Energy Storage

'Soil Fuel Cells' Support Water Treatment in Brazil

The soil microbial fuel cells produce energy to filter enough water for a person’s daily needs, with potential to increase scale.

Robotic Assembly of Photovoltaic Arrays

Adaptable automation reduces manufacturing time and costs.

How to Charge an Underwater Robot? A Mobile Docking Station

Researcher Nina Mahmoudian is finding a new way for underwater robots to recharge and upload their data, and then go back out to continue exploring, without the need for human intervention.

Laser Spark Distribution and Ignition System

Traditional spark plugs are replaced by an optical pumping source.

Self-Heating Battery Enables Quick Recharging of Electric Vehicles

This battery would enable a 10-minute electrical vehicle recharge.

Using Silicon for Battery Anodes

A nanostructure design lends extraordinary strength to a promising storage ingredient.

Bio-Inspired Wing Design for Small Drones

Taking a cue from birds and insects, the wing design helps drones fly more efficiently and makes them more robust to atmospheric turbulence.

Perovskite Solar Cells Take the Heat

Perovskites could be the active ingredient that makes the next generation of low-cost, efficient, lightweight, and flexible solar cells.

New Composite Energizes the Electric Vehicle Market

A new composite from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) increases the electrical current capacity of copper wires, providing a new material that can be scaled for use in ultra-efficient, power-dense electric vehicle traction motors.

Faster, More Efficient Energy Storage From Layered Materials

A team led by the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) developed a novel, integrated approach to track energy-transporting ions within an ultra-thin...

Biomorphic Batteries Could Provide 72 Times More Energy for Robots

Like biological fat reserves store energy in animals, a new rechargeable zinc battery integrates into the structure of a robot to provide much more energy, a team led by the...

Long-life Batteries for the IIoT

Choosing the right battery will save trouble and expense in the long run.

Hummingbird Robot Uses AI to Maneuver in Tight Spaces

The robots could fly silently for covert operations and stay steady through turbulence.

Self-Powered Alarm Fights Forest Fires, Monitors Environment

A remote forest fire detection and alarm system is powered by nothing but the movement of trees in the wind.

New Products

Power switches, battery pack adhesives, supercapacitor modules, and more...

Q&A: Charge Wirelessly as You Drive

A new system from Oak Ridge National Laboratory enables electric vehicles to be charged while on the road.

Spreadable Way to Stabilize Solid-State Batteries

A “butter-like” interlayer material boosts current density and increases safety.

Doubling Battery Performance with Lithium Metal

Drop-in replacements for lithium ion batteries would not pose a fire danger.

Semi-Liquid Metal Anode

Lithium batteries made using this electrode type could be much safer than typical lithium metal-based batteries.

Electrolyte Design Improves Anode Capacity in Lithium-Ion Batteries

The battery design increases the number of possible cycles from tens to more than 100 with little degradation.

“Racetrack Memory” Digital Data Storage

This technology offers the possibility to both bolster computer power and create smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient computer memory technologies.

Tough, Solid Electrolyte Battery Component

Using ceramic material and graphene, the toughness of solid-state lithium-ion batteries can be doubled.

Nanotechnology Repairs Engine Damage in Cars

The NASA-funded nanoparticle lubricant also works in satellites and space vehicles.

Reverse Fuel Cell Converts Waste Carbon to Valuable Chemicals

The technology could lead to production of fuels, building materials, and other products in a carbon-neutral way.

New on the Market: July 2020

Photoelectric sensors, cable connectors, power monitors, and USB3 cameras.

Sodium-Ion Batteries

These can replace rechargeable lithium-ion batteries commonly used in robotics, power tools, and grid-scale energy storage.

Wearable Cooling and Heating Patch

The patch could serve as a personal thermostat and save energy.