Interface VOL. 34, NO. 4, Winter 2025

VOL. 34, NO. 4, Winter 2025

EMERGING

NANOMATERIAL-

ENABLED

TECHNOLOGIES 18­—Peer Review Excellence Recognition 41­—Fellowship Reports 59­—Low-Dimensional Nanoelectronic Materials for Energy-Efficient Edge Computing 65­—Defects That Shine: The Rise of Organic Color Centers in Carbon Nanotubes

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VOL. 34, NO. 4, Winter 2025

EMERGING

NANOMATERIAL-

ENABLED

TECHNOLOGIES 18 41—Fellowship Reports 59—Low-Dimensional Nanoelectronic Materials for Energy-Efficient Edge Computing 65—Defects That Shine: The Rise of Organic Color Centers in Carbon Nanotubes —Peer Review Excellence Recognition

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The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

FROM THE EDITOR

I

Why Don’t They Believe Us?

t seems that there is a crisis of public confidence in science and scientists which has not recovered from the impact of the pandemic. An extensive survey by the Pew Research Center of almost 10,000 Americans found that >75% have either “a great deal” or “a fair amount” of confidence that scientists act in the public’s best interest. This number has been fairly static since its sharp drop from 87% in April 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic to 77% in November of that same year. What struck me was not just that 22% don’t have that high a level of confidence, but that the survey’s options which they selected were “not too much” or “none at all.” Note that the same Pew survey showed that the public’s confidence rose between 2016 and April 2020. The step change in confidence in 2020 in the public’s view of scientists is mirrored in its regard of other professions, including the military, medical scientists, public school principals, and elected officials. Among scientists, an often-heard knee-jerk reaction is that the public don’t understand science, but a counter argument, as made by John Evans in Scientific American, is that the public doesn’t doubt scientists on scientists’ interpretation and understanding of the natural world; they doubt that scientists share the same morals as they do and that scientists feel superior to others.

Unfortunately, I cannot offer any solution to the mistrust of our morals—which is also reflected in a near 50-50 split on whether or not scientists should be involved in making public policy. However, others have made suggestions (e.g., as outlined in Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, which Evans notes in his opinion article).

Having spent my entire adult life as a scientist among scientists, I will stipulate that I can think of a few who are sometimes wrong, but never in doubt, like Martha the Talking Dog of the PBS children’s show. In some ways, scientists are stuck between a rock and a hard place in discussing their findings with the public. On the one hand, everyone seeks certainty, particularly when the general milieu is uncertain. On the other hand, no one knows the limits of certainty in science the way scientists do. Those uncertainties or caveats are sometimes lost in the news cycle, so when a change in scientific opinion occurs, the public understandably asks if we were lying then or are lying now.

But we are not being honest if we blame the situation only on others. The environment around science has long pushed scientists toward making bold claims. Unlike in other areas of human endeavor, though, data are required for the claim to be credible. When those data are provided, science has a built-in way of correcting errors. The prime electrochemical example is cold fusion. It was stated as a certainty that it had occurred. The importance of the claim was such that there was a run on the world’s palladium supply as scientists around the world tried to reproduce it under very carefully controlled conditions. Alas, it turned out that the claim was not supported, and it went onto the pile of other wrong ideas once thought to be right. We have all made qualitatively similar mistakes—we think we have proved a hypothesis only to find out that there was an alternative explanation that was a better description of the phenomenon, although few of us have had the scrutiny of cold fusion.

As a profession, we have not learned the lessons of cold fusion or more recent claims found to be wrong that have undercut the public’s trust. Humility expressed as a lack of certainty should not be cut out of our public discourse. Taking the ego hit when we are wrong will, counter intuitively, lead to greater trust by the public, because they have all experienced being wrong. The impression that scientists have not had (many) such experiences not only paints the wrong picture but also undercuts confidence. Informing the public of important advances in electrochemical and solid state science is critical; it shows what it is getting for the financial support it provides. At the same time, though, we need to strive to put our level of uncertainty about our claims in context or else risk further loss in public confidence.

Until next time, be safe and happy.

Rob Kelly Editor-in-Chief https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7354-0978

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

Published by: The Electrochemical Society (ECS) 65 South Main Street Pennington, NJ 08534-2839, USA Tel 609.737.1902, Fax 609.737.2743 www.electrochem.org Editor-in-Chief: Rob Kelly Guest Editors: Jeffery L. Blackburn and Daniel A. Heller Contributing Editors: Christopher L. Alexander, Christopher G. Arges, Scott Cushing, Ahmet Kusoglu, Donald Pile, Alice Suroviec Senior Director of Publications: Adrian Plummer Senior Director of Engagement: Shannon Reed Production Editor: Kara McArthur Graphic Design & Print Production Manager: Dinia Agrawala Staff Contributors: Frances Chaves, Francesca Di Palo, Genevieve Goldy, Maggie Hohenadel, Mary Hojlo, Christopher J. Jannuzzi, John Lewis, Anna Olsen, Fern A. Oram, Jennifer Quartararo, JaneAnn Wormann Advisory Board: Jie Xiao (Battery Division) Eiji Tada (Corrosion Division) Vaddiraju Sreeram (Dielectric Science and Technology Division) Andreas Bund (Electrodeposition Division) Vidhya Chakrapani (Electronics and Photonics Division) Minhua Shao (Energy Technology Division) Xingbo Liu (High-Temperature Energy, Materials, & Processes Division) Paul Kenis (Industrial Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Engineering Division) Chong-Geng Ma (Luminescence and Display Materials Division) Jeffrey L. Blackburn (Nanocarbons Division) Ariel Furst (Organic and Biological Electrochemistry Division) Anne Co (Physical and Analytical Electrochemistry Division) Praveen Kumar Sekhar (Sensor Division) Publications Subcommittee Chair: Robert Savinell Society Officers: James (Jim) Fenton, President; Francis D'Souza, Vice President; Robert Savinell, 2nd Vice President; Marca Doeff, 3rd Vice President; Gessie Brisard, Secretary; Elizabeth J. Podlaha-Murphy, Treasurer; Alice Suroviec, Community Inclusion Chair; Christopher J. Jannuzzi, Executive Director & CEO Statements and opinions given in The Electrochemical Society Interface are those of the contributors, and ECS assumes no responsibility for them.

Authorization to photocopy any article for internal or personal use beyond the fair use provisions of the Copyright Act of 1976 is granted by The Electrochemical Society to libraries and other users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC).

Copying for other than internal or personal use without express permission of ECS is prohibited. The CCC Code for The Electrochemical Society Interface is 1064-8208/92.

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The Electrochemical Society Interface is published quarterly by The Electrochemical Society (ECS), at 65 South Main Street, Pennington, NJ 08534-2839, USA. Subscription to members is part of membership service. © Copyright 2025 by The Electrochemical Society. *“Save as otherwise expressly stated.”

The Electrochemical Society is an educational, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with more than 9,000 scientists and engineers in over 75 countries worldwide who hold individual membership. Founded in 1902, the Society has a long tradition in advancing the theory and practice of electrochemical and solid state science by dissemination of information through its publications and international meetings.

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The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

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the Editor: 3 From Why Don’t They

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the President: 7 From Advocating for Science =

by Shreyash S. Hadke, Vinod K. Sangwan, and Mark C. Hersam

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Defects That Shine: The Rise of Organic Color Centers in Carbon Nanotubes A Chemist’s Approach to Quantum Light at Room Temperature

by YuHuang Wang

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Recent Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Sensors as Optical Transducers: Breakthroughs in the Medical Field

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Believe Us?

Positively Affecting the World

8 ECS: Eyes on Advocacy for Society 12 Candidates Office 16 Society News 30 People News 34 Reports from the Frontier and The 38 Innovation Electrochemical Society 41 Fellowship Reports 52 Free Radicals 54 Tech Highlights 80 Section News 82 Awards Program 86 New Members 90 Student News ECS Meeting 102 250th Call for Papers This month's cover is based on a figure from an article in this issue, “Defects That Shine: The Rise of Organic Color Centers in Carbon Nanotubes”

by YuHuang Wang. The figure demonstrates how chemistry can serve as a dial for color.

