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 May 2017, we sat down with ECS journal editors Robert Savinell and Dennis Hess at the 231st ECS Meeting to discuss the future of scholarly publishing, open access, and the Society’s Free the Science initiative. The conversation was led by Rob Gerth, director of marketing and communications at ECS. In 1978, Savinell became an active member of ECS, serving as an associate editor for the Journal of The Electrochemical Society (JES) in 1984. He was appointed editor of JES…
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It is with great pride that ECS honors the winners of the General Student Poster Session Awards for the 231st ECS Meeting in New Orleans, LA. ECS established the General Student Poster Session Awards in 1993 to acknowledge the eminence of its students’ work. The winners exhibit a profound understanding of their research topic and its relation to fields of interest to ECS. In order to be eligible for the General Student Poster Session Awards, students must submit their abstracts…
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By: Peter Byrley, University of California, Riverside A smartphone touchscreen is an impressive piece of technology. It displays information and responds to a user’s touch. But as many people know, it’s easy to break key elements of the transparent, electrically conductive layers that make up even the sturdiest rigid touchscreen. If flexible smartphones, e-paper and a new generation of smart watches are to succeed, they can’t use existing touchscreen technology. We’ll need to invent something new – something flexible and…
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Using high pressure, scientists have created the first high-entropy metal alloy made of common metals to have a hexagonal close-packed (HCP) atomic structure. This makes it lighter and stronger than comparable metal alloys with different structures. Traditional alloys typically consist of one or two dominant metals with a pinch of other metals or elements thrown in. Classic examples include adding tin to copper to make bronze, or carbon to iron to create steel. In contrast, “high-entropy” alloys consist of multiple…
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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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Semiconductor materials make possible many of today’s technological advances, from handheld electronics to solar cells and even electric vehicles. Specifically, wide bandgap semiconductors have opened new opportunities in ultra-high power electronics applications for utility grid management, military radar systems, and smart grid technologies. In order for these emerging technologies to be successful, researchers are looking to develop materials that are stronger, faster, and more efficient than ever before. “New materials are the cornerstone of innovation in technology since they allow...
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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.

Researchers have created a flexible electronic device that can easily degrade just by adding a weak acid like vinegar. “In my group, we have been trying to mimic the function of human skin to think about how to develop future electronic devices,” says Stanford University engineer Zhenan Bao. She described how skin is stretchable, self-healable, and also biodegradable—an attractive list of characteristics for electronics. “We have achieved the first two [flexible and self-healing], so the biodegradability was something we wanted…
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Thank you to the SOFC-XV Exhibitors! The exhibitors in Hollywood Florida will showcase some of the greatest innovations in the industry including cutting-edge instruments, materials, systems, publications, and software, as well as other products and services. Don’t miss the opportunity to gain face to face time with industry experts. Location The Exhibit Hall will be located in the Grand Ballroom East. Exhibit Hours Monday, July 24 0800-1300h Exhibitor Move-In 1800-2000h Technical Exhibit & Poster Session Tuesday, July 25 1800-2000h Technical...
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