Zoom: Fuel cells, batteries, electrolyzers, etc.: some insights from a materials science point of view Lorenz Gubler (Electrochemistry Laboratory – PSI) Electrochemical storage & conversion technologies are expected to play a pivotal role in the energy transition and defossilization…

Zoom: Interface stability in all-solid-state batteries Corsin Battaglia (Materials for Energy Conversion – EMPA Dübendorf) All-solid-state batteries combining an alkali metal anode and a high-voltage cathode have the potential to double the energy density of current-generation rechargeable batteries. However,…

Zoom: Open Access – funding opportunities and requirements within and outside ETH Zurich Rainer Rees Mertins (ETH library – Open Access specialist) The transformation in scholarly publishing is reflected in the increasing importance of open access, which is  becoming…

Materials design for fast charge storage enabled by the mechanistic insights Maria Lukatskaya (Electrochemical Energy Systems Laboratory – D-MAVT) As electronic technology advances, the need in safe and long-lasting energy storage devices that occupy minimum volume arises. Short charging times of…

Straining films: a versatile design tool for ferroic materials Kathrin Dörr (Martin Luther University Halle, Germany) There is nearly no strain-free thin film on a substrate, and such films are a foundation of modern technologies. Therefore, it has been learned…

The assembly of non-equilibrium biologically-inspired materials Michael Murrell (Laboratory of Living Matter, Yale University) Incorporating growth, adaptation and responsiveness to external cues remain as grand challenges in materials engineering and design. In living cells, the cell cytoskeleton is a dynamic…