Lithium ion batteries affect everything from small electrical devices to airplanes, yet the battery’s aging process creates limitations to storage capacity. While researchers have not yet been able to determine what causes aging in lithium ion batteries, a research team has made new developments to offer more insight to this downfall and potentially create more youthful batteries. The study, recently published in the Journal of The Electrochemical Society (JES), describes newly discovered factors that speed up the aging process in…
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Bor Yann Liaw is a respected battery-related researcher, working in advanced power sources and energy storage systems at the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute. He has recently been appointed to the ECS Electrochemical Science & Technology (EST) Editorial Board as an Associate Editor for a two year-term, concentrating in Batteries & Energy Storage. What do you hope to accomplish in your new role as the EST Editorial Board Assistant Editor? I think that the impact of the journal is very high,…
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Researchers across the globe have been investing more and more effort into developing new materials to power the next generation of devices. With the population growing and energy demands rising, the need for smaller, faster, and more efficient batteries is more prevalent than ever. While some researchers are attempting to develop complex material combinations to tackle this issue, researchers from Rice University are going back to basics by developing a clay-based electrolyte. Utilizing clay as a primary material in a…
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When it comes to energy storage, hydrogen is becoming more and more promising. From hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to the “artificial leaf” to the transformation of waste heat into hydrogen, researchers are looking to hydrogen for answers to the growing demand for energy storage. At the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), researchers are using hydrogen to make lithium ion batteries operate longer and have faster transport rates. In a response to the need for higher performance batteries, the researchers began…
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With collaboration opportunities and innovative workshops, the newly established UCLA student chapter is providing both social and academic experiences for those involved. Since its approval at the 228th ECS Meeting, the UCLA student chapter has been hard at work creating a robust, multifaceted group where students from all areas of electrochemical science can come together. “Science, at the entry level, progresses much more efficiently when there is an open dialogue between researchers,” says John Cook, chair of the UCLA student…
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While we typically work to preserve the environment, there are some aspects that cause more harm than good. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are one of these environmentally hazardous parts of nature, severely impacting human health, the ecosystem, and the economy. While HABs put countless people at risk though polluted drinking water, researchers are now attempting to create some good from this negative. Through heating the algal at a very high temperature in argon gas, HABs can be converted into a…
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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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Did you know that ECS offers over ten different awards that students in your chapter can be nominated for?  These awards include division awards, section awards and fellowships. Each award has unique qualifications and deadlines. Learn more on our website! Upcoming Award Nomination Deadlines: Corrosion Division Morris Cohen Graduate Student Award – December 15, 2015 ECS Summer Fellowships – January 15, 2016 Battery Division Student Research Award – March 15, 2016 ECS Outstanding Student Chapter Award – March 31, 2016 For more information, contact…
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