Switzerland(abstract)
  • Poster at the 2023 Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage GRC in Les Diablerets, VD, Switzerland (abstract)
  • Invited Talk at the Caltech Resnick Sustainability Institute seminar series 2022 (abstract)
• Schiffer, Z.J.; Manthiram, K.; Voltage as a Driving Force for Ammonia Activation.
  • Talk at the 2022 AIChE meeting in Phoenix, AZ (abstract)
  • Invited Award Talk at the 2022 ECS meeting in Vancouver, BC (abstract)
• Schiffer, Z.J.; Chung, M.; Steinber, K.; Manthiram, K.; Selective Electrochemical Reductive Amination of Benzaldehyde Using a Silver Catalyst.
  • Talk at the 2021 AIChE meeting in Boston, MA (abstract)
  • Talk at the 2020 AIChE Virtual meeting (abstract)
• Schiffer, Z.J.; Limaye, A.M.; Manthiram, K.; Thermodynamic Discrimination between Energy Sources for Chemical Reactions.
  • Talk at the 2021 AIChE meeting in Boston, MA (abstract)
  • Talk at the 2020 AIChE Virtual meeting (abstract)
• Schiffer, Z.J.; Biswas, S.; Manthiram, K.; Ammonium Formate As a Safe, Energy-Dense Electrochemical Fuel Ionic Liquid.
  • Virtual Talk at the AFOSR Ionic Liquid Workshop in Jan. 2023 (slides)
  • Talk at the 2022 AIChE meeting in Phoenix, AZ (abstract)
  • Talk at the 2021 AIChE meeting in Boston, MA (abstract)
  • Virtual poster at the 2020 MIT Energy Initiative Annual Research Conference (slides)
• Schiffer, Z.J.; Lazouski, N.; Corbin, N.; Manthiram, K.; Nature of the First Electron Transfer in Electrochemical Ammonia Activation in a Nonaqeuous Medium.
  • Talk at the 2019 AIChE meeting in Orlando, FL (abstract)
  • Talk at the 26th meeting of the North American Catalysis Society in Chicago, IL (abstract)
• Schiffer, Z.J.; Cannarella, J.; Arnold, C.B.; Characterizing Lithium-Ion Electrodes at Practical Charge Rates with Strain.
  • Talk at the 2016 Spring Materials Research Society meeting in Phoeniz, AZ (abstract)
  • Poster 2015 Mid-Atlantic Student AIChE Conference at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD

---

Patents & Patent Applications

• Provisional Patent Application, "Electrochemical Hydrogen Looping for Acid and Base Generation," Oct. 10, 2022. Inventors: H.A. Atwater (Pasadena, CA), Z.J. Schiffer (Pasadena, CA), C. Xiang (Pasadena, CA).
• Patent No. US20220298650A1, "Ionic Liquid Based Materials and Catalysis for Hydrogen Release," Sept. 16, 2020. Inventors: V. Viswanathan (Pittsburgh, PA), D. Krishnamurthy (Pittsburgh, PA), K. Manthiram (Cambridge, MA), Z.J. Schiffer (Cambridge, MA)

---

Funded Proposals

• Title: Ionic liquids as safe, energy-dense electrochemical fuels. Funding Source: Air Force Office of Scientific Research (2021). Contributions: Conceptualization and writing with K. Manthiram.
• Title: Sustainable Ammonia Synthesis for Zero-Carbon Fertilizers and Fuels. Funding Source: CalTech Resnick Sustainability Institute (2022). Contributions: Writing of section on photocatalytic nitrogen reduction.

---

Reviewing Experience

Joule; ACS Nano Letters, Chem Catalysis

ARPA-E, Resnick Instittue (Caltech), ACS Petroleum Research Fund

Awards

More information

Leadership, Workshops, & Activities

Provide paid consulting advice to startup companies on a range of topics, generally focused on electrochemistry and the chemical & energy industries.

A five-day training course on fundamentals of electrochemistry that combines class time and hands-on laboratory work. The class takes place at the Paris Diderot University and is limited to 10 participants.

Organizing and running the Sidney Pacific Student Residence with the other members of the executive council. In particular, directly in charge of all coordinating electronic resources and information distribution.

Helped organize and run energy-focused hackathon with participants from universities around the US. Built on previous experience leading hackathon advertising team in 2017.

Four-day program on Catalyzing Advocacy in Science and Engineering (CASE) in Washington D.C. Students learn about science policy and interact with policy makers through seminars and workshops.

Working with other officers to develop a new website for the graduate residence community.

---

Teaching

Research mentor to a group of local high school students interested in STEM. Guided them in a multi-month project focused on understanding solar energy applications through MudWatt experiments, solar desalination, and more.

Research mentor to a group of LA county high school students interested in STEM. Led them in a six-week project focused on understanding applications of electrochemistry.

"The course aims to develop understanding in the area of electrochemical energy systems by building on existing knowledge of thermodynamics, kinetics, and transport."

This was the second year that the course was taught by Prof. Manthiram, and along with my fellow TA, we developed a majority of the homework problems and exam problems. I also held weekly office hours to answer questions and discuss material in depth with the students.

Beyond the course material, I wrote a brief discussion of cell potentials and references based on fundamental chemical thermodynamics. I also designed and delivered a lecture on how a potentiostat works.

---

Computer Programming

• Python  |
• MATLAB  |
• Julia
• Java  |
• HTML  |
• JS  |
• UNIX  |
• Java  |
• C++

Contributed to Julia ApproxFun package for approximating and manipulating systems of equations and ODEs.

---

Miscellaneous