Thomas Gennett is a senior scientist at NREL and holds professor emeritus of chemistry and materials science status with the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). At NREL, Gennett leads three distinct projects focusing on the mechanism of room temperature hydrogen adsorption for carbon-based sorbents; the development of advanced materials for direct methanol fuel cell anode catalysts; and the development of next-generation transparent conductive oxides for photovoltaic applications. While a professor at RIT, he co-founded and directed the highly successful NanoPower Research Laboratory. Gennett has had a strong collaboration with nanostructured materials and National Center for Photovoltaics groups at NREL since 1998, coming to NREL on sabbatical in 1998 and 2005. His previous research with NREL focused on the use of pulsed laser vaporization to produce high-purity single-wall nanotubes, quantum dots, and other nanoscale materials. This work has made significant advances in the purification and derivatization of the carbon-based nanostructured materials for hydrogen storage, battery anodes/cathodes, gas separations, and catalysts applications. In 2001, Gennett received the Biannual Inventor of the Year award at RIT for his work in carbon nanotube applications to energy storage and polymer composites. He retired from RIT after 18 years of service to join NREL in 2008 as a U.S. Department of Energy Hydrogen Sorption Center of Excellence and Hydrogen Spillover Research Cluster lead. 

Development of novel H2 storage materials and characterization techniques

Non-PGM catalysts through ion implantation and sputtering

Non-aqueous flow batteries based on organic energy-storage materials

Novel porous-liquid materials for gas storage, separation, and capture

Postdoctoral Fellowship, Purdue University