Batteries, Supercapacitors

A team of researchers at Penn State introduce a novel design approach that optimizes battery performance for extreme climates By Ty Tkacik Despite lithium-ion (Li) batteries’ role as one of the most widely used forms of energy storage, they struggle to operate at full power in low temperatures and sometimes even explode at high temperatures. Researchers at Penn State, however, have proposed a des…

Researchers at Penn State develop dense, thick electrodes with higher energy density and enhanced mechanical properties compared to commercial batteries By Ty Tkacik Electrodes are the veins of batteries, responsible for harnessing and transporting the lifeblood of energy storage devices: electricity. Battery power and efficiency largely hinge on the performance of these electrodes — and now a te…

By Mariah Lucas Rechargeable solid-state lithium batteries are an emerging technology that could someday power cell phones and laptops for days with a single charge. Offering significantly enhanced energy density, they are a safer alternative to the flammable lithium-ion batteries currently used in consumer electronics — but they are not environmentally friendly. Current recycling methods focus o…

By Mariah R. Lucas UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Recycling does not necessarily prevent an item from eventually ending up in a landfill, according to Enrique Gomez, interim associate dean for equity and inclusion and professor of chemical engineering in the Penn State College of Engineering. Instead, recycling simply delays its end of life. Plastic bottles that are recycled and then turned into carpet, …

By Jamie Oberdick The demand for high-performance batteries, especially for use in electric vehicles, is surging as the world shifts its energy consumption to a more electric-powered system, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and prioritizing climate remediation efforts. To improve battery performance and production, Penn State researchers and collaborators have developed a new fabrication approac…

By Jennifer Matthews Researchers at Penn State are designing a new wireless rechargeable battery for biomedical electronics, such as cardiac pacemakers, that will allow them to be charged and managed without the need for invasive surgery. “We want to optimize the battery and the materials design and couple that with wireless charging,” said Feifei Shi, assistant professor of energy engineering in…

By Mary Fetzer UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A research lab at Penn State will equally share a three-year, $2.55 million grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) with three other teams at Carnegie Mellon University and the Adolphe Merkle Institute of the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. The multidisciplinary research collaboration aims to develop a framework for the design an…

By Adrienne Berard A breakthrough in electric vehicle battery design has enabled a 10-minute charge time for a typical EV battery. The record-breaking combination of a shorter charge time and more energy acquired for longer travel range was announced today (Oct. 12) in the journal Nature. “The need for smaller, faster-charging batteries is greater than ever,” said Chao-Yang Wang, the William E. D…

Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics and Bioengineering (e) suz10@psu.edu (o) 814-865-7640 N-231 Millennium Science Building

Assistant Professor of Energy Engineering