Different chemical attachments produce distinct emission colors, showing chemistry’s control over quantum light.

Cover design: Dinia Agrawala.

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

Advocating for Science = Positively Affecting the World

O

ur Society has been at the forefront of the theory and practice of electrochemical and solid state science and technology and allied subjects since our founding in 1902. In that time, the collaborative contributions made by this community have not only changed, but have literally come to define life in the modern world. A quick scan of past Interface articles provides examples.

In a 1994 Interface article, “Electrochemistry: Energy, Environment, Efficiency, and Economics,”1 I wrote, “For almost every type of energy need or effluent problem (aqueous or gaseous) an electrochemical solution can be envisioned.” As I reviewed (then) current electrochemical energy devices and processes which had been, or which promised to be, successful, at no point did I envision these new technologies as the work of only one “super genius” harnessing electrochemical processes to provide solutions for society’s needs.

The Interface article, “The Society on Wheels,”2 that appeared in the summer of 1996, showed how each of the Society’s divisions and their technical areas play an important role in the manufacture, operation, and life of our automobiles.

Then and now, it is the integration of our electrochemical and solid state sciences into technologies that can serve the world.

In my 2015 Interface article “PV, EV, and Your Home at Less Than $1 a Gallon,”3 I stated that many governments did not have a strong renewable (read electric from renewables) energy policy in place, primarily because renewable energy was considered too expensive and we thought only biomass could be used to make transportation fuel. We were wrong!

Then (and now in the US) it’s gasoline (often imported from other states or countries) and electricity produced from coal and natural gas (also often imported) that are too expensive. Transportation fuel can and should be electrons or hydrogen because it is cheaper, made locally and renewably, keeps jobs local, provides resiliency through V2G, and mitigates climate change. Rapid decarbonization by direct and indirect electrification of energy-producing and manufacturing processes will allow the world to limit the long-term increase in average global temperatures.

However, the changing political environment in the US regarding support and investment for scientific research and development threatens not only North America’s, but the entire world’s, collective ability to respond to the critical demands of our time. It is precisely because of these challenges that we must unite to strengthen global cooperation.

Which brings us back to this rallying cry: Never before have our science and technologies had the opportunity to positively affect the world on such a scale—but never before has our advocacy for science been more critical to realize these goals!

1.

2.

3.

Vital to this effort is successfully engaging the future workforce. ECS must inspire its future members—graduate and undergraduate students, as well as pre-college students— to choose careers in electrochemical and solid state research.

This future workforce will, with our help, develop the technologies that tackle important problems related to energy, health, education, the environment, national security, global development, and climate change.

ECS is much more than our large international meetings—it thrives wherever our members are. The theme of the Chicago meeting held this past October, United through Science & Technology, captured the very essence of who we are. With over 3,000 attendees from 65 countries and more than 3,600 presentations, the meeting demonstrated the strength of our global community. Despite the challenges we face, we remain the ECS family—united in our unwavering dedication to advancing science for the benefit of all.

I encourage divisions, sections, student chapters, and industry partners to engage with local education systems to help advance our mission. Advocacy is essential to ensure that scientific knowledge informs decision-making and that the value of electrochemistry and solid state science is recognized in addressing challenges. By promoting awareness of new technical developments in electrochemistry and solid state science, we can amplify the impact of our members’ research and contribute meaningfully to global climate change mitigation efforts.

As ECS President, I commit to collaborating with each of you—our officers, partners, and outstanding professional staff—to define and implement new visions and new initiatives that enable our members and future members to solve global grand challenges.

Join me in this effort, won’t you?

James (Jim) M. Fenton ECS President https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1996-4021

J. M. Fenton, Electrochem Soc Interface, 3, 38 (1994) . See also J. M. Fenton, Electrochem Soc Interface, 25, 29 (2016).

B. E. Rounsavill, Electrochem Soc Interface, 5, 18 (1996).

J. M. Fenton, Electrochem Soc Interface, 24, 41 (2015).

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

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Image: ChatGPT

ECS: Eyes on

A DVO CACY Engaging directly with lawmakers is essential if climate change, public health, emerging technology, and national security decisions are to be based on evidence rather than ideology or misinformation. Active engagement empowers informed, sound decisionmaking, secures sustainable research support, and strengthens the US’s capacity to meet complex challenges with knowledge and innovation.

It is essential that scientists and their representative professional associations engage directly with lawmakers. Capitol Hill is where US national priorities are set, funding is allocated, and regulations are shaped; yet, too often, scientific voices that bring a unique, evidence-based perspective are underrepresented in these critical conversations. By advocating for science on Capitol Hill, researchers protect the integrity of their work while helping to translate discovery into public good.

Advocacy on Capitol Hill The Electrochemical Society (ECS) joined the Materials Research Society (MRS) on Capitol Hill to meet with Senators, Representatives, and their staff members in June. The prevailing attitude toward science on Capitol Hill today is deeply polarized, marked by a widening partisan divide over the use and funding of scientific research.

Representing the Society were ECS President James (Jim) Fenton; Katherine (Kathy) Ayers, Senior Vice President, R&D, Nel Hydrogen (Past Chair, ECS Electrodeposition Division); and Christopher (Chris) Jannuzzi, Executive Director and CEO, The Electrochemical Society. In Washington, they visited several offices, including: • Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Democrat, CT • Sen. Corey Booker, Democrat, NJ • Sen. Ted Cruz, Republican, TX • Sen. Jim Justice, Republican, WV • Sen. Andy Kim, Democrat, NJ • Sen. Ashley Moody, Republican, FL • Rep. Riley Moore, Republican, WV • Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, Republican, WV • Sen. Chris Murphy, Democrat, CT • Sen. Rick Scott, Republican, FL • Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Republican, AL • Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Democrat, NJ

Over the summer, Jim, Kathy, and Chris answered questions about their advocacy efforts.

Why visit Capitol Hill now?

Chris: Last year we visited Capitol Hill to discuss the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the CHIPS Act, programs infusing a tremendous amount of investment into ECS-related industries and fields of 8

interest. The goal was to get the allocated funds appropriated. This year it was quite different!

Jim: Our purpose was, of course, to promote the importance of all areas of research and science in the US. I didn’t realize how easy it was to turn the apple cart upside down on things we always depended on. Right now, the apple cart has been upended, and apples are spread all over the ground. Unfortunately, from my perspective, the research apple got smashed, so now we need to make applesauce.

Who did you visit?

Chris: We joined MRS on the visits and divided into teams of two or three people breaking off and meeting with different folks. I was the lead on meetings with New Jersey Senators Corey Booker and Andy Kim, and Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman. Especially with Rep. Watson Coleman, I stressed that ECS—an organization founded in part by luminaries like Edison and Tesla—is in her district and that ECS is an important international organization central to the technologies that are driving the renewable energy effort.

Jim: Over the course of my 40-plus-year career, I’ve visited my local congresspersons and senators before. But this was the first time that I visited multiple people in one day. The beauty of it was that we met with both Democrats and Republicans.

What messages did you deliver?

Chris: When we were talking to Republican senators, we stressed how recent legislative and policy changes will impact their home states. We brought important statistics. For example, in Senator Tuberville of Alabama’s office, we explained that the visa restrictions being put into place will make it difficult, if not impossible, for international students to come to his state. International students bring in $350 million a year to the state, and one job is created for every three students. It’s hard to understand how losing the financial resources that international students provide would benefit Alabama, or any state.

A Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas study found that, since World War II, the rate of return on investments in fundamental science and technology has been between 140 and 200 percent. Funding science is not a Democratic or Republican issue. Maintaining support for scientific research is critical if the US is to stay competitive, be energy independent, and drive us forward in the future.

