Latest Updates
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Search for the Super Battery
We live in an age when technological innovation seems to be limitlessly soaring. But for all the satisfying speed with which our gadgets have improved, many of them share a frustrating weakness: the batteries. Aired on February 1, 2017, this NOVA program entitled… Read More
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The Effects of Functional Groups in Redox-Active Organic Molecules: A High-Throughput Screening Approach
This work utilized high-throughput screening of thousands of molecules to explore the relationship between molecular structure and the reduction/oxidation potentials (ROPs) of organic electrolytes. Read More
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Interaction Parameter (χ) and Ion Dissociation in Lithium and Magnesium Single-Ion-Conducting Block Copolymers Electrolytes
Ion dissociation and block copolymer thermodynamics are intimately coupled: ion dissociation in lithiated systems suppresses microphase separation. Read More
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The Effect of Hydrofluoroether Addition on S8 Reduction and the Li+ Solvation Structure in the Solvate Electrolyte
The hydrofluoroether, TTE, competes with MeCN coordination to Li+ in the solvate electrolyte resulting in a higher free MeCN content as TTE is added. The content of free MeCN affects S8 reduction kinetics likely through facilitation of polysulfide formation and enhanced local solvation effects. Read More
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Energy Storage Has the Potential to Change the Way We Live
This CNBC Special Report discusses how the striking and swift evolution of cell phones from cumbersome bricks to sleek, powerful devices was possible because of the lithium-ion batteries used to charge them up. Next-gen batteries could bring the kind of change we’ve seen in telephones to electric vehicles and the grid. Read More
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Scientific Sprints: Speed Through Collaboration
As an innovative twist on traditional project management, JCESR conducts “Sprints,” small teams of dedicated researchers formed to solve a select research challenge within 1-6 months. Using the Sprint approach, JCESR takes a single question from our catalog of prioritized scientific challenges and dedicates a small, multidisciplinary team of 5-15 members to answer it. Read More
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Energy Storage: George Crabtree
George Crabtree, JCESR Director, discusses the importance of developing the next generation of batteries and how that could help transform transportation and the electricity grid. Read More
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Impact of Trace Impurities on the Reversibility of Mg Anodes
Trace amounts of water (≤ 3 ppm) are shown to strongly influence both the kinetics of Mg deposition and the reversibility of Mg stripping, with Cl- mitigating passivation by H2O by strongly modifying the Mg surface chemistry. Read More
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Dendrites and Pits: Untangling the Complex Behavior of Lithium Metal Anodes through Operando Video Microscopy
A mechanistic understanding of the complex cycling behavior of Li metal anodes has been gained by combining operando video microscopy with continuum-scale modeling of Li/Li symmetric cells. Read More
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Cost-Driven Materials Selection Criteria for Redox Flow Battery Electrolytes
Techno-economic analysis shows that design challenges for non-aqueous batteries include minimizing salt content and dropping redox-active species concentration to moderate levels, while aqueous batteries are sensitive to only redox-active material cost and cell voltage due to low area-specific resistance and supporting electrolyte costs. Read More
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Impact of Backbone Tether Length and Structure on the Electrochemical Performance of Viologen RAPs
Fundamental inter-valence interactions are used as starting point for improving the electrochemical properties of redox active polymers and explore structure/activity relationships. Read More
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The Evolution of Redox Active Polymers as Soluble Nanomaterials for Energy Storage
Redox active polymers (RAPs) are highlighted for use as new soluble energy storage materials. This review article shines light on some of the major work from the RAP flow battery sprint in JCESR and provides perspective on future studies of RAPs. Read More
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High Current Density, Long Duration Cycling of Soluble Organic Active Species for Non-Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries
We simultaneously engineered a soluble catholyte molecule and low resistance flow cell, enabling unprecedented high current density and undetectable capacity fade cycling of an organic molecule in a non-aqueous flow cell. Read More
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Redox Active Colloids as Discrete Energy Storage Carriers
Redox active colloids (RACs) were introduced as a promising class of energy storage materials. These were synthesized and electrochemically studied for their charge transfer properties as well as charge storage capabilities. Read More
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Are Lithium-Ion Batteries Safe?
Lithium-ion batteries are used in all kinds of devices. While there are very few safety issues relative to the millions of batteries in use, in light of some recent lithium-ion safety issues, Kris Van Cleave at CBS Evening News took a look at their safety. Read More
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The Lightest Organic Radical Cation for Charge Storage in Redox Flow Batteries
By systematically shedding molecular fragments of 2,5-di-tert-butyl-1,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzene that are considered important for radical cation steric stabilization, we discovered a minimalistic structure that retains long-term stability in its oxidized form and exhibits the intrinsic capacity of 161 mAh/g. Read More
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Sparingly Solvating Electrolytes for High Energy Density Lithium-Sulfur Batteries
As JCESR scientists work to develop lighter and less expensive chemistries than those used in current lithium-ion batteries, lithium-sulfur shows tremendous promise. This perspective presents an alternate approach that could move us closer to long-lived, high energy density lithium-sulfur batteries. Read More
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Recent Advances in Molecular Engineering of Redox Active Organic Molecules for Nonaqueous Flow Batteries
This review article summarizes the recent work on organic molecules for redox flow batteries, both redox couples and tailored redox active molecules. Read More
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Evaluation of Sulfur Spinel Compounds for Multivalent Battery Cathode Applications
Systematic evaluations were performed to screen for feasible MV cathode candidates. Spinel MgCr2S4, MgTi2S4, MgMn2S4 and CaCr2S4 were found as the most promising systems for multivalent cathode applications due to their facile cation mobility (<650meV) among the 3d transition–metal sulfur spinel compounds. Read More
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Molecular Dynamics Modeling of the Conductivity of Lithiated Nafion Containing Nonaqueous Solvents
Successfully predicted the ionic conductivities of lithiated Nafion membranes swollen in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and acetonitrile (ACN) using molecular dynamics and experimentally validated the results. Read More