As the global demand for cleaner, smarter, and more secure energy grows, materials science is taking centre stage. Researchers are designing new organic and hybrid materials capable of transforming how energy is generated, stored, and used. Abegunrin Tofunmi is one of those contributing to this transformation by developing next-generation materials that could enhance the efficiency and resilience of U.S. energy systems. His work focuses on understanding how molecular structures can be engineered to deliver both environmental benefits and energy security, a mission that aligns with national efforts to reduce dependence on non-renewable resources.
We spoke with Abegunrin to explore how their research bridges fundamental science and real-world impact, and how innovations in organic materials may hold the key to a more sustainable, secure energy future.
As the world zeroes in on renewable energy, another transformation in materials is taking shape. What makes this shift so significant?
That is true. When people think of energy innovation, they picture solar panels or electric vehicles. But the real breakthroughs often happen in the materials behind those technologies. Every advance in performance, whether it is faster charging, higher efficiency, or lower cost, depends on what materials we use and how we design them.
Traditional materials like lithium, cobalt, and nickel have powered much of our progress, especially in batteries and clean energy systems. However, they pose certain challenges: they’re expensive, environmentally intensive to extract, and unevenly distributed across the globe. That’s why researchers like me are exploring new classes of materials that are more sustainable, abundant, and versatile to power the next generation of energy systems.
Your work focuses on organic and hybrid materials. How do these differ from conventional materials, and what makes them promising for future energy systems?
Organic and hybrid materials combine the best of both worlds. They merge the flexibility and tunability of organic chemistry with the durability and performance of inorganic components. This means we can design materials at the molecular level to achieve specific energy goals, like better light absorption for solar cells or improved ion transport for batteries.
My research focuses on developing these next-generation materials, and over the past two years, I have developed a new methodology for pyrene aldehydes and synthesised a novel series of pyrene sulfoxides and sulfides. These compounds have unique electronic and photonic properties that make them useful in sensors, optoelectronics, and potentially in light-harvesting applications.
Currently, I’m exploring boron–carbon–nitrogen (BCN) systems and other hybrid materials. These materials combine the lightweight, tunable nature of organic compounds with the durability of inorganic structures making them especially promising for energy storage, catalysis, and thermal management, which are fields where both efficiency and long-term stability are critical.
What’s exciting is that these materials can often be made from earth-abundant, recyclable, or even biodegradable sources. They’re lightweight, cost-effective, and can be processed at low temperatures, making them suitable for large-scale production. That combination of performance, sustainability, and scalability is what makes them truly transformative for the future of energy.
How is global demand shaping this push for new energy materials?
The world’s energy demand is projected by the International Energy Agency (IEA) to grow by around 35% by 2040. At the same time, we’re striving to achieve net-zero emissions within that same period. Those two pressures create an enormous scientific and engineering challenge.
Meeting this demand sustainably means developing materials that do more with less, lighter components, more stable compounds, and efficient storage and conversion systems. For instance, a modest 10% increase in a battery’s energy density could reduce the weight of an electric vehicle’s battery pack by hundreds of kilograms. That is an improvement that has the potential to translate into major technical and economic gains.
We’ve heard a lot about perovskites revolutionising solar technology. What makes them so exciting?
Perovskites are extraordinary materials. In just a decade, they’ve achieved more than 26% solar conversion efficiency, which is a remarkable rate when compared to silicon’s decades-long evolution. What makes perovskites special is their versatility. They can be printed on flexible films, integrated into lightweight devices, and even combined with traditional silicon to form tandem solar cells that capture a broader range of sunlight.
However, perovskites are sensitive to moisture and oxygen, which leads to degradation over time, so the challenge lies in improving their stability and durability. Enhancing their long-term performance under real-world conditions is an active area of research. If we can solve that problem, perovskites could dramatically lower the cost of solar energy and accelerate the global transition to renewable power.
Energy materials are often discussed in the context of sustainability, but how do they also relate to energy security?
Energy security is a crucial and sometimes overlooked aspect of sustainability. Many of the key elements used in today’s energy technologies, such as lithium, cobalt, and platinum, are concentrated in just a few regions of the world. This concentration makes global energy systems vulnerable to supply disruptions and price volatility.
By designing new materials from earth-abundant elements, we can reduce dependency on geopolitically sensitive resources and make our supply chains more resilient. The U.S. Department of Energy recognises this, and it invested more than $700 million into advanced materials and clean energy manufacturing in 2024. Likewise, the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 supports energy research and domestic innovation. The message is becoming very clear: whoever leads in materials science will lead in clean energy.
Beyond materials design, how do these innovations connect to broader technologies like hydrogen and grid systems?
AThat is a great question. Hydrogen is often called the “fuel of the future,” but storing and transporting it safely is fundamentally a materials problem. For instance, researchers are now developing metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) which are porous materials that can store hydrogen efficiently at lower pressures, improving both safety and performance.
Similarly, in modern energy grids, new materials are improving conductivity and thermal management, enabling systems handle higher loads from intermittent renewable sources. Whether it’s a hydrogen cell, a turbine blade, or a smart battery, materials science is the invisible backbone that makes these systems reliable and efficient.
Artificial intelligence is transforming many fields. How is it changing the discovery of new energy materials?
AI has become a game-changer for materials science. In the past, discovering a new compound could take years of trial and error. Now, with machine learning and data-driven modeling, we can screen thousands of possible materials virtually and focus only on the most promising candidates for synthesis.
For instance, AI tools can predict properties like electronic conductivity or thermal stability based on chemical structure. This helps researchers identify optimal combinations for specific applications, say, for improving perovskite stability or designing battery electrodes in a fraction of the time. AI isn’t replacing chemists; it is augmenting creativity. It helps us see patterns that humans might miss and accelerates innovation. I believe the future of materials discovery will be a true partnership between computational intelligence and human insight.
Circular economic principles are also gaining attention globally. How do they intersect with materials research for energy applications?
That is an increasingly important dimension. The clean energy transition cannot rely on a linear model of extracting, using, and discarding materials. We need a circular approach, where materials are designed from the start to be reused, recycled, or repurposed. For example, researchers are now developing recyclable battery chemistries that allow recovery of valuable elements without generating toxic waste. Similarly, many organic and polymer-based materials can often be reprocessed more easily than metals. In my own field, one exciting direction is designing materials that maintain structural integrity after multiple life cycles.
A truly sustainable energy system is one where materials not only perform well but also return safely and efficiently into the production chain. That’s how we close the loop scientifically, economically, and environmentally.
Finally, what drives your passion for this work — and what’s your vision for the future of energy materials research?
I’m driven by the idea that materials science sits at the intersection of innovation and impact. When we discover new material, we don’t just publish a paper; we open a door to cleaner air, better technology, and a more sustainable world.
My current work is part of a broader effort to prepare the U.S. for a cleaner and more secure energy future, and I believe the future of energy will be built molecule by molecule. The next generation of breakthroughs won’t come from a single invention, but from how we integrate materials, data, and design across disciplines. That’s where the real transformation will happen, at the intersection of chemistry, computation, and sustainability.
My hope is that the next generation of researchers sees energy materials not just as chemistry, but as a way to change how we live responsibly, intelligently, and sustainably.
