Juyoung Oh

Postdoctoral Scholar

Mechanical Engineering
Stanford University

I’m a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University, working with Hai Wang. I study what happens at reactive interfaces inside lithium- and sodium-metal batteries when they fail, and how that energy release can be understood, controlled, and put to use in battery–propellant hybrid systems.

My work combines thermal analysis and in situ synchrotron diagnostics with reaction kinetics to trace how thermal runaway starts and spreads. Before Stanford, I was a Postdoctoral Associate at Rice University with Ming Tang, where I identified reaction pathways between lithium-metal anodes and electrolytes or cathodes under thermal abuse. I received my Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from Seoul National University with Jack J. Yoh, studying the aging and reaction kinetics of metal-based energetic materials.

Research interests

Chemo-mechanics of reactive interfaces in Li- and Na-metal batteries
Stress-driven failure and thermal runaway in energy storage
Materials under extreme environments: thermal abuse, hygrothermal aging, and combustion
Thermo-chemo-mechanical degradation of functional and energetic materials
In situ and operando synchrotron diagnostics and thermal analysis
Reaction kinetics and physics-based failure modeling

Education

Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, 2023Seoul National University
M.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, 2019Seoul National University
B.S. in Aerospace Information Engineering, 2017Konkuk University

Research experience

2026–present

Postdoctoral Scholar, Stanford University

Department of Mechanical Engineering, with Hai Wang

I work on battery–propellant hybrid systems built on sodium-metal chemistry. I characterize the thermal behavior of sodium–catholyte systems to pin down the reaction mechanisms in sodium-metal hybrid monopropellant batteries, and I develop ways to suppress dendrites and stabilize interfaces using Na–K anodes and Zn cathodes.

With the Hai Wang group at Stanford.
2024–2026

Postdoctoral Associate, Rice University

Department of Materials Science & Nanoengineering, with Ming Tang

I mapped how lithium-metal anodes react with electrolytes and cathodes under thermal abuse. This work revealed a synergistic degradation mechanism between lithium and carbonate electrolytes, led to a strategy that significantly reduces heat release, and set out safety criteria for thermal runaway triggers in high-energy lithium-metal batteries. At NSLS-II, I used in situ synchrotron XRD and X-ray imaging to watch phase transitions at the solid–liquid interface as cells failed.

Bowling night with the Tang group at Rice, Houston.
2017–2023

Graduate and Postdoctoral Research, Seoul National University

Department of Aerospace Engineering, with Jack J. Yoh

My doctoral work examined how aging changes the thermochemistry and reaction kinetics of metal-based energetic materials, including the NASA standard initiator and magnesium-based igniters. I also led projects on component-specific heat generation models for thermal runaway in ultrahigh-nickel lithium-ion batteries, sponsored by Samsung SDI, and on magnesium particles as carbon-free energy carriers, funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea.

The Great Wall of China, with labmates during ICDERS 2019 in Beijing.

News

04/2026Led beamtime at NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, probing direct reactions between lithium metal and NMC cathodes under thermal runaway conditions.
01/2026Joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University as a Postdoctoral Scholar.
10/2025Presented at the International Conference on Numerical Combustion (ICNC) in Rome, Italy.
08/2025Presented at the 38th US-Korea Conference (UKC 2025) in Atlanta, GA.
07/2025Presented and served as a session chair at the 30th ICDERS in Ottawa, Canada.
2025Received the KWiSE Young Scientist Scholarship and joined the Young Editorial Board of FirePhysChem.
04/2025Presented at the 2025 MRS Spring Meeting in Seattle, WA.
02/2025Gave a seminar at the BK21 FOUR Special Seminar Series, Seoul National University.

Publications

2025

External voltage driven linear burning rates for improving propulsion efficiency and control in space applicationsRajendra Rajak, Daehong Lim, Juyoung Oh, Gnanaprakash Kanagaraj, Jack J. YohAerospace Science and Technology, vol. 164, 110413, 2025. DOI
On the pyrolysis mechanism of Magnesium-Teflon-Viton (MTV) igniters subjected to seasonal agingJuyoung Oh, Seung-gyo Jang, Jack J. YohFuel, vol. 389, 134604, 2025. DOI
Effect of hygrothermal aging on the pyrolysis of magnesium and its mixtureYejun Lee, Juyoung Oh, Jack J. YohFuel, vol. 387, 134424, 2025. DOI
From micro-explosion to full-scale fire: predicting thermal runaway in ultra-high nickel lithium-ion batteries with layering effectAyushi Mehrotra, Pragya Berwal Singh, Juyoung Oh, Yejun Lee, Jack J. YohEnergy, vol. 320, 135502, 2025. DOI

2024

Exploration of altered reaction pathways in aging pyrotechnic compositions under seasonal cyclesJuyoung Oh, Jack J. YohCombustion and Flame, vol. 269, 113721, 2024. DOI
Thermal runaway aspect of ultrahigh-nickel cathode based lithium-ion batteries at increasing charge statesJuyoung Oh, Ayushi Mehrotra, Yejun Lee, Bohoon Kim, Jack J. YohJournal of Energy Storage, vol. 76, 109887, 2024. DOI
Aging effects on Magnesium–Teflon–Viton related to magnesium hydroxide formation and the weakened bond of polytetrafluoroethyleneYejun Lee, Juyoung Oh, Jack J. YohJournal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, vol. 149, pp. 2189–2197, 2024. DOI

