DIGIBAT Enters an Exciting New Stage of Research

DIGIBAT is entering an exciting new stage of research.

After a significant period of development, preparation, and collaboration, we are delighted to see a number of exciting research directions now taking shape. We look forward to sharing future publications from the team in due course.

A huge thank you to Jingyu Feng for his continued support, and to all the brilliant students, supervisors, and collaborators involved in bringing this work forward.

We are excited for what comes next.

For more information and videos, please click here: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:ugcPost:7498635397221187584/

Farewell to Visiting PhD Students Yabo and Kaile

We are sad to say goodbye to two fantastic visiting PhD students from China, Yabo from Northeast Forestry University and Kaile from Tsinghua University.

Over the past few months, both have made outstanding contributions to our group’s research. Yabo worked on the selective electrooxidation of glycerol to lactic acid, while Kaile contributed to our understanding of how biomass precursors influence the performance of sodium-ion battery anodes.

It has been a pleasure to have them both in the group, not only for their excellent scientific contributions, but also for the enthusiasm, curiosity, and friendship they brought to our team.

We will miss them and wish them every success as they complete their PhDs and move on to the next chapter of their careers. We look forward to seeing all the great things they will achieve.

Faraday Discussions on Electrochemical Interfaces in Beyond Lithium-Ion Batteries

It was a pleasure to attend the Faraday Discussions at the Royal Society of Chemistry on Electrochemical Interfaces in Beyond Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The meeting provided a fantastic opportunity for members of the group to reconnect with collaborators from Collège de France through the Imperial College London–CNRS partnership, as well as with collaborators and group members from WPI-AIMR, Tohoku University.

Events like this are a wonderful reminder that great science is built not only on inspiring research, but also on international collaboration, lively discussions, and long-lasting friendships.

We are grateful for such an engaging and enjoyable meeting, full of exciting science and valuable exchange.

Congratulations to Helen Tyrrell on Passing Her PhD Viva

Congratulations to Helen Tyrrell on successfully passing her PhD viva in the Department of Chemical Engineering.

Her viva was marked by engaging discussions, reflecting the strength and impact of her research. Helen carried out outstanding work on the electrolysis of PET-derived ethylene glycol to produce glycolic acid and hydrogen, providing important insights into reaction mechanisms, the role of different catalysts, and performance at high current densities.

We would like to thank Laurie King and Salvador Eslava for serving as excellent examiners, and Hui Luo for co-supervision throughout this project.

We are delighted that Helen will continue this research with us, further advancing understanding of the process and supporting its scale-up.

Launching the Discovery Benchmark Dataset for AI-Driven Battery Research

We are excited to announce the release of the Discovery Benchmark Dataset, developed at DIGIBAT and now available on Zenodo.

The open-access dataset includes ~250 lithium-ion coin cells fabricated using automated assembly platforms at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London. Designed with FAIR principles and powered by the BattINFO ontology, it connects materials characterisation, electrode data, and electrochemical performance into a complete, AI-ready digital workflow.

This work highlights how automation, data infrastructure, and AI can come together to accelerate battery research and materials discovery.

We thank all contributors and project leads for making this milestone possible, and invite you to explore the dataset and learn more about the future of automated, data-driven research.

For more details and videos, please click here.

Great Exhibition Road Festival 2026: A Great Success

We are delighted to share highlights from a fantastic two days at the Great Exhibition Road Festival 2026.

It was a rewarding experience to demonstrate the realities of lab automation to a wider audience. We are increasingly seeing exciting developments at the intersection of research, automation, design, and engineering, and it was a pleasure to share this with the public.

Delivering an outreach stand of this scale requires a truly collaborative effort. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all those who made it possible:

Our researchers, who continuously share their passion and expertise: Morven, Marie-Louis, Felix, Caiwu, Jesús, Shivam, Riya, Bethan, Guanglei, Manish, Guangmeimei, Boxi, and Martina.

The organisers, coders, and engineers who developed the interactive activities and prepared the AI-driven demonstrations: Alex, Andrijana, Sushila, Sheares, and Jingyu.

Special thanks also to Magdalena, Ifan, and Sam for their invaluable support.

Finally, thank you to everyone who visited our stand, we hope you enjoyed the experience as much as we did.

Please click here for more details and videos:)

Academic Visit to China: Strengthening Global Research Connections

We are delighted to share highlights from a recent visit to China by Prof. Magdalena Titirici, which included a series of inspiring academic engagements and institutional visits.

The trip began in Beijing, where Prof. Titirici delivered a plenary lecture at CARBOCAT 11, followed by an invited talk at Tsinghua University as part of the Doctoral Academic Forum in the Department of Chemical Engineering. It was also a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with long-term collaborators, former students, and colleagues.

Further visits included the Institute of Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, where discussions were held with leading researchers in the field, as well as a stop at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Hefei. At USTC, Prof. Titirici delivered a talk on N₂ and CO₂ reduction in organic electrolytes and toured state-of-the-art facilities, including advanced AI-driven robotic platforms supporting research across a wide range of chemistry disciplines.

The visit concluded in Xiamen with a tour of HiTHIUM Energy Storage, where Prof. Titirici engaged with a dynamic team of scientists and explored ongoing developments and future challenges in sodium-ion battery technologies.

This visit provided valuable opportunities for scientific exchange, collaboration, and insight into the rapid progress and investment in research and innovation across China.

Rodrigo's Talk on Architecting Carbon from Renewable Materials

We are very happy to host Dr. Rodrigo Martinez-Duarte for a wonderful talk at Imperial College London. As part of the Fulbright Intercountry Lecture Program, Dr. Martinez-Duarte shared inspiring insights on architecting carbon from renewable materials.

It was a pleasure to welcome him to our department and lab, and to engage in stimulating discussions on sustainable materials, carbon for batteries and catalysts, and automation. We are grateful for the opportunity to exchange ideas and look forward to continuing these valuable conversations.

Christmas Party 2025

We wrapped up the year with a fantastic joint Christmas Party together with Ifan Stephens’ group! With delicious Malaysian food from Cempaka, plenty of festive fun, and even some karaoke to finish the night, it was a wonderful way to celebrate the end of the year.

Huge thanks to Morven for organising the event, and to Magda and Ifan for making it possible for us to enjoy such a great celebration.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

HappyMAT at Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2025

We are proud to share we had a stall at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2025, held at Carlton House Terrace from 1st–6th July 2025. It was a wonderful event where the Titirici group was represented by the VALUED programme grant with many volunteers. It was especially engaging to highlight our efforts towards a more sustainable future with the general public and also the younger generation. We hope you had a chance to swing by last week!

Congratulations to Anastasia Teck and Jinglin Jiang for passing their viva!

Huge congratulations to both Anastasia Teck and Jinglin Jiang for passing their viva, we all look forward to seeing what the future holds!

Christmas Party 2024

We were able to end the year with a fantastic joint Christmas Party with Ifan Stephens’ group! We had delicious Malaysian food thanks to Cempaka, lots of festive fun and even some Karaoke to see the year out. Thanks to Craig and Morven for organising the party and to Magda and Ifan for allowing us to have such a great celebration.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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