Pulling Apart Titanium Oxide Surfaces

From the Toilet to the Tank – Biofuels from Sewage

What we flush can be converted into a biocrude oil with properties very similar to fossil fuels. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory researchers have worked out a process that does not require that sewage be dried before transforming it under heat and pressure to biocrude. Metro Vancouver ... more

A leap in using silicon for battery anodes

The same material you'll find at the tip of a pencil--graphite--has long been a key component in today's lithium-ion batteries. As our reliance on these batteries increases, however, graphite-based electrodes are due for an upgrade. For that, scientists are looking to the element at the hea ... more

Army scientists look inside batteries with a molecular eye

Scientists are closer to understanding exactly what happens inside batteries that make them prone to fire, thanks to a molecular eye of sorts. Scientists at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command's Army Research Laboratory teamed with researchers from the U.S. Department of E ... more

Scientists learn more about the first hours of a lithium-ion battery's life

The first hours of a lithium-ion battery's life largely determine just how well it will perform. In those moments, a set of molecules self-assembles into a structure inside the battery that will affect the battery for years to come. This component, known as the solid-electrolyte interphase ... more