World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
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Chemistry
USA
2026
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Materials Science
USA
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Materials Science

D-Index
138
Citations
83671
World Ranking
246
National Ranking
102

Chemistry

D-Index
135
Citations
85728
World Ranking
249
National Ranking
119

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Chemistry in United States Leader Award
  • 2026 - Research.com Materials Science in United States Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Chemistry in United States Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Materials Science in United States Leader Award
  • 2017 - Fellow, National Academy of Inventors

Overview

Nathan S. Lewis is affiliated with the California Institute of Technology in the United States. Their research spans multiple fields including Engineering, Energy, and Materials Science.

Within these areas, the subfields of study Nathan focuses on are Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Materials Chemistry, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Energy Engineering and Power Technology, and Biomedical Engineering.

The main research topics Nathan has contributed to include:

  • Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
  • Semiconductor materials and devices
  • Chalcogenide Semiconductor Thin Films
  • Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems
  • Integrated Energy Systems Optimization
  • Quantum Dots Synthesis And Properties
  • Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques

Nathan's recent published papers illustrate a focus on energy systems, storage, and renewable technologies. Examples include:

  • "Role of Long-Duration Energy Storage in Variable Renewable Electricity Systems" (2020), published in Joule
  • "Decoupled electrochemical water-splitting systems: a review and perspective" (2021), published in Energy & Environmental Science
  • "Geophysical constraints on the reliability of solar and wind power worldwide" (2021), published in Nature Communications
  • "The role of concentrated solar power with thermal energy storage in least-cost highly reliable electricity systems fully powered by variable renewable energy" (2022), published in Advances in Applied Energy
  • "Opportunities for flexible electricity loads such as hydrogen production from curtailed generation" (2021), published in Advances in Applied Energy

Frequent co-authors with whom Nathan has collaborated include:

  • Bruce S. Brunschwig
  • Azhar I. Carim
  • Zachary P. Ifkovits
  • Jacqueline A. Dowling
  • Madeline C. Meier

Nathan's work is commonly published in the following venues:

  • Energy & Environmental Science
  • ECS Meeting Abstracts
  • ACS Energy Letters
  • ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
  • Advances in Applied Energy

In recognition of their contributions, Nathan S. Lewis was named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in 2017.

Best Publications

  • Powering the planet: Chemical challenges in solar energy utilization

    Nathan S. Lewis;Daniel G. Nocera

  • Solar Water Splitting Cells

    Michael G. Walter;Emily L. Warren;James R. McKone;Shannon W. Boettcher

  • Toward Cost-Effective Solar Energy Use

    Nathan S. Lewis

  • Nanostructured Nickel Phosphide as an Electrocatalyst for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

    Eric J. Popczun;James R. McKone;Carlos G. Read;Adam J. Biacchi

  • Research opportunities to advance solar energy utilization

    Nathan S. Lewis

  • Net-Zero Emissions Energy Systems

    Steven J Davis;Nathan S. Lewis;Matthew Shaner;Sonia Aggarwal

  • Enhanced absorption and carrier collection in Si wire arrays for photovoltaic applications

    Michael D. Kelzenberg;Shannon W. Boettcher;Jan A. Petykiewicz;Daniel B. Turner-Evans

  • Cross-reactive chemical sensor arrays.

    Keith J. Albert;Nathan S. Lewis;Caroline L. Schauer;Gregory A. Sotzing

  • Amorphous TiO2 coatings stabilize Si, GaAs, and GaP photoanodes for efficient water oxidation

    Shu Hu;Matthew R. Shaner;Joseph A. Beardslee;Michael Lichterman

  • Highly active electrocatalysis of the hydrogen evolution reaction by cobalt phosphide nanoparticles.

    Eric J. Popczun;Carlos G. Read;Christopher W. Roske;Nathan S. Lewis

  • Comparison of the device physics principles of planar and radial p-n junction nanorod solar cells

    Brendan M. Kayes;Harry A. Atwater;Nathan S. Lewis

  • A comparative technoeconomic analysis of renewable hydrogen production using solar energy

    Matthew R. Shaner;Harry A. Atwater;Nathan S. Lewis;Eric W. McFarland

  • Enhanced absorption and carrier collection in Si wire arrays for photovoltaic applications (Nature Materials (2010) 9 (239-244))

    Michael D. Kelzenberg;Shannon W. Boettcher;Jan A. Petykiewicz;Daniel B. Turner-Evans

  • Solar energy conversion.

    George W. Crabtree;Nathan S. Lewis

  • Ni–Mo Nanopowders for Efficient Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution

    James R. McKone;Bryce F. Sadtler;Caroline A. Werlang;Nathan S. Lewis

  • Array-based vapor sensing using chemically sensitive, carbon black-Polymer resistors

    Mark C. Lonergan;Erik J. Severin;Brett J. Doleman;Sara A. Beaber

  • Will Solar-Driven Water-Splitting Devices See the Light of Day?

    James R. McKone;Nathan S. Lewis;Harry B. Gray

  • Photovoltaic Measurements in Single-Nanowire Silicon Solar Cells

    Michael D. Kelzenberg;Daniel B. Turner-Evans;Brendan M. Kayes;Michael A. Filler

  • Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Evolution Using Si Microwire Arrays

    Shannon W. Boettcher;Emily L. Warren;Morgan C. Putnam;Elizabeth A. Santori

  • Synthesis, Characterization, and Properties of Metal Phosphide Catalysts for the Hydrogen-Evolution Reaction

    Juan F. Callejas;Carlos G. Read;Christopher W. Roske;Nathan S. Lewis

  • An analysis of the optimal band gaps of light absorbers in integrated tandem photoelectrochemical water-splitting systems

    Shu Hu;Chengxiang Xiang;Sophia Haussener;Sophia Haussener;Alan D. Berger;Alan D. Berger

Frequent Co-Authors

Bruce S. Brunschwig
Bruce S. Brunschwig California Institute of Technology
Harry A. Atwater
Harry A. Atwater California Institute of Technology
Michael S. Freund
Michael S. Freund Dalhousie University
Robert H. Grubbs
Robert H. Grubbs California Institute of Technology
Harry B. Gray
Harry B. Gray California Institute of Technology
Chengxiang Xiang
Chengxiang Xiang California Institute of Technology
Ke Sun
Ke Sun Henry Patent Law Firm
Shannon W. Boettcher
Shannon W. Boettcher University of Oregon
Michael J. Sailor
Michael J. Sailor University of California, San Diego

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