Scientists have developed a new lithium-ion battery cathode that is free of cobalt, making it more attractive geopolitically.
Tag: Batteries and Fuel Cells
George Crabtree, energy trailblazer remembered as a “great listener” and “boundless explorer”, dead at 78
George Crabtree, director of the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research at Argonne and a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is fondly remembered for his impactful leadership that elevated energy research.
Investigating battery failure to engineer better batteries
Researchers use cutting-edge X-ray techniques to observe how an operating solid-state battery degrades.
A year in review: Argonne’s breakthroughs in 2022
Argonne researchers put their stamp on 2022 with accomplishments as varied as quantum science, wearable medical sensors, and climate change resilience and recovery.
Designing better battery electrolytes
Argonne scientists give the lay of the land in the quest for electrolytes that could enable revolutionary battery chemistries.
Promise of zinc-ion batteries for electric grid storage is currently overestimated, scientists say
Because they can work well in water-containing environments and are lower cost, zinc-ion batteries are attractive, but they have drawbacks.
Building a robust battery recycling industry, one company at a time
An Argonne model informed the technology of two teams that won a prestigious battery recycling prize.
What will it cost to cut the carbon footprint of cars sold in the U.S?
Argonne worked with automakers and energy companies to conduct a cradle-to-grave analysis of light-duty vehicles, which estimated the current and potential future costs and greenhouse gas emissions for vehicles over the entire course of their life cycle.

Entrepreneurship program at Argonne National Laboratory opens applications for startups
Chain Reaction Innovations, the entrepreneurship program at Argonne National Laboratory, is accepting applications for its next fellowship cohort.
Fueling your curiosity: Argonne answers top questions on hydrogen fuel
As part of National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day, Argonne answers common questions surrounding hydrogen as an energy carrier.
Argonne’s Pietro Papa Lopes named “Rising Star” by the American Chemical Society
Materials scientist Pietro Papa Lopes was named a 2022 “Rising Star” by the American Chemical Society.
New cathode design solves major barrier to better lithium-ion batteries
New method for preparing cathode materials eliminates stumbling block to better lithium-ion batteries. New structure for cathode particles could lead to new generation of longer-lasting and safer batteries able to power vehicles for longer driving ranges.
Argonne researchers win four 2022 R&D 100 awards
R&D Magazine has recognized four Argonne projects with R&D 100 Awards.
Argonne scientist elected Fellow of the Electrochemical Society
Argonne’s Deborah Myers has been elected a Fellow of the Electrochemical Society. She is recognized for technological contributions to electrochemical and solid-state science and technology and for active membership and involvement in the Society.
Michael Thackeray named Fellow of the Royal Society
Argonne’s Michael Thackeray has been named Fellow of the Royal Society for his pivotal research on lithium-ion batteries.

Center advancing beyond lithium battery technologies generates 30-plus patents for licensing
Researchers at the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research have invented a wide and diverse range of technologies in the “beyond lithium-ion” space, including 30-plus patents now available for licensing.
Researchers now able to predict battery lifetimes with machine learning
Scientists at Argonne have used machine learning algorithms to predict how long a lithium-ion battery will last.
Water containing battery electrolyte could enable cheaper, easier to produce batteries
Wet electrolyte could be a key to inexpensive energy storage.
A new research priority for next-generation batteries
Large ion clusters known as aggregates are an important emerging topic for research on electrolytes in batteries. The research indicates that aggregates can affect electrolyte properties, including stability and ion transport.
Bridging the lithium battery supply chain gap — a new alliance in the U.S.
By building bridges between the public and private sector, Li-Bridge aims to accelerate the development of a robust and secure domestic supply chain for lithium-based batteries.
Argonne taps internationally recognized researcher Shirley Meng as chief scientist for energy storage strategy
A pioneer in material science, Meng’s new role comes with a joint appointment as a professor at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at The University of Chicago.
Breakthrough research makes battery recycling more economical
Researchers at the nation’s first advanced battery recycling research and development center have made a pivotal discovery that removes one of the biggest hurdles standing in the way of making recycling lithium-ion batteries economically viable.
A super material applicable to batteries and other energy conversion devices
Researchers have discovered a material that is only four atoms thick and allows for the study of the motion of charged particles in only two dimensions. Such studies could lead to pivotal discoveries in solid electrolytes for batteries and other applications.
A 10-year look at the battery supply chain in America
A new report summarizes the manufacturing and production locations of lithium-ion battery cells and packs by make and model for PEVs sold in the U.S. from 2010 to 2020. It also summarizes the annual and cumulative Li-ion battery capacity installed in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) sold in the U.S.
New Argonne study puts charge into drive for sustainable lithium production
A new study by a team of scientists from Argonne National Laboratory and Chilean-based SQM shows the best ways to produce lithium more efficiently.
5th cohort of five innovators selected for Chain Reaction Innovations program
Five new innovators will be joining Chain Reaction Innovations, the entrepreneurship program at Argonne National Laboratory, as part of the elite program’s fifth cohort to develop clean energy startups that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase U.S. competitiveness in emerging energy technologies.
Lithium-ion battery recycling expert available: Jeff Spangenberger, Argonne National Laboratory
Lithium-ion battery recycling expert available: Jeff Spangenberger, Argonne National Laboratory Jeff Spangenberger is the Materials Recycling Group Leader in the Applied Materials Division at Argonne National Laboratory. He and his team have demonstrated the recovery of plastics, metals, and materials…

Reshaping the future of the electric grid through low-cost, long-duration discharge batteries
Research begun at the Department of Energy’s Joint Center for Energy Storage Research and continued at spinoff company Form Energy may launch a new era of renewable energy.

