Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) PhD candidate Gurpreet Singh (Graduate School of Flexible Pinted Electronics, Department of Flexible Printed Electronics; supervisor Professor Junwoo Lim) received the Excellent Presentation Award at the 9th International Conference on Advanced Composites (ICACM 2026), held recently in Tokyo, Japan, for his research on developing composite-material electrodes that can improve the performance and stability of vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs), a next-generation energy storage system.

VRFBs are attracting attention as next-generation energy storage systems because of their high safety and capacity for large-scale energy storage. However, the low reactivity of electrodes and the slow rates of oxidation–reduction reactions have been identified as obstacles to improving battery performance.

To address these limitations, PhD candidate Gurpreet Singh developed a composite-material electrode by applying an MXene–reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite to carbon felt (CF). The study focused on enhancing the electrochemical performance of VRFBs.

In particular, applying the MXene–rGO composite to carbon felt electrodes complemented the intrinsic limitations of the electrode material. This work also broadened understanding of its effect on improving vanadium ion redox kinetics. It is expected to be applied to the development of high-performance electrode materials for large-scale energy storage and to the advancement of energy storage technologies.

The research findings were published in the international composites journal Composite Structures under the title "MXene-reduced graphene oxide composite carbon felt electrode for enhanced performance in vanadium redox flow batteries."

PhD candidate Gurpreet Singh said, "This study focused on developing an MXene–rGO composite electrode to enhance the electrochemical performance of vanadium redox flow batteries. It is very encouraging that ICACM 2026 recognized the value of the research, and I will continue research to develop even better electrode materials in the energy storage field."

He added, "I am deeply grateful to Professor Junwoo Lim for his guidance, trust, and continuous support throughout this research and my journey as a researcher."

This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea with funding from the Ministry of Science and ICT (RS-2026-25494777).