Kathy: I have represented my company on past Capitol Hill visits, so I already knew people we met with on this visit. This time, I explained that working with academia is essential to Nel’s business.

A common complaint is that small companies use government grants The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

as a sustaining mechanism from which nothing commercial ever evolves. We can clearly refute that because our commercial products contain technology that was partially funded by the government, and we can quantify the return on investment in revenues generated.

The bigger concern is the reason we went down there: science in general. There is a misconception that a year-long budget cutback can’t possibly make much of a difference. But the effect resonates for years. Students who may be discouraged from going to graduate school won’t become part of the workforce. It impacts tenure decisions for professors who could have gone on to become leaders in their fields. We’re losing access to international students who could be contributing to our economy. None of this is going to come back in a year. It will take years to recover.

Jim: We tried to personalize our messaging and the impact of upsetting the apple cart. ECS is an important and understandable voice as we represent science and electrochemical- and solid-statescience-related technologies. I work at the University of Central Florida’s Florida Solar Energy Center. Most people have an idea of what solar is about and I described the importance of the industry in my state and nationally. People have some understanding of technologies; for example, they know what batteries are— again, something ECS could speak about directly.

Another reason that the Society is strategically positioned to make the case for research is because industry personnel, generally from R&D, attend our meetings.

And industry needs the kind of long-term investments that CEOs cannot make. The days of companies like AT&T Bell Labs and IBM investing a great deal of money in science are over. Our national labs are facing huge cuts.

What is the impact of your visit?

Kathy: The staffers and congresspeople understand how important science is to their states and to maintaining US competitiveness.

However, one person commented that while they understand the importance of funding science, they have to get rid of fraud and waste. We were able to respond with particularly good statistics demonstrating that, thanks to our strong peer-review process, fraud is a tiny percentage of the overall number of grants authorized in the US. There are better ways to address it than cutting large percentages of the science and technology budget.

Why is advocacy important for the Society?

Chris: Advocacy is a business imperative for ECS. Not only are new funds not being appropriated, but funds that have already been appropriated are being clawed back. The Society has two major revenue sources: meetings and publications. Our meetings revenue has already felt the impact. For example, 750 participants cancelled attendance at 247th ECS Meeting in Montréal, Canada, at the last minute. In the longer term, we’ll be negatively impacted if fewer

people do research, fewer people consult our publications, and fewer people submit to our publications.

There’s also the mission side of the house that says we’re dedicated to advancing electrochemical and solid state science and technology.

There’s no way to advance science without funding. Therefore, if, as a nation, we don’t support advancing science and technology as imperative for commerce, for a sustainable future, and for all the innovations that will come from advancing energy technologies, our security and our economic vitality are in peril.

How will the current climate in DC affect our members’ ability to meet the grand challenges facing the world?

Kathy: I have faith that society as a whole will still pursue the right things to solve the grand challenges facing the globe. Unfortunately, the US is going to be set way back in these areas. China, certain areas of Europe, and India are going after these technologies 100 percent. If we’re spending our time going back to coal, other countries will come in and take all the background work that we’ve built up and actually manufacture and commercialize these new technologies. I am worried that the US is just not going to be a leader going forward.

Chris: The new technologies will be developed—just not in the US. There has already been a 400 percent increase in applications for US scientists to leave and work abroad.

ECS represents not only fundamental science, but also electrochemical and solid state technologies, so as development of these technologies migrates away from the US, ECS must also take a more international approach to the Society’s operations.

What advocacy efforts is ECS considering?

Chris: We’re partnering with different coalitions to sign on to position statements and amicus briefs. ECS is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), which is leading much of the effort. Through their Congressional Fellows Program, recent PhD recipients are embedded in both Republican and Democratic congressional offices to do science policy work. We may look at participating in this program in the future.

Encouraging members of our divisions, sections, and student chapters to advocate on behalf of the science is another option. Our 3rd Vice President, Marca Doeff, is exploring ways to collaborate with other organizations to leverage our resources to provide tools for accomplishing this. I am eager to hear from people about their ideas and their availability to volunteer to support these efforts. In the meantime, we will continue to advocate on Capitol Hill.

Kathy: Our resources are limited. However, we’re experienced at “punching above our weight.” How can we make a big impact (continued on next page)

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

9

(continued from previous page)

with the least investment? One way is to look at other societies’ talking points and create our own that ECS members can use with their congresspeople. Our visit was a beginning, but the effort can’t stop there. Can we produce fact sheets for members’ use? Can we collaborate with other societies, as we did with MRS and AAAS on this visit? We have a common message which comes across more strongly when we’re all pulling in the same direction.

Jim: Many people don’t understand what research activities are. They’ll tell you that research is important, but when they tell you what their top 10 priorities are, whether they’re Democrats or Republicans, research isn’t among the top 10. This means we need to advocate more and visit Capitol Hill more often!

Beyond Congress, we need to do a better job of educating our neighbors about the importance of what we do. I’m hoping that during my presidency, we can equip our members and student chapters to go into their local communities, whether it’s educating K through 12 kids or their neighbors, and tell them about the importance of our technologies.

What do you see as the Society’s role in advocacy?

Jim: One of the most important things about The Electrochemical Society is that we are a family. We need to equip people to “evangelize” for science!

Let’s turn them into disciples and get them out there. About half of our members are not from North America. We need to recognize that they may face financial roadblocks to participation. We’re studying how to make our publications more accessible to them. Our “Free the Science” initiative is important throughout the world.

How can ECS divisions, sections, student chapters, and members get involved in advocacy?

Kathy: We need to send the message that anybody can be an advocate. It doesn’t take poli sci majors! With a little training and some resources, anybody can write letters or go to DC and talk to their congresspeople effectively. We might be able to create templates for students and others to leverage those resources with their own congressional delegations. All the congressional representatives have their own in-state staff, so even if you can’t get to DC, you can talk to the in-state staff.

Jim: Way back when, I used to go to dinner parties and if I told somebody that I worked on fuel cells, they’d turn around and leave.

That’s not true anymore! At dinner parties and at our meetings, we need to walk across the room, introduce people to each other, and get them into the family. And then we need them to go out into their communities and spread the word.

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Our 160+ student chapters around the world can be especially effective emissaries. Young people with all their enthusiasm can make a big difference. Can we equip them to advocate? These initiatives may change the world more than the political process can!

While lobbying is not our mission, we believe that our members provide human capital for the success of nations throughout the world. We are trying to meet goals that I hope we all agree on, and we’re trying to help educate people about the importance of scientific research.

What are the best channels for informing our members about advocacy efforts?

Kathy: We can advocate for science at our meetings and reach thousands while avoiding partisanship. I got involved with the advocacy effort at ECS when I saw MRS webinars on how to engage with Congress. Something that’s interactive is more helpful because not everybody will take the time to read text. Committee and division meetings can help, too.

Chris: Representative Eric Salwell (California) has been attending town halls and talking to folks in Democratic and Republican districts; this is important. We need to find ways to encourage people to do this and coach them in speaking effectively in clear, simple, non-politicized terms. Let’s share stories of how science improves local economies and creates jobs.

An example is Form Energy, a fuel cell and battery firm that was a university group which started with a government grant for basic research.

Their research bore out and they’re developing a fuel cell and battery tech product in an abandoned coal refinery in West Virginia. They’ve rehabilitated it with millions of dollars of investment, bringing hundreds of jobs to a town outside of Wheeling, WV. Where we used to make coal, they’re making sustainable, renewable energy.

Why does this matter to you personally?

Kathy: I represented industry during the visits, and I feel that stronger messaging from industry is needed to convey that not funding basic science will impact our ability to be competitive. These cuts will affect industry research, collaboration, and hiring. We’re not going to have students educated to the level that we need. There’s already a research shortage in engineering in the US! Support for diversity in STEM education is going to stall. I’m a product of that effort! From 6th through 8th grade, my mother sent me to Expanding Your Horizon events for girls in math and science.

