Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2017
  • B.S., Chemistry, University of Miami, 2011
Professional Affiliations
  • 2023-present, Los Alamos National Lab, visiting scientist
  • 2016-present, Electrochemical Society, member

Dr. Lhermitte is an electrochemist and materials scientist with 12 years' experience in metal oxide material synthesis and physical electrochemistry. His vast experience with electrochemical systems spans semiconducting thin films, hetero and homogeneous electrocatalysts, photoelectrodes and photoelectrochemical cells, ion intercalation materials, and molten salt electrochemical methods. Within Exponent, he employs his expertise in chemistry and materials science to solve problems related to electrochemical energy storage, with a special emphasis on using battery failure analysis as a driver for improving product safety, reliability and performance.

Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Lhermitte was a scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he carried out research directed towards the design and synthesis of high-performance ceramic materials. In addition to this, he developed new methods to effect isotope separations. Furthermore, he was also the lead electrochemist for the molten salt chemistry team. In this role he carried out research in several technical spaces spanning actinide chemical behavior, materials corrosion, and metal electrodeposition from chloride and fluoride molten salts at high temperatures. Key developments in these areas were the design and construction of a high-resolution electrochemical apparatus for molten salt electrochemical experiments, the measurement of the standard reduction potentials of different metals, and the development of electroplating processes to produce thin films of refractory metals from molten salts.

In addition to his experience at Los Alamos, Dr. Lhermitte also worked as a Scientific Collaborator in the Ecole Polytech Federale de Lausanne's LIMNO laboratory. There he focused on the design and synthesis of novel semiconducting oxide thin film photoelectrodes for applications in waste organic material upcycling and water splitting photoelectrochemical cells. Key developments in these areas were the design and construction of a rotating ring disk photoelectrode to detect photo generated products in situ, in addition to the direct oxidation of waste organic materials to useful precursors for polymer synthesis using tungsten oxide photoelectrodes.