Paul Maldonado N., PhD Candidate

Education

2005.03 – 2011.12
Universidad Mayor de San Simón (Cochabamba, Bolivia)
B.S. in Chemical Engineering

2016.03 – 2018.02
Soonchunhyang University (Asan, South Korea)
M.S. in Chemical & Environmental Engineering
Advisor: Prof. Soon-Ki Jeong
Thesis title: Measurement of the Coulombic Efficiency as a Method for Understanding the Cycle Efficiency in Li/FeS2 Batteries
GKS Scholarship Recipient

2018.02 – 2024.12
Soonchunhyang University (Asan, South Korea)
Ph.D. in Future and Convergence Engineering Technology
Advisor: Prof. Soon-Ki Jeong
Dissertation title: Studies on Electrochemical Effects of Surface Modifications on Lithium Metal Negative Electrodes for Lithium Secondary Batteries
Woojung Scholarship Recipient

Experience

2011.04 – 2013.09
Researcher
Design, Manufacture, and Installation of Wind Turbines (500 to 1000 watts) for Water and Drinking Water Systems
Universidad Mayor de San Simón
[See online] [See online]

2012.05 – 2014.04
Head Project
Solar thermal project "EL SOL"
Energetica NGO
[See online]

2012.05 – 2014.04
Project Assistant
Project "CRIAR"
Energetica NGO
[See online]

2017.02 – 2018.05
Consultant
Environment and Energy Strategy Division
Eco&Partners, Seoul, South Korea

2018.02 – Present
Researcher
Research Laboratory, Department of Future and Convergence Engineering Technology
Soonchunhyang University
Conducting advanced research on electrochemical properties and energy storage systems during and after Ph.D. course. Currently working towards completing Ph.D. thesis defense.

Research interests

My research focuses on advancing next-generation materials for electrochemical energy storage, with a particular emphasis on high-performance lithium metal, silicon, sulfur and calcium-ion batteries. I am especially interested in developing and optimizing anode materials to improve battery safety, capacity, and cycling stability. My work includes lithium-ion battery cell testing, developing composite batteries, and conducting sustainable life-cycle analysis of materials to advance the energy storage industry’s environmental goals.

My approach includes:

-Designing, executing, and automating lithium-ion cell tests, including active material preparation, slurry and binder formulation, and electrochemical testing, to assess cell performance and safety

-Developing and running test scripts to automate testing across various cyclers

-Conducting electrochemical testing (including techniques such as EIS, CV, and GITT) and advanced characterization (using SEM, XRD, XPS, FTIR, and TGA) to evaluate material impacts on cell efficiency and stability.

-Collaborating with local companies, Phd and master students to process testing data, manage testing databases, and automate data post-processing and report generation.

-Documenting and sharing findings to support strategic development in cell engineering and battery sustainability.

Competencies

Project and Laboratory Management | Technical Writing | Research Paper Writing | Public Presentation | Cross-disciplinary Collaboration | Mentoring and Teaching

Testing Process Automation | Script Editing | Machine Test Setup | Test Monitoring | Result Export | Data Processing | Data Refinement in Origin

Technical Proficiencies

-Electrochemical Testing: Impedance Testing (including EIS and impedance fitting with ZViewV4), Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Galvanostatic Intermittent Titration Technique (GITT)

-Battery Assembly: Coin Cell (CR3032) Assembly, Three-Electrode Cell Assembly

-Analytical Characterization: SEM, XRD, XPS, TGA, FTIR, RAMAN, DSC

-Equipment and Lab Maintance: Glove Box Operation, Electrochemical Cell Design, Electrochemical Tester, Climate Temperature Chamber, Doctor Blade, 5-Ton Pressing Machine, Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Vacuum-Convection Oven, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD)

Software and Tools

-CAD and 3D Modeling: Advanced-level SolidWorks (CAD and basic thermal simulations), KeyShot (Advanced-level Rendering), Basic AutoCAD

-Simulation and Analysis: Basic-level heat transfer and flow simulations (SolidWorks, ANSYS), advanced-level OriginLab, intermediate-level MATLAB

-Data Analysis and Automation: Advanced-level Excel (Macros, VBA), Basic-level Python for data automation

-Impedance Fitting and Analysis: Advanced-level ZViewV4

-Graphics and Visualization: Intermediate-level Photoshop and Illustrator