US astronaut and physicist Sally Ride was at one of them; I thought she was so cool! This kind of exposure is super important. We need to find a way to provide resources to everybody about what’s exciting about STEM.

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

Chris: In the short term, these recent policy changes in the US affect my ability to do my job. I’m responsible for the Society’s business operations and this is severely hampering the resources of our members to engage. And I don’t see how a sustainable future is possible for the people who are coming up behind us. The trajectory we’re on is not sustainable, not even in the short term. We’re facing an existential threat. We must deal with climate change and establish sustainable, renewable energy sources. And ECS technologies are right in the middle of all of it.

What does success in science advocacy look like to you?

Chris: Our biggest challenge is changing the minds of those who do not support science.

Kathy: The most important overall thing I would like is for society to understand that you can’t do research by looking at Google.

People who have studied a certain area for years are going to have true expertise in their field and know more about what’s real than somebody who’s studied it casually for a week. That applies to me as well. I am an expert in certain fields, and although I may know a bit about fields like biotechnology, medicine, or climate science, I trust doctors, the medical field, and climate scientists to know what they’re talking about. I know how much I studied in my area of expertise, and I know they’ve done the same. Getting that point across would help people dismiss what they read on social media!

As many people trust what their congresspeople say, part of being successful is getting Congress to speak about science publicly and positively, expressing how much it needs to be supported. Another part of success is distributing positive content which resonates with the general population.

Jim: At the end of the day, I can visit politicians and say, hey, we’re taking care of the kids, we’re taking care of the future workforce, we’re interacting with other companies, we’ve done all this critical research. But the US government needs to make the longterm investments that go into the future. We need to start putting resources into the kindergartners and shepherd them all the way through retirement, because the workforce issue is crucial. And it’s not just PhDs; we need technicians and other kinds of employees. The future is very bright because at the end of the day, the world’s going to electrify itself. Although critical people aren’t listening in the US, the rest of the world is paying attention.

What are the biggest challenges facing science today?

Jim: The biggest challenge facing science today is a moving target. In the US, 80 percent of new power plants use solar along with batteries. And yet our government has zeroed out solar energy research for next year. I run a research organization. Many of our researchers receive support through Department of Energy (DOE) solar energy programs. Now they can’t even apply for money. I couldn’t imagine this in my wildest dreams, that national labs—the nation’s energy research think tanks—would be laying off employees.

There have been times in the past when people wanted to get rid of the DOE. But they didn’t understand, for example, that half the DOE funding is for babysitting nuclear waste. If you cut out the DOE, who’s going to babysit nuclear waste? The elected officials who say these things often don't know enough about what the affected organizations do.

As humankind learns more, we also tend to realize that we know less. We’ve learned and benefited greatly from the people before us.

But, for instance, I realize that I have 10 research questions; I answer five; but I just created 100 more! To move forward with responses to the 100 new challenges, we must respond in a positive way. People need to understand that solving these new questions requires innovative long-term thinking, not shortterm solutions. Society in general has to invest in longterm solutions. Education and skills are needed.

Electrochemistry has a big role to play in meeting our global challenges, particularly in the technologies and in our 13 Society-wide technical interest areas.

It’s a particularly challenging time right now. The world needs The Electrochemical Society. The young people attending our meetings are starting to realize that they can make a big difference. We are a family and we, as a Society, can make a difference and make people’s lives better. Let’s get the word out!

What are ECS’s advocacy goals?

Chris: The goal is to is to ensure that whoever is in power in the US understands that investment in science and education is critical to our economy, national security, and a sustainable future. At the state level, changes in immigration policy for students will have immediate dire consequences. We must stop the erosion of international students’ ability to attend college in the US. At the federal level, the country must aggressively and robustly fund science at levels that will keep us competitive with the rest of the world. That’s what victory looks like. Anything short of this will seriously harm this country’s—and the world’s—future.

For resources and more information on advocating for science visit: https://www.electrochem.org/science-advocacy

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

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Candidates for Society Office Biographical sketches and candidacy statements of the nominated candidates for the annual election of Society officers.

Candidate for President

Candidates for Third Vice President

Francis D’Souza is Regents Professor of Chemistr y and Materials Science and Engineering at the University of North Texas (UNT) and is also part of UNT’s Applied Materials and Manufacturing Processing Institute. His research covers a wide area of chemistry, nanophotonics, electrochemistry, and materials science. His principal research interests include supra and nanomolecular chemistry of photosensitizer-carbon nanomaterials, advanced functional materials for light energy harvesting and photovoltaics, electrochemical and photochemical sensors and catalysts, and nanocomposite hybrid materials for energy storage and utilization.

Dr. D’Souza received a PhD from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and held postdoctoral positions at the University of Houston and Université de Bourgogne (Dijon). Before joining UNT in 2011, he was Professor of Chemistry at Wichita State University (WSU). Dr. D’Souza has authored more than 560 publications, given more than 450 conference talks, and edited 10 Handbooks on Carbon Nanomaterials, resulting in more than 25,000 citations with a cumulative h-index of 80.

His honors and awards include Fellow of The Electrochemistry Society; Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry; Fulbright Specialist Scholar; American Chemical Society Doherty Research Award; ECS Nanocarbons Division Robert C. Haddon Research Award; UNT Foundation Eminent Scholar, Research Leadership and Toulouse Scholar Awards, and Regents and Distinguished Professorships; Chemical Research Society of India (CRSI) Medal; Global Initiative for Academic Network (GIAN) Fellow, Government of India; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellow; and WSU Excellence in Research and Young Investigator Awards.

As an active member of The Electrochemical Society since 1993, Dr. D’Souza has served the Society at many levels. An ECS board member from 2004 to 2008 and 2022 to the present, he is now Senior Vice President. A Member at Large of the ECS Nanocarbons Division, he has served as its Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. As Nanocarbons Division Chair, he was instrumental in establishing and securing endowment funds for the

Uroš Cvelbar is Professor of Nanotechnology at the Jožef Stefan Postgraduate School and Head of the Department of Gaseous Electronics at the Jožef Stefan Institute, Slovenia’s largest research institute.

He has dedicated his career to researching innovative and sustainable technologies and leading plasma-driven science, pioneering work in plasma nanotechnology, electrochemistry, and nanomaterials for applications in energy, sensing, and biomedicine. Over the course of two decades, his research has led to important innovations in plasma-enabled nanomaterial synthesis, energy storage, and environmental technologies—innovations which have been transferred to industry and are helping to drive the green transition. As one of the founders of plasma nanoscience and plasma electrochemistry, he has authored more than 250 peer-reviewed publications and holds 20 patents.

Prof. Cvelbar received his PhD in Materials Science from the University of Ljubljana in 2005. He has held visiting positions in Australia, China, France, India, and the US, and has actively contributed to international scientific communities. A highly active Society member since 2008, he is a Fellow of The Electrochemical Society, an ECS Life Member, and an ECS Europe Section Member, and he has served in different leadership roles in the ECS Dielectric Science and Technology Division and on numerous ECS committees. Prof. Cvelbar currently serves on the Honors & Awards Committee and Individual Membership Committee.

His achievements have been recognized with multiple awards, including the 2023 Zois Recognition Award; 2011 Slovenian Puh Award for Outstanding Achievements; and Erudite Professorship (Kerala, India); as well as three Slovenian Excellence in Science Awards and fellowships from the European Academy of Sciences and Arts (EASA), World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS), and The Club of Rome.

It is my great honor to be nominated for the position of 3rd Vice President of The Electrochemical Society. For more than a century, ECS has advanced knowledge

When I first presented my research at the 2006 Joint International ECS Meeting, I was a grad student, unsure of my footing.

The experience that truly resonated was the warmth that followed me after the session: colleagues who listened, offered constructive feedback, and lifted a rookie

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Statement of Candidacy

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Jennifer Hite is Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Florida (UF).

