Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2022 - 46

Power & Energy
MANUFACTURING AND PROTOTYPING CHANNEL
Sponsored by
The reactant-transport engineering approach provides a way
to significantly boost the performance of these fuel cells while
still using existing components; even current, commercially deployed
liquid fuel cells can see gains in performance.
The key to improving any existing fuel cell technology is reducing
or eliminating side reactions. The majority of efforts
to achieve this goal involve developing new catalysts that face
significant hurdles in terms of adoption and field deployment.
Hydrogen bubbles formed on the surface of the catalyst have
long been a problem for direct sodium borohydride fuel cells
and it can be minimized by the rational design of the flow field.
With the development of this reactant-transport approach,
scale-up and deployment are possible.
For more information, contact Chuck Finder at chuck.finder@wustl.
edu; 314-935-4333.
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Five High-Tech
Materials That Sense
and Detect
Electronics and sensors are being
integrated into materials to spot
a variety of parameters. See five
manufacturing breakthroughs
that offer next-level sensing and
detection capabilities.
www.techbriefs.com/tv/
breakthrough-materials
'SmartScan' Handles
the Heat of Metal 3D
Printing
The high temperatures required
for some forms of 3D printing
can lead to product deformations.
" SmartScan " software from the
University of Michigan directs a laser
to avoid these thermal-based flaws.
www.techbriefs.com/tv/
smartscan
How to Make Electricity
from Solar Energy -
On Demand
Chalmers University of Technology
researchers are developing molecular
systems that capture sunlight and
release it as heat on demand. The
achievement could potentially
replace batteries and solar cells.
www.techbriefs.com/tv/
on-demand-energy
www.techbriefs.tv
46
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TB Power Energy 0522_1.indd 46
Cov
4/19/22 11:03 AM
Illustration of the lithium-ion battery that is both safe and high-performing.
(Photo: Jennifer McCann/Penn State)
Tech Briefs, May 2022
Safe, High-Energy Li-Ion
Battery for Electric Vehicles
The high-power battery can last for 1
million miles.
The Pennsylvania State University,
University Park, PA
E
lectric vehicle batteries typically require a tradeoff between
safety and energy density. If the battery has high energy and
power density - required for uphill driving or merging on the
freeway - then there is a chance the battery can catch fire or
explode in the wrong conditions. But materials that have low
energy/power density, and therefore high safety, tend to have
poor performance. There is no material that satisfies both.
ToC
4/19/22 11:10 AM

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Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2022

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