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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Recognized for being a key figure in developing an industry leading battery for high power applications such as power tools, Blomgren currently provides consulting services worldwide in the field of battery technology and applications for many companies. Along with authoring 30 book chapters and chapters on batteries for Kirk Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Ullmann’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, and the Encyclopedia of Physics – Blomgren also holds 20 patents and has over 30 journal publications. Blomgren had a 41-year…
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Steven Visco is currently the founder and chief executive officer of PolyPlus Battery Company, which he co-founded in 1991 to research and develop next generation batteries. Visco’s company was selected by TIME magazine in its “50 Best Inventions” issue, as well as awarded the Gold Edison Award in 2012. Aside from his role at PolyPlus Battery Company, Visco also serves as a guest scientist in the Materials Science Division at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where his research interests have…
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Emanuel Peled is known among the scientific community as the inventor and developer of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) model for nonaqueous alkali-metal batteries. His in-depth exploration of battery throughout his career has allowed him to develop unique state of charge meter (residual capacity) for lithium batteries in his laboratory and was manufactured by a startup company Chemtronics, for which he was a co-founder. While here, he and his team also developed high power hydrogen bromine fuel cells, direct methanol…
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Robert Kostecki is often recognized for his groundbreaking work in the field of electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems, photocatalysis and water treatment technologies, which often helped bridge the gap between fundamental science and applications of significant technological importance. As a pioneer in advanced characterization of electrochemical interface in lithium-ion batteries, his research interests focus on fundamental interfacial phenomena that determine the function and performance of electrical energy storage systems, including degradation modes and failure mechanisms. Among his many scientific...
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Martin Winter holds a professorship in Materials Science, Energy and Electrochemistry at the Institute of Physical Chemistry at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster (WWU). He is the Founder and Scientific Director of the Münster Electrochemical Energy Technology (MEET) Battery Research Center at WWU, managing a team of 150 scientists, engineers, and technicians working on the research and development of innovative electrochemical energy storage systems with higher energy density, longer durability, and maximum safety. In 2015, he founded and continues to serve…
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In the field of batteries, lithium is king. But a recent development from scientists at the Toyota Research Institute of North America (TRINA) may introduce a new competitor to the field. The researchers have recently developed the first non-corrosive electrolyte for a rechargeable magnesium battery, which could open the door to better batteries for everything from cars to cell phones. “When magnesium batteries become a reality, they’ll be much smaller than current lithium-ion,” says Rana Mohtadi, principal scientist and ECS…
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Electronic cigarettes have paved a path for smokers to get their nicotine fix in a safer way. However, with recent news reports of the devices exploding into bursts of flames, many consumers now wary of the safety concerns. E-cigarettes are relatively simple devices. Powered by a battery, an internal heating element vaporizes the liquid solution in the cartridge. But for a New York teen, the process wasn’t as simple as he expected. Anatomy of an e-cigarette According to a report…
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