In May 2017, we sat down with Kathy Ayers, vice president of research and development for Proton OnSite, at the 231st ECS Meeting in New Orleans. The conversation was led by Amanda Staller, web content specialist at ECS. Ayer’s work focuses on a multitude of energy technologies, including fuel cells, batteries, and solar cells. Currently, her work targets the production of hydrogen by PEM electrolysis. She has been a member of ECS since 1999, lending her expertise to various Society…
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Nearly 2,000 people from 58 countries attended the 231st ECS Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, May 28 – June 1, 2017. This was ECS’s first return visit to New Orleans since the 184th ECS Meeting in 1993. Participants could choose from 46 symposia, over 1,200 oral talks, 615 student presentations, and nearly 400 posters. Click here to see all of the photos from the 231st ECS Meeting. Plenary Session ECS President Krishnan Rajeshwar presented the opening remarks at the 231st...
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In 2016, Solar Impulse 2 was the first solar-powered electrified aircraft to make a trip around the world. But that aircraft wasn’t the first to partake in electric flight, nor will it be the last. Since the development of the battery-powered Militky MB-E1 in the early 1970s, there has been excitement surrounding the promise of an electric aircraft. However, many of the concepts being floated around by aerospace companies assume huge improvements in current battery technology. The problem? According to…
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By: Erin Baker, University of Massachusetts Amherst The U.S. Department of Energy spends US$3-$4 billion per year on applied energy research. These programs seek to provide clean and reliable energy and improve our energy security by driving innovation and helping companies bring new clean energy sources to market. President Trump’s detailed budget request reportedly will ask Congress to cut funding for the Energy Department’s clean energy programs by almost 70 percent, from $2 billion this year to $636 million in…
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Ten new issues of ECS Transactions (ECST) have just been published for the upcoming 231st ECS Meeting. The papers in these issues of ECST will be presented in New Orleans, Louisiana, May 28 – June 1, 2017. ECST Volume 77, Issues 1 to 10 can now be accessed online through the ECS Digital Library. These issues are also available for purchase from the ECS Online Store: 1. Battery Electrolytes 2. Emerging Materials for Post CMOS Devices/Sensing and Applications 8 3. Plasma Nano Science…
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The electrical grid is the central component of energy distribution and consumption, but the control of the same is currently underfunded and incapable of moving the nation toward a clean energy future. In a new study, electrochemical engineering expert Venkat Subramanian discusses the potential for implementing bottom-up renewable grid control with microgrids. Subramanian is a member of The Electrochemical Society and the Washington Research Foundation Innovation Professor of Chemical Engineering and Clean Energy at the University of Washington. “Our hypothesis...
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The electric vehicle market continues to build momentum every year, with consumers around the world growing more interested. But in order for EVs to pave the way for the future of transportation, more efficient, longer-lasting batteries will need to be developed. That’s where ECS member Jeff Dahn, leader of Tesla’s researcher partnership through his Dalhousie University research group, comes in. Recently, Dahn and his team unveiled new chemistry that could increase battery lifecycle at high voltages without significant degradation.

The consumer demand for seamless, integrated technology is on the rise, and with it grows the Internet of Things, which is expected to grow to a multitrillion-dollar market by 2020. But in order to develop a fully integrated electronic network, flexible, lightweight, rechargeable power sources will be required. A team of researchers from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology is looking to address that issue, developing inkjet-printed batteries that can be modified to fit devices of any shape and…
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Over 2,309 people from 30 countries attended the 229th ECS Meeting in San Diego, California, May 29 – June 2, 2016. This was ECS’s first return visit to San Diego since 1998. Participants could choose from over 2,200 presentations. Plenary Session ECS President Daniel Scherson welcomed attendees to the meeting during Monday evening’s Plenary Session. In addition to wrapping up the first full day of technical sessions and honoring award winners, Scherson introduced everyone to what would be a major...
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Researchers from Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science recently developed a method that could result in safer, longer-lasting, bendable lithium-ion batteries. To do this, the team applied ice-templating to control the structure of the solid electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries. Recent reports of cell phones and hoverboards bursting into flames have made people aware of the safety concerns related to the lithium-ion battery’s liquid electrolyte. The researchers behind this new work decided to confront the safety issues by exploring…
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