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HE3 LabHigh-Entropy Chemistries for Energy & Electronics

High-Entropy Chemistries for Energy & Electronics (HE3)

Safer energy.
Smarter materials.

Mission

Build safer energy and smarter materials for a sustainable future.

We engineer high-entropy chemistries for advanced battery materials and nanocomposites to tackle challenges in energy storage and next-generation electronics.

Who we are

We are scientists who think like engineers and create like artists.

We challenge conventional materials, explore new architectures, and turn bold ideas into functional technologies.

Explore research Open positions
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Electric vehicles
Phones & laptops
Grid & home storage
Wearables & IoT

News

Collaborations, events, awards, new members and milestones from the HE3 Lab.

Latest publications

Newest first. Click a paper to open it.

    See all publications

    Past affiliations and collaborating institutions

    • University of Chicago
    • University of Newcastle
    • Korea National University of Transportation

    Principal Investigator

    HE3 Lab · VinUniversity
    JourneyImpactAwards
    Asst. Prof. Vu Minh Canh

    Asst. Prof. Vu Minh Canh, PhD

    Assistant Professor of Materials Science · CECS & CMIT, VinUniversity

    One of my greatest aspirations is to help create opportunities for young researchers in Viet Nam to develop at the highest international standards. One day, ‘world-class research’ will be associated not with where we go, but with what we can build here, in Viet Nam.
    BatteriesElectrolytesPolymer compositesThermal managementEMI shieldingHigh-entropy materialsnew
    CVCV Email LinkedIn ORCID Scholar

    Academic journey

    Scroll to turn the wheel, or click a milestone. Seven stops across four countries.

      Research impact

      Hover over the numbers.

      Awards and honors

      Hover over a medal to see the event poster and details.

      Research

      From high-entropy chemistries to safer batteries and smarter polymer composite materials.

      Batteries & electrolytesThermal management materialsEMI shielding materialsHigh-entropy nanomaterialsFacilities & methods

      Research journey

      Four stages, one thread: designing interfaces in functional materials.

      Heat flows from a hot chip through vertically aligned fillers in a polymer composite to a heat sink Heat sinkAligned SiC /graphene fluoridesheetsPolymermatrixHot spot(power chip)λ⊥ ≈ 14 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹Electrically insulatinghotcool
      Stage I2016 – 2022 · Korea National University of Transportation

      Thermal management materials

      Building heat highways inside polymers.

      • Segregated and vertically aligned filler networks: Cu, CNT/BN, SiC, graphene fluoride
      • Through-plane λ ≈ 14 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ with only ~5 vol% aligned SiC
      • Electrically insulating graphene-fluoride films reaching in-plane λ ≈ 240 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹
      Slide → · hover a journal · click to open
      Hover a journal to see the paper title
      Layered MXene and aramid nanofiber film reflecting and absorbing electromagnetic waves while spreading heat weak transmissionIn-plane heat spreadingFlame-retardantEM wavesreflectedEMI SE ≈ 48 dB · X-bandλ∥ ≈ 140 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹MXene / graphene platelets in an aramid-nanofiber “mortar”
      Stage II2021 – now · Korea → Newcastle → VinUni

      EMI shielding materials

      One film that shields, cools and resists fire.

      • Nacre-inspired aramid-nanofiber papers with graphene and MXene
      • EMI SE ≈ 48 dB in X-band together with in-plane λ ≈ 140 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹
      • Flame-retardant MXene textiles and porous PDMS foams for wearable electronics
      Slide → · hover a journal · click to open
      Hover a journal to see the paper title
      Lithium-ion solvation by fluorinated ether molecules in a safe electrolyte between lithium metal and a layered cathode Li metalLayered oxideCs⁺K⁺Cs⁺K⁺Cs⁺SSNLi⁺ML on electrolyte dataOFSNCE > 99 %6C fast charge · −40 → 60 °C
      Stage III2021 – now · University of Chicago → VinUni

      Batteries & electrolytes

      Safer electrolytes, from molecules to cells.

      • Solvent-free alkali molten-salt electrolytes: CE > 99 %, Al stable above 6 V
      • Fluorinated ethers enabling 6C fast charging from −40 °C to 60 °C
      • Electrolytomics: machine learning across electrolyte databases; dual-graphite batteries
      Slide → · hover a journal · click to open
      Hover a journal to see the paper title
      High-entropy lattice with five cation species studied by DFT and machine learning DFT · electronic structureML potentialsBatteryCatalysisElectronicsSconf = R ln 55 cations · 1 lattice
      Stage IV2026 – · VinUniversity · new direction

      High-entropy nanomaterials

      Five or more elements, one lattice, new chemistry.

