20 Nov 2025
Bridging Algorithms and Atoms: Machine Learning Meets Materials Science series
Join us for the 7th Machine Learning Meets Materials Science Seminar, part of the WASP–WISE initiative! Mark your calendars: November 26 at 10:00!
25 Nov 2025
Exploring the Future of Sustainable Energy: Meet WISE Guest Professor Sandrine Lyonnard
Energy storage is one of the great scientific challenges of our time. To move toward a more sustainable society, we need batteries that are not only efficient but also environmentally responsible.
Professor Sandrine Lyonnard, WISE Guest Professor at Uppsala University, is dedicated to uncovering the science that will make this possible.
We had the pleasure of sitting down with Professor Lyonnard to learn more about her work, inspirations, and her perspective on sustainability in energy materials.
What’s the main subject you investigate in your work?
“My research focuses on the characterization of energy materials and devices using neutron and synchrotron techniques”, explains Professor Sandrine Lyonnard, WISE Guest Professor at Uppsala University.
“We use these advanced methods to reveal how materials in rechargeable batteries behave and degrade over time”.
Her team develops multimodal and multitechnique workflows that combine scattering, spectroscopy, and nanotomography to build a holistic picture of how structure, chemistry, and electronic properties interact. This helps scientists understand what happens inside silicon-graphite anodes, oxide cathodes, polymers, and composite electrolytes — knowledge that can lead to better, longer-lasting batteries.
How does your research contribute to sustainability?
“Batteries are key to a decarbonized society. By understanding how materials degrade, we can design batteries that are more sustainable and efficient”.
Her research contributes to CRM-free (critical raw material-free) and PFAS-free systems, paving the way for cleaner, more circular energy technologies.
What inspired you to become a researcher, and specifically in this field?
“I’ve always been fascinated by invisible phenomena. Large-scale facilities allow us to look inside matter at the smallest scales.
I entered the battery field about 15 years ago and was captivated by its relevance to sustainability and its strong link to both fundamental science and industry”.
How does your work address the challenges of a sustainable future?
Professor Lyonnard’s research not only advances next-generation battery materials but also contributes to developing fundamental scientific methodologies used across disciplines — from catalysis and metallurgy to biotechnology and even cancer research.
“These neutron and synchrotron tools are evolving rapidly and provide powerful insights into dynamic processes in complex materials”, she explains.
About Professor Sandrine Lyonnard
- Title: WISE Guest Professor, Uppsala University
- Field: Characterization of energy materials using neutron and synchrotron techniques
- Research focus: Reaction and degradation mechanisms in rechargeable batteries
- Sustainability contribution: Advancing CRM-free and PFAS-free energy systems
- Education: Engineering degree and PhD in Physics, Orsay University (France)
- Expertise: Neutron spectroscopy, x-ray scattering, tomography, and multimodal multiscale analysis
