Researchers have developed an innovative hydrogel electrolyte that dramatically enhances the performance of sodium-zinc hybrid ion batteries. This breakthrough material offers exceptional ionic conductivity and an expanded electrochemical stability window, addressing key challenges in energy density and safety. With its impressive properties, the hydrogel electrolyte opens new possibilities for large-scale energy storage systems, promising more efficient and reliable solutions for future energy demands.

Hydrogen sourced from coke oven gas, a byproduct of steel production, is currently the most economically viable option as an input for “calcium looping”, a type of carbon capture, at least until the price of hydrogen sourced from cleanly powered electricity significantly drops, researchers have concluded.

A research team has published a review summarizing synthetic design strategies for developing high-performance photocatalysts.

Perovskite solar cells are a flexible and sustainable alternative to conventional silicon-based solar cells. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are part of an international team that was able to find – within only a few weeks – new organic molecules that increase the efficiency of perovskite solar cells. The team used a clever combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated high-throughput synthesis. Their strategy can also be applied to other areas of materials research, such as the search for new battery materials. The researchers report their findings in Science (DOI: 10.1126/science.ads0901).