      • High-entropy oxides, alloys and chalcogenides for electrodes, catalysts and electronics
      • DFT + special quasirandom structures + ML potentials map composition to property
      • Core project: High-Entropy Chemistries for Energy and Electronics (HE3)
      New projectHigh-Entropy Chemistries for Energy & Electronics

      Facilities & methods

      How we make, measure and model materials.

      01Computation

      VASP logoQuantum ESPRESSO logo

      Density functional theory

      • Electronic structure, adsorption and defect energetics
      • Ion-diffusion barriers (NEB), voltages and phase stability
      • Special quasirandom structures for high-entropy phases
      VASPQuantum ESPRESSO
      Machine learning concepts: deep learning, classification, neural networks and data mining
      Illustration: Syracuse University iSchool

      Machine learning

      • Machine-learned interatomic potentials for large, disordered cells
      • Data-driven electrolyte screening (Electrolytomics)
      • Composition → property models for high-entropy materials

      02Experiment

      Synthesis & processing

      Ar · O₂, H₂O < 0.1 ppm
      Glovebox cell assembly
      doctor-blade casting3D printing
      Film casting & 3D printing

      Electrochemical testing

      capacity (mAh g⁻¹)Vdischargechargecycle 1→500
      Galvanostatic cycling
      Z′ (Ω)−Z″
      Impedance spectroscopy

      Structure & morphology

      (003)(104)(018)2θ (°)
      X-ray diffraction
      SEM · 15 kV · ×20,0001 µm
      Electron microscopy
      DG2D532 nmRaman shift (cm⁻¹)
      Raman spectroscopy

      Thermal, EMI & fire safety

      laser pulseIR detectorT(t) rear faceλ = α·ρ·cₚ
      Laser-flash thermal conductivity
      incidentreflectedtransmitted8 – 12 GHz · SE (dB)
      EMI shielding (VNA)
      self-extinguishing
      Flammability tests

      Publications

      Selected work, research landscape and the full publication record.

      Selected publicationsResearch landscapeAll publicationsPatentsBook chapters

      Selected publications

      Ten highlights in Q1 journals, with journal H-index and subject ranking. Click a card to read the paper.

      See all publications ↓

      Counts are computed from the articles listed in Publications on this site and update automatically when new papers are added.

      Research landscape

      Journal articles by research area. Hover a piece for the numbers, click to jump to that research theme.

        Publications

        Newest first. Full record on Google Scholar.

        Journal articles

        Patents

          Book chapters

            HE3 Team

            The people of the High-Entropy Chemistries for Energy & Electronics lab.

            Principal InvestigatorPostdocsPhD candidatesResearch assistantsStudents

            Gallery

            Life in the lab.

            Add group photo
            Lab opening at VinUniversity
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            [Conference / award ceremony]
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            No.Speaker and topicDate
            1[Speaker, affiliation] — [Seminar title][yyyy.mm.dd]

            Join us

            We welcome materials scientists, chemists, physicists and engineers, experimental and computational.

            Open position

            Postdoctoral researchers

            • PhD in materials science, chemistry, physics or chemical engineering
            • Experience in batteries, composites or high-entropy materials
            Apply on CMIT careers ↗             Open position

            Research assistants

            • Synthesis and electrochemical testing
            • DFT and machine-learning modelling
            • Good fit before PhD study abroad
            Apply on CMIT careers ↗

            Undergraduates and interns

            • VinUniversity students in any engineering or science major
            • Visiting students and summer interns

            How to apply

            1. Read our recent papers and pick the research direction you want to work on.
            2. Email the PI at canh.vm@vinuni.edu.vn with your CV, transcripts and a one-paragraph statement of interest. Use the subject line “Prospective member – [your name]”.
            3. Shortlisted applicants are invited for an interview and a short presentation on previous work.
            Contact details

            Contact

            Visit or write to us.

            Principal Investigator
            Asst. Prof. Vu Minh Canh, PhD
            Email
            canh.vm@vinuni.edu.vn
            Office
            Level 4, Building I, VinUniversity
            Laboratory
            Level 1, Building D, VinUniversity
            Address
            VinUniversity, Vinhomes Ocean Park, Gia Lam, Hanoi, Vietnam

            Find us

            VinUniversity campus, Vinhomes Ocean Park, Gia Lam, Hanoi

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