A multi-institutional research team co-led by Berkeley Lab’s Advanced Light Source has measured at unprecedented detail how leaking oxygen atoms change an electrode’s structure and chemistry, and eventually reduce how much energy a lithium-ion battery can store.
Scientists Discover How Oxygen Loss Saps a Lithium-Ion Battery’s Voltage
Science Snapshots Media Relations •
Scientists Uncover a Different Facet of Fuel Cell Chemistry
Science Snapshots By Lori Tamura •
X-ray beams at the Advanced Light Source allowed researchers to “see” oxygen gas molecules adhere to a specially prepared electrode surface, an important step in the electrochemical reaction taking place in fuel cells.
What if We Could Give Viruses a One-Two Punch?
Feature Story Theresa Duque •
Researchers at Stanford and Berkeley Lab’s Molecular Foundry have developed virus-killing molecules called peptoids. The technology could make possible an emerging category of antiviral drugs that could treat everything from herpes and COVID-19 to the common cold.
This Crystal Impurity Is Sheer Perfection
News Release Theresa Duque •
Scientists at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley have developed a nanoparticle composite that grows into 3D crystals. The new 3D-grown material could speed up production and eliminate errors in the mass manufacturing of nanoscale photonics for smart buildings or actuators for robotics.
One-of-a-Kind Course Aims to Build the Bioeconomy Workforce
Feature Story Media Relations •
A new course that takes place at Berkeley Lab’s Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Process Development Unit gives UC Berkeley students hands-on experience with bioprocessing equipment, preparing them for careers in the biopharmaceutical, industrial biotech, or food tech industries.
How to Make Lithium-ion Batteries Invincible
News Release Julie Chao •
In our future electrified world, the demand for battery storage is projected to be enormous, reaching to upwards of 2 to 10 terawatt-hours (TWh) of annual battery production by 2030, from less than 0.5 TWh today. However, concerns are growing as to whether key raw materials will be adequate to meet this future demand.
The Story Behind Our Infinitely Recyclable Plastic
Feature Story Aliyah Kovner •
A multidisciplinary team has been working for several years to develop a game-changing plastic that, unlike traditional plastics, can be recycled indefinitely and is not made from petroleum. In this Q&A, we asked two project leaders about the inspiration for the unique plastic, shortfalls in our current recycling systems, and how this ambitious project is enabled by a diverse combination of scientific expertise.
Key to Cleaner Combustion? Look to the Stars
News Release Theresa Duque •
A research team co-led by Berkeley Lab has demonstrated that the chemistry behind the formation of carbon compounds in the early universe could inform cleaner combustion engines.
New Tools Link Catalytic Activity to Nanoscale Transformations
Science Snapshots Media Relations •
An international research team led by scientists at Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory developed a new apparatus at Berkeley Lab’s Advanced Light Source (ALS) that could help improve the efficiency of hydrogen fuel generation.
How X-Rays Could Make Reliable, Rapid COVID-19 Tests a Reality
News Release Aliyah Kovner •
Vaccines are turning the tide in the pandemic, but the risk of infection is still present. Instant at-home tests would help us return to normal, but current options aren’t very accurate. A new discovery could help get reliable tests on the market.