From batteries to nanostructures Each topical interest area listed below has corresponding divisions through ECS. Learn more about ECS Divisions. Electrochemical Batteries and Energy Storage Areas of interest include theoretical and experimental aspects of batteries, electrochemical capacitors, and redox flow batteries. Specific topics include design, modeling, and testing; electrode structures and characterization, including charge storage materials, binders, additives, membranes, electrolytes, conductivity enhancers, and current collectors as they relate to batteries and energy storage. Also of interest are issues that pertain...
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Over 2,080 people from 46 different countries attended the 228th ECS Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, October 11-15, 2015. This was ECS’s first return visit to Phoenix since 2008. Participants could choose among 1,977 presentations. Check out tons of photos from the meeting on our Facebook page. Plenary Session ECS President Daniel Scherson opened the meeting with an update on the Society’s Free the Science initiative, a major endowment campaign allowing all ECS content to be open access—providing it at no…
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With the transportation sectors of industrialized countries on the rise and greenhouse gas emissions at an all-time high, many scientists and engineers are searching for the next-generation of transportation. From hybrid to electric to hydrogen, alternative energy sources for vehicles are being explored and tested throughout the scientific community. Now, many are wondering which technology will win in the race between battery- and hydrogen-powered cars. A recent open access paper published in the Journal of The Electrochemical Society (JES) explores…
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When it comes to alternative energy solutions, many researchers are looking to fuel cells as a promising solution. With high theoretical efficiency levels and their environmentally friendly qualities, fuel cells could be an answer to both the energy crisis and climate issues. However, researchers are still looking at how to build a fuel cell so that it is not only efficient, but also cost effective. Sadia Kabir, ECS student member and PhD student at the University of New Mexico, recently…
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Today kicked off the fifth international ECS Electrochemical Energy Summit. ECS President Dan Scherson opened the summit by welcoming attendees and putting these critical topics in renewable energy into perspective. “The research you are doing directly addresses some of the major issues people are facing around the world,” says Scherson. “Our work is about the sustainability of the planet.” Since its establishment in Boston in 2011, the summit has grown substantially in magnitude. This year, the keynote speaker was Franklin…
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Harry Atwater is working on the forefront of alternative energy technologies. From his research in solar fuels to his innovation in photovoltaics, Atwater’s work addresses the energy crisis and strives to provide a more secure, sustainable future. Currently, Atwater is the Howard Hughes Professor of Applied Physics and Materials Science at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and Director of the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (JCAP). You can catch Atwater at the fifth international ECS Electrochemical Energy Summit, taking…
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Every year, around 300 million tires are thrown away in the United States alone. According to researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), those wasted tires could be used in supercapacitors for vehicles and the electric grid. An ORNL team led by ECS member Parans Paranthaman has developed a technology that transforms scrap tires into supercapacitors, which could help power the nation and reduce the amount of waste to landfills simultaneously. This from ORNL: By employing proprietary pretreatment and processing,…
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Research into alternative sources of energy, such as solar and wind, are constantly growing and evolving. The science behind photovoltaics is improving constantly and wind turbines are producing more electrical energy than ever before. However, the question still stands of how we store and deliver this electrical energy to the grid. A few ECS members from Harvard University believe their new flow battery could answer that question. Building off earlier research, the new and improve flow battery could offer a…
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An interdisciplinary team has set a new record for direct solar water splitting efficiency. Surpassing the 17 year old record of 12.4 percent, the new achieved efficiency level of 14 percent guarantees a promising future for solar hydrogen production. While the potential for renewable energy is available across the globe, the ability to harvest and store this energy is not. One solution to achieving global renewable energy is through artificial photosynthesis. How to Power the Future Much like organic photosynthesis,…
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A team from Rice University, led by assistant professor and ECS member Isabell Thomann, has demonstrate a highly efficient way to harness energy from the sun though the splitting of water molecules. Through the configuration of light-activated gold nanoparticles, the team was able to successfully harvest and transfer energy to what the scientists refer to as “hot electrons.” “Hot electrons have the potential to drive very useful chemical reactions, but they decay very rapidly, and people have struggled to harness…
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