Her research focuses on the growth and characterization of wide and ultrawide– bandgap semiconductors, with an emphasis on applications in power electronics.

Prof. Hite received her BS in Chemical Engineering and earned her PhD in Materials Science and Engineering (2006) at the University of Florida. Prior to her PhD studies, she worked at Lucent Technologies.

In 2007, she was an ASEE Postdoctoral Fellow at the US Naval Research Laboratory, transitioning to permanent staff as a Karles Fellow in 2010, then Senior Materials Research Engineer. She joined the UF faculty in 2024. The author or coauthor of more than 190 publications and 300 presentations, she holds eight patents.

Prof. Hite has been active in ECS since her first presentation as a graduate student at the 210th ECS Meeting in Cancún, Mexico, in 2006. Since then, she has organized or co-organized more than 20 ECS symposia on solid state topics and has served the Society in many roles. For the past eight years, she has been an ECS Electronic and Photonics Division (EPD) Executive Committee member, including 2nd Vice Chair and Division Chair. She chaired the Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Subcommittee (ISTS) for the past three years, overseeing the expansion of the committee’s role in symposium organization and championing a push into multidisciplinary symposia addressing resiliency issues. Through her roles with EPD and ISTS, she has been on the Board of Directors, Technical Affairs Committee, and Symposium Planning Advisory Board. Supporting the organization in publications, Prof. Hite has served as division representative on the ECS Interface Advisory Board and has guest edited a JSS focus issue and an ECS Interface issue.

Statement of Candidacy

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

Candidates for Treasurer Katherine Ayers is Senior Vice President of Research and Development for Nel Hydrogen US, focused on onsite hydrogen generation via water electrolysis. Her 30+ years of technical expertise includes batteries, fuel cells/ electrolyzers, and solar cells. She has been with Nel since 2007 and manages a broad portfolio of internally and externally funded research projects across a range of collaborators in academia, industry, and national labs. Her team is also responsible for supporting Nel’s electrolyzer cell stack product—launching new designs and supporting existing designs. Dr. Ayers has served on scientific advisory boards and committees, including the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (JCAP), the Energy Innovation Hub funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE), and multiple Energy Frontier Research Centers and similar consortia. She has participated in expert panels for the DOE and the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and served on two federal-level advisory committees for DOE. Dr. Ayers has received numerous awards, including 2012 and 2021 R&D Awards from the DOE Hydrogen Production Team, an American Chemical Society Women Chemists Committee 2014 Rising Stars Award, and a Fuel Cell Seminar Program Award in 2015. She was named Fellow of The Electrochemical Society in 2020 and awarded the inaugural Walter van Schalkwijk Award for Sustainable Energy Technology in 2022. A member of ECS for over 25 years, she has participated in several committees and symposia. Dr. Ayers chaired the ECS Energy Technology Division from 2023 to 2025 after serving as Member at Large, Treasurer, Secretary, and Vice Chair.

In June 2025, she represented ECS with Chris Jannuzzi and Jim Fenton for a science advocacy day on Capitol Hill in collaboration with the Materials Research Society (MRS).

Francis D’Souza

I am highly honored to be a candidate for ECS Treasurer. Shortly after I started my professional career in industry, I became involved with ECS and consider it my scientific home. I believe a good mix of industry, academic, and national lab members are needed to maintain ECS as

Paul J. A. Kenis is Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) where he holds the Elio E. Tarika Endowed Chair. He is the Director of the School of Chemical Sciences, after serving for 11 years as the Head of the Chemical Engineering Department. He also holds an affiliate appointment with the International Institute for Carbon Neutral Energy (I2CNER) at Kyushu University.

Prof. Kenis’ research pursues a variety of projects in the area of electrochemical engineering, often related to electrifying chemical manufacturing using renewable feeds such as CO2, air, flue gases, and biomass (e.g., crude glycerol). Specific efforts include CO2 or CO reduction, glycerol valorization, as well as ammonia oxidation and water electrolysis for hydrogen transportation/production. Earlier, he worked extensively on microfuel cells, including membraneless fuels cells (which led to a startup company, INI Power Systems, Inc.), and electrochemical flow reactors. A second research area pertains to the autonomous/ automated synthesis, purification, and characterization of inorganic nanomaterials, including quantum dots and electrocatalysts.

After receiving a BS in Chemistry from Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen and PhD in Chemical Engineering from the Universiteit Twente, Prof. Kenis completed a postdoc at Harvard University focusing on microfluidics and microanalytical systems.

Since joining UIUC in 2000, he has trained more than 40 PhDs and more than 120 undergraduates, many of whom have gone on to successful electrochemistry careers in industry, academia, or national labs.

The author of over 220 publications and 14 patents, Prof. Kenis is coauthor of reports on the prospects of CO2 utilization at scale issued by the US National Academies, Royal Society, and global Mission Innovation consortium. A Fellow of The Electrochemical Society and the International Society of Electrochemistry, some of his most recent recognitions include the ECS Carl Wagner Memorial Award, ECS Energy Technology Division Research Award, and Institution of Chemical Engineers Industry Project Award.

Earlier, he received an NSF CAREER award and 3M Young Faculty Award.

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The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

13

Statement of Candidacy

(continued from previous page)

ECS Nanocarbons Division Richard E. Smalley Research and SES Research Young Investigator Awards. He currently chairs the Technical Affairs Committee, and to date, he has co-organized more than 45 symposia for the Society’s fall and spring meetings. For the last 10 years, Dr. D’Souza has been a Technical and Associate Editor for JSS.

Statement of Candidacy

It is my great honor to be a candidate for President of The Electrochemical Society.

Electrochemical science and technology now play a vital role in our modern life; examples include the production of renewable energy, energy storage, corrosion prevention, pollution control, sensors and biosensors, and greenhouse gas reduction, to name a few. Electrochemical science is also at the forefront of offering large-scale solutions to meet the challenges of climate change and global warming. If elected ECS President, my mission will be to establish stronger collaborative relationships among scientific communities, promote young scientists, help develop clean energy technologies, and bridge the gaps between academia, industry, and policymakers. ECS is my home society where I have met many peers and friends, which has greatly nurtured and influenced my career. I will continue to serve ECS and its members and staff constructively, collaboratively, and respectfully, and look forward to the possibility of doing so in the highest leadership role.

Uroš Cvelbar (continued from previous page)

at the intersection of science, technology, and society. Today, as we confront unprecedented global challenges—climate change, resource scarcity, energy transitions, digital transformation, and the call for a more equitable world—our community has never been more vital in this rapidly changing world.

My vision is to see ECS lead as a global platform for solutions. The discoveries and technologies we foster are central to building a sustainable and just future: from energy storage that enables a carbon-free economy, to electrochemical pathways for clean manufacturing, to sensors that safeguard health and the environment, and similar solutions. These are not just scientific achievements; they are contributions to the resilience and well-being of humanity.

Candidates for Society Office Uroš Cvelbar (continued from previous page)

As 3rd Vice President, I would champion three aspirations. First, to position ECS as a driver of systemic transformation, aligned with the values of the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals—placing science at the service of peace, sustainability, climate action, quality education, and human dignity. Second, to expand inclusivity and diversity, ensuring that voices from all regions and backgrounds have equal opportunity to shape our Society and the future of science, making it a truly global community. Third, to foster transdisciplinary collaboration, linking wet and dry sides in the same direction and vision, and strengthening partnerships with industry and policymakers so that our research directly informs realworld solutions and makes an impact.

ECS has long been my scientific home, shaping my career and global collaborations.

I believe it is our responsibility to ensure that ECS continues to inspire not only scientific excellence but also a sense of purpose: that through our science, we are building a world that is sustainable, inclusive, and peaceful.

Together, we can make ECS the place where visionary ideas converge to address humanity’s grand challenges. ECS is the place where knowledge becomes impact, and impact becomes legacy, and everyone is welcome to join the effort.

