Stretchable electronics that quadruple in length

Water generates electricity (with a pinch of salt!)

EPFL researchers have developed a system that generates electricity from osmosis with unparalleled efficiency. Their work, featured in "Nature", uses seawater, fresh water, and a new type of membrane just three atoms thick. more

Watching single protons moving at water-solid interfaces

The H+ proton consists of a single ion of hydrogen, the smallest and lightest of all the chemical elements. These protons occur naturally in water where a tiny proportion of H2O molecules separate spontaneously. Their amount in a liquid determines whether the solution is acidic or basic. Pr ... more

Photoelectrochemical water-splitting efficiency hits 4.5%

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting for hydrogen fuel generation has been considered the Holy Grail of electrochemistry. But to achieve it, many scientists believe the materials have to be abundant and low cost. The most promising oxide photocathodes are cuprous oxide (Cu2O) photoele ... more

Visualizing chemical reactions

Researchers at the joint EPFL-Empa lab in Sion have developed a reactor system and an analysis method that has allowed them to observe the real-time production of synthetic natural gas from CO2 and H2 for the first time. Infrared (IR) thermography is used to determine the temperature of hu ... more