Dr. Smirnova’s research is largely focused on
energy generation and storage.This multidisciplinary area links chemistry, catalysis,
nanomaterials, chemical and materials engineering, and electrochemistry. Many novel
polymer, composite, and low-dimensional materials developed in Dr. Smirnova’s
group are applied to different types of low and high temperature fuel cells, lithium-ion
and lithium-air batteries, and supercapacitors. These materials including
catalytically active nanostructures produced in supercritical fluids or by
sol-gel methods, atomic vapor deposition, and MS-PVD meet the highest criteria
required for clean and efficient energy generation and storage. The physical
and chemical materials characterization is performed by using AC Impedance,
HRTEM, FESEM, XRD, EDX, TGA, and Raman spectroscopy. The catalytic and
electrochemical properties of these materials are evaluated by temperature
programmed oxidation/reduction and various electrochemical techniques, such as
rotating disk electrode, rotating ring disk electrode, cyclic voltammetry,
chronopotentiometry, C-rate capability, and charge/discharge cycling.
The second Dr. Smirnova’s major research area
emphasizes homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis and, specifically, synthesis of
high-value phenolic monomers and adhesives from lignin by using enzymatic
degradation and supercritical fluids. The latter is mainly based on the environmentally
benign and “green” supercritical carbon dioxide solvent that has been confirmed
to act as a homogeneous catalyst. Furthermore, graphitized carbon materials and
electrospun nanofibers produced from lignin are currently used in Dr.
Smirnova’s group for manufacturing of lithium-ion battery electrodes and supercapacitors.
Before joining SDSMT
in 2011, Dr. Smirnova served an Assistant Professor at the Eastern Connecticut
State University (ECSU), and prior to this appointment (2000-2009) as a
Research Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut (UConn). Starting
as a graduate student, and later as an Assistant Professor at St. Petersburg
University (RF), Dr. Smirnova involved a range of novel ionically conductive materials
for sensors based on neutral carriers and ion exchangers, photocurable
polymers, and ion-selective field effect transistors. During her career, Dr. Smirnova has been performing
her studies in Germany (Institute for Chemical and Biosensors, Muenster), Spain
(Autonoma University of Barcelona), and Finland (University of Turku). Dr.
Smirnova’s national and international projects have been supported by ACS PRF. NATO,
NASA, EU INTAS, DOD, and DOE.
Dr. Smirnova has broad experience teaching undergraduate and graduate
courses, among them general, inorganic, physical, and analytical chemistry as
well as specialized courses in materials science, corrosion of metals, electrochemisty,
and polymer chemistry. The teaching experience acquired at UConn, Quinnipiac
University, Manchester Community College, ECSU, and SDSMT allowed Dr. Smirnova to
promote students’ curiosity and critical thinking in various areas of science
and technology, and especially in energy generated and storage.
A major part of
Dr. Smirnova’s teaching is associated with the outreach activities that she
started almost 15 years ago at UCONN, and continued at ECSU and SDSMT. She has
developed a teaching module and is currently participating in annual “Green
Chemistry and Sustainable Energy” summer camps at the SDSMT CABS Department and
in the NSF RET program (2017-2020) at SDSMT that brings science teachers from
South Dakota to the SDSMT chemistry labs.