Jennifer Hite (continued from previous page)

into confidence. That moment embedded in me the sense that ECS was more than a society—it was a professional community that invested in its members from day one.

Over the years, among the societies I have engaged with, ECS has been a constant point of return. Its welcoming culture, ease of meaningful interaction, and breadth of topics have turned my involvement into a natural home base. Each meeting has brought new partners, fresh projects, and a deeper commitment to the mission of disseminating electrochemical and solid state science.

Our mission—to foster research, nurture dialogue, and accelerate the flow of knowledge—rests on collaboration. As ISTS Chair, I saw firsthand how bringing representatives from all divisions together sparks acceleration. If chosen as 3rd Vice President, my focus will be on building and strengthening those collaborations— both inside ECS and with other societies.

Resilience, a theme that cuts across chemical manufacturing, recycling, monitoring, and energy conversion, offers

a unifying narrative that can read across electrochemistry and solid state science. I plan to initiate cross-division projects that have historically operated in silos, creating integrated pathways for innovation.

At the same time, I plan to bolster our engagement with solid state science. As ISTS Chair, I identified champions who successfully launched two multidisciplinary symposia—neuromorphic computing and sustainability in semiconductors—demonstrating that progress thrives when we tap into the Society’s diverse expertise. I will work with the divisions and publication committees to translate the energy of those symposia into focused journal issues that capture the dynamism of emerging fields.

During her tenure as ECS President, Geraldine Botte started forging closer relationships with societies in South and Central America. ECS President Turgut Gür and CEO Chris Januzzi did the same with our sister societies in Asia. I would like to continue this trend, not forging new paths, but strengthening the ones that have already been started.

As we are all very aware, the research funding environment is tightening. In addition to advocating for federal support, the Society can provide real value by forging stronger industry partnerships, creating new channels for collaboration and career development for our members.

Being considered for this role is a deep honor. I look forward to serving a community that advances scientific rigor, drives crossdisciplinary innovation, and supports every member in making a lasting impact.

Katherine Ayers (continued from previous page)

a strong and vibrant technical society, especially in the current US environment of science skepticism among the general population. Personally, I have a large electrochemistry network across these areas and know the value each sector brings.

Student members and junior scientists, as well as international representation, are also essential to bring diverse energy and new viewpoints. Continued support of student chapters, diverse symposia (including ISTS-sponsored symposia), and continuing education in electrochemistry and electrochemical engineering are important components in achieving these goals.

In my role at Nel Hydrogen, I have been largely responsible for not only overseeing our research and development efforts, but also for interacting with government agencies and Congress, especially prior to Nel hiring a full-time Government Affairs lead. As such, I see the importance of

14

engaging with staffers on both sides of the aisle to advocate for government support of science and engineering, in understandable and quantifiable terms. Our sister societies such as MRS, AAAS, and ACS all have activities in this area, and I was happy to represent ECS this spring in DC. At the same time, I have experience as a department head in responsible budgeting and reporting, and in stretching dollars to get things done.

If elected Treasurer, I will bring these skills, in collaboration with the ECS Executive Committee, to serve the Society and support the challenges we face as scientists.

Paul Kenis (continued from previous page)

Prof. Kenis’ varied service with the Society includes organizing more than two dozen symposia, judging PEMFC student poster competitions, and sitting on various division subcommittees. Since 2020, he has served as Secretary/Treasurer, Vice Chair, and presently Chair of the ECS Industrial Electrolysis and Electrochemical Engineering Division, Member at Large of the ECS Energy and Technology Division, and member of the ECS Finance Committee (2024–2026). Prof. Kenis guest edited the Electrochemistry for a Sustainable World special issue of ECS Interface in fall 2020, and today is the Journal of The Electrochemical Society Technical Editor for Electrochemical Engineering.

Statement of Candidacy

We live in a time when the central role of, and appreciation for, science and engineering is under pressure. Continued advocacy to the general public as well as to our representatives will be crucial to convey science and engineering’s importance to a safe and healthy world, as well as the central role electrochemistry plays in moving toward a sustainable society. As an elected board member, I certainly will seek to play an active role in this regard.

A major duty of the Treasurer is monitoring the Society’s finances and working closely with staff and leadership to ensure the Society’s long-term vitality.

As past Head of Chemical Engineering and current Director of the School of Chemical Sciences at the University of Illinois, I have experience in budget management and planning. Through serving as Secretary/ Treasurer, Vice Chair, and Chair of the ECS Industrial Electrolysis and Electrochemical Engineering Division (IE&EE), and especially by currently serving on the ECS Finance Committee, I have developed a clear understanding of how the Society operates and seeks to sustain financial health. As

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

Treasurer, I will work with ECS staff and board members to keep a close eye on the Society’s finances in a time when costs seem to be growing faster than revenue. Our membership has a long history of sprouting exciting ideas and initiatives to advance the Society’s mission. I believe we can continue to pursue such ideas, even in challenging financial times, provided careful projection and monitoring of costs and benefits take place before and during their deployment. I plan to continue the practices instituted by current Treasurer Podlaha of summarizing and communicating in great clarity the Society’s financial state to the ECS board and to its membership overall.

A few specific aspects warrant current attention. Over the next few years, the Society will need to evaluate carefully the effects of the new division funding model

implemented last year. First signs are that a few adjustments may be warranted to ensure that all the divisions can continue to thrive in their programming and other efforts, despite their differences in scope, size, and/or practices. Second, the Society maintains a robust Society- and divisionlevel awards program to recognize some of the most remarkable achievements in the realm of electrochemistry research, education, and societal impact, and/or service to the Society. These awards are funded in a variety of ways ranging from income from endowments to direct giving.

Sustaining these awards for years to come may require some adjustments, be it the pursuit of dedicated fundraising efforts for specific awards or exploring adjustments in the way endowments associated with certain awards are handled, possibly allowing them

ORCID

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to grow with the market. This is an area where my prior experience with alumni and corporate fundraising as Head of Chemical Engineering at UIUC may come in handy.

ECS has been my home society for well over two decades, not just as a forum to report our research outcomes through its meetings and journals, but also by offering a stimulating environment to identify new directions and meet new collaborators, colleagues, and friends. Now that my term as IE&EE Chair is coming to an end, I believe that if elected, I can continue to serve ECS as Treasurer, leveraging my past and current experiences. As your Treasurer, it will be my honor to serve you and to work with you to help sustain the Society’s financial vitality, as well as advance our professional field to the benefit of society in an ever-changing world.

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The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

15

SOCIET Y NEWS

End of Year 2025 – Publications Reflection “We Grow Anyway”

by Adrian T. Plummer, MPA, PMP, Senior Director of Publications As we close 2025, I find myself deeply grateful for the resilience, brilliance, and generosity of the ECS community. This year, like so many in recent memory, has unfolded against a backdrop of global uncertainty, shifting research landscapes, institutional pressures, and rapidly evolving expectations in scholarly communication.

And yet, through every change, one truth has remained clear: our community continues to grow. We grow in voice, in impact, in compassion, and in our shared commitment to advancing electrochemical and solid state science for the benefit of society.

Each month, through “From the Director’s Desk,” we reflected together on the values that make such growth possible. We began by honoring those whose legacy expands the path for others. In February and March, we lifted up the contributions of Black scientists and women in our field—reminding ourselves that excellence is amplified when every voice has room to thrive. We recommitted to inclusion not as a slogan, but as a responsibility, recognizing that who we celebrate shapes who we become.

In the spring, we confronted a truth that is often left unspoken in academia: even the brightest scientific minds cannot flourish in environments that neglect well-being. May’s reflection on mental health was a call to protect the people who protect the scholarly record—because resilience in science requires resilience in the scientist.

By early summer, we leaned into change not as disruption, but as progress. We acknowledged that our publishing ecosystem continues to evolve, and that ECS must evolve with it. We raised a toast to adaptability, to saying yes to new models and new ideas, and to choosing progress over comfort.

At midyear, we paused to reflect on belonging and participation.

