Robert Weatherup

Robert Weatherup is Professor of Energy Materials in the Department of Materials at the University of Oxford, where he leads the Energy Materials Interfaces Group. Based in the Rex Richards building, his group pioneers interface-sensitive characterization techniques to study reactions critical to electrochemical energy storage, catalysis, and materials synthesis, with strong collaborations at Harwell Campus facilities including Diamond Light Source and ISIS Neutron and Muon Source.

His research focuses on understanding interfacial reactions in functional materials under operational conditions. Key interests include solid-gas, solid-liquid, and solid-solid interfaces in Li-ion batteries, solid-state batteries, and catalytic systems for sustainable reactions. The group develops operando X-ray and electron spectroscopy methods to probe buried interfaces, aiming to link interfacial structure to material function for designing advanced energy materials through specialized reaction environments and membrane-based techniques.

Recent publications demonstrate a concentrated trend toward operando studies of battery interfaces (cathode stabilization, SEI formation) and catalytic CO2 conversion, utilizing advanced spectroscopic techniques to reveal mechanistic insights under realistic electrochemical and thermal conditions across energy storage and sustainable chemistry domains.

Scientific Awards:

• Royal Society of Chemistry Joseph Black Prize

Professor Weatherup supervises a research team of six postdoctoral researchers, nine DPhil students, and two MEng students. His group secures substantial research grants for projects on energy storage and catalytic materials, with close partnerships at Harwell Campus facilities enabling cutting-edge in-situ experiments and methodology development for industrial and academic collaborators.

The Energy Materials Interfaces Group operates specialized laboratories in Oxford and maintains deep integration with Harwell Campus infrastructure. They design custom reaction cells for operando studies across electrochemical, gas, and liquid environments, with active beamtime allocations at Diamond Light Source and Alba Synchrotron, fostering cross-institutional collaborations to advance characterization capabilities for next-generation sustainable technologies.