An Argon-filled “glove box” in the IBM Research Battery Lab, which is used to prepare air-sensitive battery materials such as lithium metal anode and electrolyte formulations, both of which were used in this new battery design. Courtesy: IBM Research

By Young-Hye Na, Manager of Advanced Battery Research Program, IBM Research-Almaden, US

Our world has no shortage of problems to solve. We now stand at a critical juncture for global action to address our most pressing challenges; from the COVID pandemic to climate change and so much more.

IBM has long recognized the urgency to find more sustainable solutions to tackle these problems (The Urgency of Science). For the first time in history we have the right tools at our disposable to do so. AI (artificial intelligence)—combined with advanced computing and access to enormous volumes of data via a secure and open hybrid cloud—can significantly accelerate the process of scientific discovery and the creation of more sustainable materials for use across a broad range of industries, including energy and batteries. 

Better batteries for cleaner energy

(more…)

ECS and the ECS Pacific Northwest Section presented Prof. Xiulei “David” Ji’s webinar, “Aqueous Battery Chemistry: Considerations from a Reaction’s Perspective” on March 4, 2021. His answers to questions following the presentation are provided below. The webinar is now available for viewing.

Xiulei “David” Ji is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Oregon State University, U.S. His research focuses on design principles of materials chemistry for electrochemical energy storage. Ji received a 2016 NSF CAREER Award and was a Web of Science Group Highly Cited Researcher in 2019 and 2020. He is currently an Associate Editor of Carbon Energy. He completed his PhD in Materials Chemistry at the University of Waterloo, Canada, in 2009. From 2010-2012, he was an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, Santa Barbara, U.S.

“Aqueous Battery Chemistry: Considerations from a Reaction’s Perspective” summarizes five dimensions of considerations for the design of storage battery chemistries from a chemical reaction’s point of view. Different types of batteries including rocking-chair batteries, dual-ion batteries, and reverse dual-ion batteries are discussed. Ji also reviews recent conceptual advances on storage batteries that employ non-metal charge carriers such as proton, ammonium, halides, and superhalides.

Watch Now (more…)

The Electrochemical Society hosted Dr. Yan Yao’s live webinar, “Next-generation Batteries for Electric Vehicles and Stationary Storage” on February 24, 2021. Yao is a Cullen College of Engineering Professor at the University of Houston (UH), U.S.

Yao has led research on the fundamental study of energy storage materials and devices, spanning from solid state batteries for electric vehicles to multivalent ion batteries and aqueous batteries for grid energy storage. He has authored more than 110 journal articles with 25,000 citations and holds 10 U.S. patents. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Yao received the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award (2013), UH Teaching Excellence Award (2016), UH Research Excellence Award (2018), Top 1% Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (2018), and Scialog Collaborative Innovation Award (2018 and 2020). Yao founded the ECS University of Houston Student Chapter in 2016, and continues to serve as the chapter’s Faculty Advisor.

View Dr. Yan Yao’s Webinar

NOTE: Registration is required to view the webinar.

ECS thanks Hiden Analytical, the generous sponsor of Dr. Yan Yao’s webinar. (more…)

Are you a student working on energy storage and conversion? Join us at the 239th ECS Meeting with the 18th International Meeting on Chemical Sensors (IMCS) for the opportunity to present your research! The special symposium, entitled A04-Battery Student Slam 5, is dedicated to students working on energy storage and energy conversion.

The student slam offers students the opportunity to present flash oral presentations of their work in a 10-minute time slot. All students enrolled at any valid degree-granting institution may submit an abstract describing the presentation. New materials and designs, performance studies, and modeling of all types of batteries, supercapacitors and fuel cells, including aqueous, non-aqueous, polymer electrolytes, solid electrolytes, and flow systems are of particular interest. (more…)

For months, Impact Canada has been working hard on narrowing down five finalists to work on the Charging the Future Challenge, a $4.5-million project aimed at accelerating made-in-Canada clean battery innovations with the potential to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The five selected finalists will have the opportunity to pitch their ideas for battery breakthroughs to a jury for a chance to win up to $700,000 each to develop battery prototypes over the course of 18-months, with the winner receiving a $1 million grand prize. (more…)

On June 17, 2020, Dr. Arumugam Manthiram, winner of the 2020 Henry B. Linford Award for Distinguished Teaching, presented his talk on “Intricacies of High-Energy Cathodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries” via a live webinar presentation.

Dr. Manthiram’s talk covered the fundamental science behind the development of high-energy density cathodes for lithium-ion batteries in the 1980s, the richness and complexity of layered oxide cathodes for lithium-ion batteries, and exposure to a perspective on high-energy, long-life, safe lithium-ion batteries.

View Dr. Manthiram’s webinar presentation, here.

Following the talk, attendees were given the opportunity to ask Dr. Manthiram questions in a Q&A session, available below. (more…)

Batteries—they’re all around us, from everyday items like cellphones and laptops to life-saving medical devices and environmentally-friendly electric vehicles. So, who are the people behind the batteries that continue to impact and improve our daily lives?

According to Research Interfaces, the following are the 10 lithium-ion battery researchers to watch. (more…)

New, low-cost batteries designed to last for a million miles of use in electric vehicles? Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk says the public can expect just that from the Model 3 sedan, expected to debut in China late this year or early next. 

According to Reuters, the new “million mile” battery—which relies on low-cobalt and cobalt-free battery chemistries, among others—was jointly developed with China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL). Reuter’s sources say CATL plan on supplying Tesla with an improved long-life nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery whose cathode is 50% nickel and only 20% cobalt sometime next year. (more…)