Our journals do not grow because of systems; they grow because of people: authors, reviewers, editors, readers, and volunteers who choose to engage. The scholarly record is a living ecosystem, and each contribution strengthens it.

We also celebrated knowledge itself. In August, we spotlighted the ECS Monograph Series and the simple but profound act of opening a book, embracing the truth that learning is both our foundation and our future.

And as summer turned to fall, we honored the peer reviewers whose care safeguards integrity, and we reaffirmed our commitment to accessible knowledge through Open Access Week because science advances when barriers fall and curiosity is met with opportunity.

Across every message, every milestone, and every challenge, a single theme emerged: growth is not a matter of climate—it is a matter of cultivation. Even in dense forests, beneath snowpack, or in cracked desert earth, life finds a way to push upward toward the light.

So do we. Our community has demonstrated that progress is possible even in headwinds; that collaboration can soften difficult terrain; and that purpose, when shared, can root us through any season.

Thank you for your scholarship, your service, your patience, your passion, and your belief in this mission. Thank you to our editors, reviewers, division leaders, authors, and staff, whose dedication ensures that our publications remain principled, rigorous, and impactful. And thank you for showing, through your actions, that growth is always within reach.

As we enter a new year, let us carry forward the lessons of this one: nurture each other, honor the work, defend integrity, embrace change, and participate fully. No matter the climate. No matter the environment. No matter the season.

We will continue to grow, and we will grow together.

Rejoin the Society Led by Scientists, for Scientists Like You!

Championing research & technologies for a sustainable future 16

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

SOCIET Y NEWS

Editorial Update: Celebrating New and Renewed Editorial Appointments The Electrochemical Society is pleased to announce several editorial appointments and reappointments across the Journal of The Electrochemical Society (JES) and the ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology (JSS). These actions, confirmed by the ECS Publications Subcommittee and Technical Affairs Committee, reinforce the Society’s commitment to editorial excellence, technical rigor, and service to the global scientific community.

JSS – Technical Editor Appointments The following appointments were submitted by Dr. Fan Ren, JSS Editor-in-Chief, and approved by the Publications Subcommittee.

Dr. Won Bin Im has been reappointed Technical Editor for the Luminescence and Display Materials, Devices, and Processing topical interest area for a two-year term, October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2027.

Photo: NRL

Dr. Travis Anderson has been appointed Technical Editor for the Electronic Materials and Processing topical interest area for a 24-month term, August 22, 2025 to August 21, 2027.

Dr. Jihyun Kim has been appointed Technical Editor for the Carbon Nanostructures and Devices topical interest area for a 24-month term, August 22, 2025 to August 21, 2027.

Dr. Tae-Yeon Seong has been appointed Technical Editor for the Electronic & Photonic Devices and Systems topical interest area for a 24-month term, August 22, 2025 to August 21, 2027.

These appointments strengthen JSS’s editorial leadership across critical and rapidly evolving solid state disciplines.

Looking Ahead ECS extends its sincere appreciation to these editors for their continued leadership and service. Their expertise plays a vital role in shaping the scientific impact, credibility, and reach of ECS journals around the world.

Please join us in congratulating our colleagues on these well-earned appointments and reappointments.

JES – Associate Editor Reappointments The following reappointments were submitted by Dr. David Cliffel, JES Editorin-Chief, and approved by the Publications Subcommittee and Technical Affairs Committee.

Dr. Taylor Garrick has been reappointed Associate Editor for the Electrochemical Engineering topical interest area for a 36-month term, October 16, 2025 to October 15, 2028.

Dr. Wataru Sugimoto has been reappointed Associate Editor for the Batteries and Energy Storage topical interest area for a 36-month term, November 1, 2025 to October 31, 2028.

Both editors have shown exemplary dedication to JES, consistently upholding scientific quality, author service, and editorial integrity in two of the journal’s most active areas of research.

OF

IN THE

NEXT ISSUE

The spring issue of Interface will be a special issue focused on the role of corrosion in advancing sustainability, guest edited by Patrick Keil, Vice President of the European Federation of Corrosion. Articles by experts from diverse backgrounds and industries will explore the role

of corrosion in sustainability across a range of different sectors of the global economy.

Plus, Pennington Corner, the 2025 year in review, highlights of the 248th ECS Meeting, and of course updates on the Society, people, divisions, sections, and more.

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

17

SOCIET Y NEWS

Celebrating Peer Review Week 2025: Honoring Our Top Reviewers

by Adrian T. Plummer, MPA, PMP, Senior Director of Publications

Every September, ECS joins the global scholarly community in recognizing Peer Review Week and celebrating the essential role reviewers play in maintaining the highest standards of scientific publishing. ECS takes this opportunity to honor the many colleagues whose thoughtful, timely, and rigorous reviews uphold the integrity and quality of our journals.

For the 2024–2025 program year, the ECS editorial leadership selected 39 outstanding reviewers as Top ECS Reviewers. Chosen from among thousands of active reviewers across our portfolio of journals, these individuals exemplify excellence in peer review—providing evaluations that are fair, constructive, respectful, and scientifically rigorous. Their work sustains the efficiency of our editorial process and reinforces the global reputation of ECS publications.

Top ECS Reviewers Batteries and Energy Storage Bingan Lu, Liqiang Mai, Simin Peng

Electronic Materials and Processing Fatima Anwar, Jihoon Seo, Qinzhi Xu

Carbon Nanostructures and Devices L. Bahmad, Ghulam Dastgeer, Hanim Hussin

Fuel Cells, Electrolyzers, and Energy Conversion Nagappan Ramaswamy, Jean St-Pierre, Yudong Wang

Corrosion Science and Technology Gerald Frankel, Joey Kish, Elena Romanovskaia

Luminescence and Display Materials, Devices, and Processing Alok Srivastava, Milesh Ugemuge, A. N. Yerpude

Dielectric Science and Materials Arun Banotra, Abhishek Rawat, Ritesh Verma

Organic and Bioelectrochemistry Philippe Dauphin-Ducharme, Yuquan Feng, Marta Jarczewska

Electrochemical Engineering Ali Abbar, Arash Namaeighasemi, Geethapriyan Thangamani

Physical and Analytical Electrochemistry, Electrocatalysis, and Photoelectrochemistry Paweł Józef Kulesza, Cheolwoo Park, Mingyi Zhang

Electrochemical/Electroless Deposition Graham T. Cheek, György Kaptay, Jianxun Song Electronic and Photonic Devices and Systems Jian-Sian Li, Stephen J. Pearton, Shreesha Rao These reviewers represent the very best of the ECS peer-review service, and their dedication underscores ECS’s commitment to excellence in scientific publishing and to the advancement of electrochemical and solid state science.

Recognition Honorees receive: • Announcement during Peer Review Week • Complimentary one-year ECS individual membership • Complimentary admission to the next ECS spring meeting • Recognition in ECS Interface

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LEARN MORE The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

SOCIET Y NEWS

ECS Board Appoints Alice Suroviec as First Community Inclusion Chair After updating the Society’s bylaws to form a Community Inclusion Committee (CIC), the ECS Board of Directors voted unanimously on May 22 to appoint Dr. Alice Suroviec as the Society’s first CIC Chair. Join us in congratulating Dr. Suroviec and welcoming her to her new role!

The CIC is responsible for making recommendations for policies or updating policies, programs, and initiatives to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the Society and its membership, and serving as DEI advocates within the Society and at its meetings. This charge includes tracking progress, identifying areas for improvement, and building relations with other organizations to promote diversity and inclusion. The inaugural committee members are listed in this issue.

In a conversation this August, Dr. Suroviec reflected on the importance of community inclusion and its role within the Society as the committee assesses different courses of action.

