In a push for more basic research funding for electrochemical science, past ECS President Daniel Scherson testified before a U.S. House subcommittee to discuss innovations in solar fuels, electricity storage, and advanced materials. “I want them to understand where electrochemistry fits in many aspects of our lives,” Scherson, the Frank Hovorka Professor of Chemistry at Case Western Reserve University, said prior to the hearing. During the hearing, Scherson emphasized to the subcommittee that in order to solve some of society’s…
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University of Iowa researchers have teamed up with California-based startup HyperSolar to progress the science in producing clean energy from sunlight and water. The goal of this research is to develop a way to efficiently and sustainably produce low-cost renewable hydrogen for commercial use. Hydrogen has huge potential as an alternative form of energy. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, hydrogen has the highest energy content of any fuel we use today (carbon dependent fuels included). But hydrogen is…
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The first 2016, biannual meeting of the ALISTORE European Research Institute of leading European battery technology scientists took place in the CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas) (National Research Council of Spain) European Office in Brussels across the 14th and 15th June 2016. The two day event started with the theme “Future aspects of Materials Sciences & Electrochemistry research in the European Green Energy Economy: The role of the ALISTORE European Research Institute.” Discussion topics included : the current basic…
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An odd partnership emerged at the Waste EXPO 2016 as truck manufacturer Mack Trucks and Tesla Motors joined forces to introduce an electrified garbage truck based on Mack’s LR model. The innovative car manufacturer outfitted the truck with a regenerative braking system, which allows the truck to recharge its battery while it operates. Because of the frequent stopping and start of a garbage truck’s engine, a significant amount of energy is wasted in its day-to-day operation. “We don’t make vehicles,…
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We may understand melanin best as the pigment that dictates our skin tone, but these pigments are actually super plentiful – existing in almost every organism on earth. While melanin is all around us, there is still much to learn about its chemical structure. A group of researchers from Carnegie Mellon University set out to better understand melanin, and in doing so, found that its chemical structure may be conducive to creating certain kinds of batteries. “Functionally, different types of…
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Sharing solutions to today’s most pressing global issues Pennington, NJ – (May 17, 2016) – The Electrochemical Society will be in San Diego May 29 – June 2 hosting the 229th ECS Meeting at the Hilton Bayfront and San Diego Convention Center. Over 2,400 attendees will discuss topics in batteries and energy storage, corrosion science and technology, electronics, fuel cells and energy conversion, carbon nanostructures, sensors, and more. The 229th ECS Meeting is a forum for sharing the latest scientific…
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As far back as 1839, the English scientist William Grove had the idea that the reactants of a battery could be gases fed into it from external tanks. For most of their history, fuel cells existed only as laboratory curiosities. But fuel cells have gained much more attention in recent years, with many considering these power sources for applications in vehicles and alternative grid technology. New research from Harvard University shows just how promising fuel cell technology could be. According…
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In late 2015, a team of Cambridge University researchers led by ECS member Clare Grey, detailed research in the journal Science on the path to the “ultimate” battery. According to the study, the researchers stated they had successfully demonstrated how to overcome many of the problems preventing the theoretically promising lithium-air battery from being commercially viable. The key component to this research relies on a highly porous, “fluffy” carbon electrode made from graphene. The researchers cautioned that although the preliminary…
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Two ECS members from Drexel University have recently been awarded for their exemplary work in the sciences. Yuri Gogosti, Fellow of ECS and advisor of the Drexel ECS Student Chapter, has been awarded the 2016 Nano Energy Award. The award, presented by the journal Nano Energy, recognizes outstanding research in the field of nano energy, whose work reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the field and helps solves major energy problems facing society. Gogostsi’s work is highly regarded in the scientific…
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