When it comes to protecting ourselves against COVID-19, innovation is at its peak! Countless YouTube videos and DIY sites have surfaced teaching viewers how to create their own homemade masks, cleaning solutions, replicas of sold-out Clorox wipes, and more, all from the safety of home.

According to the Waco Tribune-Herald, Waco firefighters have also whipped up their own original concoction of salt, water, vinegar, and a jolt of electrochemical activation for the creation of their very own safe, yet powerful, disinfectant. Their homemade formula for hypochlorous acid, paired with their homemade spray system, allows the firefighters to kill viruses on their gear and within their living quarters in just 60 seconds. (more…)

Photo from: Stanford University // Image credit: Andrew Brodhead

A new type of protective face mask

In light of COVID-19 pandemic, research scientist John Xu and mechanical engineer Friedrich “Fritz” Prinz from Stanford University came together to rethink and improve protective face masks using their background in electrochemical processes.

As most of us are now familiar with, breathing with a face mask can be uncomfortable and difficult. According to Stanford News, that’s because N95 masks filter out 95 percent or more of small particulate matter from the air, including the virus, which as a result, makes breathing harder. Its estimated oxygen intake can be reduced anywhere from 5 to 20 percent which can lead to dizziness and lightheadedness. Particularly for health care workers and others working in the front lines of the pandemic, long-term mask wear can even damage lungs. (more…)

In the age of Open Access, web browsers have become the search option of first choice for most researchers. Chrome, Explorer, and Bing can reach out across the whole of the internet in response to a query and pull in more results than would be found in any one online repository.

Similarly, the search features available on hosting platforms are becoming simpler and more streamlined. This reflects the growing number of journals being hosted across single platforms in order to enhance search functionality across multiple titles. Therefore, those searching for specific content must tailor their search parameters to the way the function works. (more…)

The ECS San Francisco Section is proud to present Distinguish Seminar speaker Shirley Meng on May 18 at 1100 (PST) via Zoom:

Li Metal Anode – Advanced Characterization for Next Generation Energy Storage Materials

Shirley Meng, PhD
Zable Endowed Chair Professor in Energy Technologies and
Professor of NanoEngineering and Materials Science
University of California San Diego

When: Monday, May 18, 2020
Time: 1100-1200h PST
Join Zoom Meeting: https://lbnl.zoom.us/j/93893593041

Free participation; no advance registration required (more…)

ECS is proud to work with all our exhibitors, and particularly now with PRiME 2020 exhibitor Thermo Fisher Scientific, which is aggressively responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most recently, Thermo Fisher Scientific’s CEO Marc Casper announced the company’s goal to produce 5 million coronavirus tests per week. (more…)

IOP Publishing (IOPP), the publishing partner of The Electrochemical Society, has become the first publisher to integrate its ScholarOne article submission system with the Editage Online System, allowing authors using Editage services to submit directly to IOPP.

“I am thrilled that our authors will benefit from these types of advances that IOP Publishing is making in their publishing operations. As a partner using ScholarOne, ECS authors engaging in Editage’s services can submit directly to our journals, which helps minimize the time spent in getting their manuscript into the editorial review process,” says Beth Craanen, Director of Publications. (more…)

Deadline: Monday, July 27, 2020

Are you an undergraduate, graduate student, postdoctoral researcher, young professional, or faculty member presenting a paper at PRiME 2020? Many ECS divisions and sections offer travel grants to help fund travel to the meeting. See which ECS divisions and sections are offering travel grants —and their specific requirements.  (more…)

Since 2002, long-term ECS supporters and partners in electrochemistry and solid state science have been recognized through the Leadership Circle Awards. The awards are granted in the anniversary year an institutional member reaches a milestone level. Recipients receive a commemorative plaque and credit in ECS publications. 

ECS gratefully acknowledges the institutional members receiving the 2020 Leadership Circle award. (more…)