Materials For Energy

Reinventing the Auto Industry

By Dr. Russell Chianelli, The University of Texas at El Paso, Materials Research and Technology Institute

We are all familiar with the recent difficulties experienced by the U.S. auto industry. In an interview in the Energy Quarterly section of the March issue of MRS Bulletin, GM’s Alan Taub talks with David S. Ginley and Arthur L. Robinson about the future of the auto company, and the significant role that advanced materials will play in a reinvigorated GM. Taub talks about the changing customer demand, especially the emerging market in China.

Part of the process in developing solutions to new market trends was to make the isolated GM research laboratories more aware of emerging consumer demands. This process involved co-operative research with universities, national laboratories and other organizations. Fundamental research was particularly emphasized in collaborations with universities. This process also involved globalization of research, with GM opening laboratories outside the United States.

Taub particularly emphasizes new methods that are available to materials scientists, such as computer simulation of materials design at the atomic and molecular levels. Novel materials for energy storage are also a focus. This approach is consistent with GM’s desire to make advances in vehicles that use renewable energy. Hydrogen storage materials, fuel cells and catalysts are high on the list of important materials areas. Biofuels are also discussed in detail. The interview is highly recommended for materials scientists who want to impact next generation of transportation.

Novel Materials Increase Energy Storage Capacity

By Dr. Russell Chianelli, The University of Texas at El Paso. Materials Research and Technology Institute

Most reports on materials for energy storage concentrate on batteries. However, capacitors that are key to many applications, and products based on them, are receiving more attention. Novel composite materials such as organic/inorganic hybrid nano-materials are increasing the ability of capacitors to store energy. Mitch Jacoby discusses some of these materials in an article in a recent edition of Chemical & Engineering News.¹

Simple capacitors know as dielectrics have been studied since the days of Benjamin Franklin. Today better capacitors are needed by the Navy, for example, for aircraft launch systems that require large bursts of power. Materials such as highly branched copper phthalocyanine polymers are showing promise as high-energy storage capacitors. They are also examples of university research leading to start-up technology: Wolverine Energy Solutions & Technology, a start-up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is advancing these materials for military, medical, and automotive applications.

Other high-energy-storage materials are hybrids that combine an organic polymer with inorganic nanoparticles. Nanoparticles of ZrO₂ attached to polyvinylidene fluoride are a recent example described in Jacoby’s article. There is almost an endless number of possible new materials to be investigated. The article quotes materials science Professor Tobin J. Marks of Northwestern University as saying, “Let’s wipe the blackboard clean and use our imaginations, synthetic talents, and materials processing skills to make new generation of advanced materials.” Good advice from a master materials scientist!

1. M. Jacoby, "Why Quantum Dots Blink", Chemical & Engineering News, Dec. 1, 2011, ISSN 0009-2347.

Solving China’s Energy Needs Coal Liquefaction

By Dr. Russell Chianelli, The University of Texas at El Paso, Materials Research and Technology Institute

Every day we read news reports of the rising price of liquid hydrocarbon fuels used for transportation and other energy needs. Part of the cause of the increasing price of fuels such as gasoline is the rapidly increasing demand caused by China’s expanding economy. China lacks major sources of petroleum and is therefore pursuing the liquefaction of its plentiful coal resources. In the Energy Quarterly section of the March issue of MRS Bulletin, Rocco Fiato addresses this subject in an article entitled “China and South Africa pursue coal liquefaction.”[1] The situation in China is reminiscent of that in South Africa during the period when apartheid reigned. This policy led to a world embargo on petroleum and petroleum products that forced South Africa, which has large deposits of coal, to develop liquefaction technology. South Africa is currently the world leader in this field. Though at present South African coal liquefaction technology releases CO₂ into the air, China has expressed interest in capturing the CO₂ to produce biofuels. The article is an interesting overview of where coal liquefaction is heading and how it will affect world fuel supplies.

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[1] MRS BULLETIN • VOLUME 37 • MARCH 2012 • www.mrs.org/bulletin • Energy Quarterly, “China and South Africa pursue coal liquefaction”, Rocco Fiato, with Prachi Patel Feature Editor, pages 204-205.