Argonne innovations and technology to help drive circular economy
In a collaborative effort to “recover, recycle and reuse,” Argonne strengthens research that addresses pollution, greenhouse gases and climate change and aligns with new policies for carbon emission reduction.
Khalil Amine elected fellow of National Academy of Inventors
Khalil Amine, a senior materials scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, has been elected a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, the highest professional distinction accorded to academic inventors.

How Argonne is working to power a clean energy revolution
A growing global population will need energy from a range of sources. Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have been pioneering solutions for 75 years.

Worth their salt: New battery anodes use salt for energy, stability
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory and the University of California San Diego have discovered that a material that looks geometrically similar to rock salt could be an interesting candidate for lithium battery anodes that would be used in fast charging applications.

Getting the lead in
Researchers developed a low-cost, high-performance, sustainable lead-based anode for lithium-ion batteries that can power hybrid and all-electric vehicles. They also uncovered its previously unknown reaction mechanism during charge and discharge.

Great expectations: Argonne scientists weigh benefits of increased hydrogen production
Hydrogen technology has the potential to transform aspects of the energy landscape, according to a new report from Argonne scientists.

Inside the battery in 3D: Powerful X-rays watch solid state batteries charging and discharging
Using high-speed X-ray tomography, researchers captured images of solid-state batteries in operation and gained new insights that may improve their efficiency.

A glowing new prospect for self-reporting batteries
Argonne scientists have hit upon fluorescence as a way to shed light on what’s happening with flow batteries as they operate.

Eight ways Argonne advanced science in 2020
Throughout 2020, Argonne answered fundamental science questions and provided solutions for the world.

The continuing quest to find a better battery
Taking a look back at the paths taken by the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research.

Battery of tests: Scientists figure out how to track what happens inside batteries
The new method could be the key to designing more efficient batteries for specific uses, like electric cars and airplanes.

Berkeley Lab Names Noël Bakhtian to Lead New Energy Storage Center
Berkeley Lab has appointed Noël Bakhtian, previously a senior policy adviser in the White House Office of Science and Technology (OSTP) and currently director of the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) at Idaho National Laboratory, as its inaugural director of the Berkeley Lab Energy Storage Center.

DOE awards funding to six Argonne battery manufacturing projects
Six innovative battery manufacturing projects led by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory recently obtained funding through DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Argonne researchers target lithium-rich materials as key to more sustainable, cost-effective, next-generation batteries
Researchers are developing new ways to advance lithium-rich batteries and using new materials for practical use, according to researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory.

Active learning accelerates redox-flow battery discovery
In a new study from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, researchers are accelerating the hunt for the best possible battery components by employing artificial intelligence.

Argonne materials scientist Arturo Gutierrez named 2020 Luminary Honoree by HENAAC
Argonne materials scientist Arturo Gutierrez has been recognized by HENAAC, the national organization that honors Hispanic scientists and engineers.

Reexamining host materials for lithium-sulfur batteries
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory are revisiting the roles of the polarity and conductivity of sulfur-host materials in long-life lithium-sulfur batteries in order to increase life cycle and energy efficiency.

The historical partnership that revolutionized battery research at Argonne
Argonne battery scientist Michael Thackeray highlights the ongoing research into manganese-based lithium-ion batteries, and how his work with Nobel Prize winner John B. Goodenough in the 80s has informed today’s studies.

Redesigning lithium-ion battery anodes for better performance
In a new study, a team led by researchers at Argonne National Laboratory has made discoveries concerning a potential new, higher-capacity anode material, which would allow lithium-ion batteries to have a higher overall energy capacity.

New cathode coating extends lithium-ion battery life, boosts safety
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, in collaboration with Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, has developed a new particle-level cathode coating for lithium ion batteries meant to increase their life and safety.

The Electrochemical Society and Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. Announce 2020-2021 Fellowship Winners for Projects in Green Energy Technology
Prof. Dr. Shoji Hall, Prof. Dr. Piran Ravichandran Kidambi, and Dr. Haegyeom Kim have been awarded the 2020-2021 ECS Toyota Young Investigator Fellowships. Through this, ECS and Toyota aim to promote innovative and unconventional technologies borne from electrochemical research. The fellowship encourages young professors and scholars to pursue innovative electrochemical research in green energy technology.

Six Argonne researchers receive DOE Early Career Research Program awards
Argonne scientists Michael Bishof, Maria Chan, Marco Govini, Alessandro Lovato, Bogdan Nicolae and Stefan Wild have received funding for their research as part of DOE’s Early Career Research Program.