Caption: Using a model for lithium phosphate, researchers computed how much each phonon contributes to the ion diffusion process. Armed with this knowledge, researchers could use lasers to selectively excite or heat up specific phonons, rather than exposing the entire material to high temperatures. This could open lead to low-cost fuel cells and batteries, among many other applications. Credits: Image courtesy of the researchers Caption: Associate Professor Asegun Henry believes this method could lead to the creation of a new research field one he refers to as “phonon catalysis.” While the new work focuses specifically on ion diffusion, Henry sees applications in chemical reactions, phase transformations, and other temperature-dependent phenomena.
April 15, 2021
LITHIUM-ion batteries have made possible the lightweight electronic devices whose portability we now take for granted, as well as the rapid expansion of electric vehicle production. But researchers around the world are continuing to push limits to achieve ever-greater energy densities the amount of energy that can be stored in a given mass of material in order to improve the performance of existing devices and potentially enable new applications such as long-range drones and robots.
One promising approach is the use of metal electrodes in place of the conventional graphite, with a higher charging voltage in the cathode. Those efforts have been hampered, however, by a variety of unwanted chemical reactions that take place with the electrolyte that separates the electrodes. Now, a team of researchers at MIT and elsewhere has found a novel electrolyte that overcomes these problems and could enable a significant leap in the power-per-weight of next-generation batteries
Industry News: Boosting the efficiency of carbon capture and conversion systems
26 Jan 2021
Systems for capturing and converting carbon dioxide from power plant emissions could be important tools for curbing climate change, but most are relatively inefficient and expensive. Researchers at MIT have developed a method that could significantly boost the performance of systems that use catalytic surfaces to enhance the rates of carbon-sequestering electrochemical reactions.
Such catalytic systems are an attractive option for carbon capture because they can produce useful, valuable products, such as transportation fuels or chemical feedstocks. This output can help to subsidize the process, offsetting the costs of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Boosting the Efficiency of Carbon Capture and Conversion Systems
Written by AZoCleantechJan 27 2021
Systems for capturing and converting carbon dioxide from power plant emissions could be important tools for curbing climate change, but most are relatively inefficient and expensive. Now, researchers at MIT have developed a method that could significantly boost the performance of systems that use catalytic surfaces to enhance the rates of carbon-sequestering electrochemical reactions.
Dyes are used to reveal the concentration levels of carbon dioxide in the water. On the left side is a gas-attracting material, and the dye shows the carbon dioxide stays concentrated next to the catalyst. Image Credit: Varanasi Research Group
New method ânearly doubles carbon capture performanceâ 26 Jan 2021
Professional Engineering
Stock image. The new method boosts the performance of electrochemical conversion, which involves mixing a stream of carbon dioxide with water (Credit: Shutterstock) A new method has almost doubled the performance of electrochemical carbon capture, its developers have said.
A team from Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed the technique, which could significantly boost the performance of systems that use catalytic surfaces.
“Carbon dioxide sequestration is the challenge of our times,” said mechanical engineering professor Kripa Varanasi, who worked with assistant professor Sami Khan, professor Yang Shao-Horn and recent graduate Jonathan Hwang. There are a number of approaches, including geological sequestration, ocean storage, mineralisation and chemical conversion. Electrochemical conversion is particularly promising because it can produce us