2023

A predictive theory on thermal runaway of ultrahigh capacity lithium-ion batteriesUpasana Priyadarshani Padhi, Juyoung Oh, Ayushi Mehrotra, Yejun Lee, Jack J. YohCombustion and Flame, vol. 258, 113116, 2023. DOI
A real-time monitoring of pre-overcharging in high-nickel lithium ion batteries via plasma emission spectroscopyJun-ho Yang, Yejun Lee, Juyoung Oh, Bohoon Kim, Jack J. YohJournal of Energy Storage, vol. 72, 108634, 2023. DOI
Understanding how metal oxidation and oxidizer decomposition affect the thermal degradation of aging pyrotechnic compositionsJuyoung Oh, Jack J. YohCombustion and Flame, vol. 257, 113038, 2023. DOI
On the oxidation kinetics of aging magnesium particlesJuyoung Oh, Yejun Lee, Jack J. YohCombustion and Flame, vol. 249, 112597, 2023. DOI

2022

Understanding the reactivity of magnesium powder subjected to various aging conditionsYejun Lee, Juyoung Oh, Jack J. YohJournal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, vol. 10, no. 5, 108535, 2022. DOI
Observation of gunpowder-like thermochemical responses of a thermal energy storage system based on KNO₃/NaNO₃/graphite exposed to a heat transfer fluidJuyoung Oh, Haewoong Jung, Jack J. YohApplied Thermal Engineering, vol. 207, 118215, 2022. DOI

2021

Insights into aging mechanism of Ti-metal based pyrotechnics and changes in thermo-kinetic characteristicsJuyoung Oh, Jack J. YohProceedings of the Combustion Institute, vol. 38, no. 3, pp. 4441–4449, 2021. DOI

2020

Critical changes in the ignition and combustion characteristics of aged titanium based initiatorsJuyoung Oh, Jack J. YohCombustion and Flame, vol. 221, pp. 74–85, 2020. DOI

2019

Towards understanding the effects of heat and humidity on ageing of a NASA standard pyrotechnic igniterJuyoung Oh, Seung-gyo Jang, Jack J. YohScientific Reports, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 1–12, 2019. DOI

2018

The hygrothermal aging effects of titanium hydride potassium perchlorate for pyrotechnic combustionJuyoung Oh, Anirudha Ambekar, Jack J. YohThermochimica Acta, vol. 665, pp. 102–110, 2018. DOI

Peer-reviewed journals (Korea)

Investigating the effect of hygrothermal aging and oxygen flow rate on the thermochemical properties of magnesium powderYejun Lee, Juyoung Oh, Jai-ick YohJournal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers, vol. 27, no. 6, pp. 32–40, 2023.
Key factors that can affect the chemical reaction kinetics of aged metals/KClO₄-based energetic materialsJuyoung Oh, Jai-ick YohJournal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 28–43, 2022.
Investigation of thermal/hygrothermal aging effects on the ignition characteristics of Ti metal-based pyrotechnics and construction of the aging modelsJuyoung Oh, Jai-ick YohJournal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 26–41, 2021.
Establishment of hygrothermal aging mechanism via thermal analysis and extraction of reaction kinetics of Ti metal-based pyrotechnic materialJuyoung Oh, Jai-ick YohJournal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences, vol. 49, no. 9, pp. 759–769, 2021.
Critical effects of temperature and relative humidity on thermal performance on aging of NASA standard pyrotechnic initiator ‘ZPP’Juyoung Oh, Jai-ick YohJournal of the Korean Society of Combustion, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 23–39, 2021.
Aging of solid fuels composed of Zr and ZrNi Part 1: thermal/chemical/spectroscopic analysisByungheon Han, Jihoon Ryu, Junho Yang, Juyoung Oh, K. Gnanaprakash, Jai-ick YohJournal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 1–13, 2020.
The analysis on the effects of hygrothermal aging to THPP using DSC and XPSJuyoung Oh, Jai-ick YohJournal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 79–92, 2019.

Selected awards

2025Young Scientist ScholarshipKorean-American Women in Science and Engineering (KWiSE)
2023Best Doctoral Thesis AwardSeoul National University
2023Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation AwardKorean Society of Propulsion Engineers Fall Conference
2023Rising Stars Women in Engineering WorkshopAsian Dean’s Forum, University of Tokyo
2021Best Paper Award and Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation AwardKorean Society of Combustion Fall Conference
2020Top 100 National R&D ExcellenceMinistry of Science and ICT, South Korea
2019–21Aerospace Excellence Research AwardBrain Korea, Seoul National University

Service

2025–Young Editorial Board MemberFirePhysChem
2024–Women in Combustion Advisory CommitteeThe Combustion Institute
2025Session Chair30th ICDERS, Ottawa
2023Session Chair14th ASPACC, Kaohsiung
ReviewerCombustion and Flame, Combustion Science and Technology, Advanced Powder Technology, FirePhysChem