A Diverse and Inclusive Society “While I’m not the first to be a Community Inclusion Chair, I am the first at ECS. That can be daunting, but I’m extremely excited by the opportunity. In my view, a diverse and inclusive ECS matches the population that’s interested in being members. Ideally, ECS should be accessible to anyone who’s interested in our many topical interest areas. That population includes people who might want to be our members if they knew about us! The Society is well positioned to help individuals network, grow as scientists, and collaborate with our industrial partners. It’s a society that you can be a part of because there is a place for you here.

The fact that we have grown in many dimensions speaks to the quality of our mission and of our people. We are a community who wants to be inclusive in a world that’s feeling increasingly isolated.”

Experiencing Inclusivity in ECS “When I started coming to meetings, the ECS community was very welcoming and open. When I’d enter a conversation, they were happy to have me. The community provided me with prospects for collaboration and opened up opportunities to me that I couldn’t have accessed on my own.

Everyone involved with ECS highly values our family community aspect and wants others to succeed. If I can help, I will do so. Then, in turn, I hope they pass that opportunity on to the next person.

ECS is the most female friendly organization I’ve worked with. We have many women members, due in no small part to our legacy and great culture of strong membership among female scientists, chemists, and engineers. The women in ECS have been very intentional about finding other women in their specialties and encouraging them to attend ECS meetings and helping them network at those meetings.”

A Community Endeavor “I am not alone in this endeavor. The CIC had a great meeting [this summer]. The members represent a variety of backgrounds and experiences with great ideas that will help drive the Society. I’m very excited to work with them. I look forward to reaching out to the ECS sections and organizations like SMEQ Sociedad Mexicana de Electroquímica. These are groups with great ideas.

We’re already building relationships with external organizations and communities. For instance, at the Hawaii meeting, ECS worked

with a nonprofit on the Genki Ala Wai Project. We gathered meeting attendees together to throw Genki Balls into the Ala Wai Canal, using bioremediation technology to make the canal fishable and swimmable within seven years. I’d like to see nonprofit partnerships as a regular part of our meetings, wherever they take place.

I plan to reach out to individuals in similar roles at scientifically oriented societies like ours such as IEEE, MRS, and ACS, to determine if we can collaborate on projects. Our advocacy is stronger when societies work together toward a common goal. For example, ECS leadership partnered with MRS to visit Capitol Hill this past year.”

A More International ECS “Although we are US-based, I would like ECS to be more intentional about being an international society. We must avoid insularity and take into consideration the concerns and worries of people from other places. How can we make it possible for them to participate more fully in ECS? Being more intentional about committee placements encourages committees and our members to be more broad-minded. This could diversify who we fund or invite to serve on committees.

Another barrier to participation may be a lack of institutional support. Let’s consider populations from parts of the world that may not be able to participate in a traditional membership structure; what can we do to help them feel included? Price structure issues can be an astronomical barrier to membership. If our goal is to increase our global reach, let’s take into consideration the dollar’s exchange value. Should we consider different price structures for non-US populations?”

Opening Doors “We are looking at populations who typically don’t engage with ECS; for example, thriving communities in Africa and South America. We will try to identify barriers to their engagement and determine what most interests potential members in those regions.

This could be meetings or publications, or maybe they want to be members in order to access information. A key task for the new committee is to identify where we are not meeting our members’ needs, what they want that we’re not offering, and how we can make them feel included in those areas.”

Expanding Engagement “A possible way to expand engagement is to explore participation beyond ECS Meetings, which are only twice a year. ECS Meetings usually take place in the Western Hemisphere. Some meetings could be held in non-US locations that would be easier to access by other populations.

Scientists and engineers who may not be able to attend meetings could be reached through webinars or Zoom calls. Virtual meetings could take place that are not ‘full-fledged meetings,’ but occasions to network and share ideas. To feel that they belong, people must feel heard, appreciated, and have the opportunity to engage.

Let’s recognize that everyone has something to contribute. Let’s spend time with people and ask them what they’d like to engage in.

Even if some are not ‘formal’ members, there are ways for them to engage with the Society. For example, the majority of our committee meetings are open to nonmembers as nonvoting visitors. We could do a better job of advertising this. Our divisions could send nonvoting representatives to committee meetings. People who are curious and interested in the topics under discussion could attend. Students can

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get involved through student chapters (or if there isn’t one already on their campus, found one!).”

Addressing Publication Barriers “How can we help so-called ‘excluded’ populations who are having difficulty publishing their research? Open access journals are definitely important for this. What else can we do to expand accessibility? I think our journals—which are mainly open access— are, in general, doing a great job. The trade-off is that, in order to be open access, authors have to pay to publish. And, again, for some population groups, that barrier is high. Can we make it more equitable for them to participate in what we think is highly valuable work?”

Student Engagement “To achieve the widest engagement, the CIC is made up of a broad swath of people from various geographic locations, at various points in their careers, and from various types of institutions or industries.

As increasing student engagement is important to Society-wide equity, including students on the CIC is critical. Student committee members are recommended by other committee members, the Senior Director of Engagement, and the Section and Chapter Engagement Specialist.

Students are my favorite population to work with. They’re so optimistic; they’re still going to save the world! They are the Society’s future. Let’s find out what barriers they are experiencing and where they want to see the Society go next. They’re idea generators and workers. Experts on our committees have proven their expertise over decades. However, they may not be tuned into students’ issues, barriers, and problems—what a 22-year-old student is facing and concerned about.”

New Partnerships “I’d like to see industrial partnerships expand. While we have great industrial partners now, there probably are more potential partners out there. How can we expand this group and build sponsorship opportunities? Would industrial partners be interested in supporting changes to the membership cost structure?”

Expanding Education “My particular focus is on education. I would love to provide education for all members and nonmembers. Whatever their reason is for not being members at this time, we have many opportunities for nonmembers to learn more about a topic that interests them in which we are experts. We do this through webinars and professional development.

There’s always room to expand how we meet our members’ needs, whether that’s in meetings, publications, networking, or other information. It’s important that we are a society that is seen as valuing its members. For example, our webinars have done really well because they’re free. It’s easy to pop in and do a one-hour webinar.

We are a Society that values its members’ input; maybe we can find new ways to spread this message.”

Accountability “While we have anecdotal data, hearsay, and perhaps survey data now, we need to improve our means of measuring our members’ wants and needs. However, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel. I’m starting to network with people in similar roles in other societies.

Although there is no perfect professional society, how do others 20

address these issues? Can we adapt some of their techniques to answer our questions? The next step then is to determine what we can adopt that will work for us.

We will be setting goals for achieving accountability for diversity across the Society’s committees, groups, and leadership. Personally, I will be looking for survey data about the rate of people of color in our specialties and researching barriers to their participation in the Society.”

Beyond the CIC

“My work as a Dean of the School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences at Berry College is similar to the new CIC position at ECS. Both involve listening to concerns and understanding different viewpoints. I have found it impossible to work from home because my job is so relational and personal. All 60 faculty are housed within one building. I spend most of my day walking in that building, running into the faculty members, talking to everybody about whatever they are working on, whether they have questions or concerns, what things they want to accomplish, and what barriers they’re experiencing.

Or sometimes I bring information to them in order to gauge their viewpoints. Once I’ve heard from the majority, I can figure out my goals and metrics.

I have also worked on equity and inclusion issues with several nonprofits in my city, with the goal of trying to raise awareness about foster care as an option. We’d like to increase the number of foster parents. As a foster/adoptee parent myself, I talk with people about the barriers to foster care and their concerns. For example, how does one manage all the paperwork? What are the systems I use to manage the paperwork? Similar issues arise with community inclusion.”

Spreading the Word “I’m sure there are more people out there who align with our mission but don’t know about us. That’s where working with other societies may help identify potential members and industrial partners.

We may not be in the same tier as other, larger societies. We’re smaller and more intimate. Our small community feel may be attractive to those who are not presently aware of us. Our goal is not to grow the Society or the meetings. People consider the Society as family. Let’s not lose that—but also make sure that everybody who wants to be part of ECS can be.”

The Value of Community “The Society’s community aspect provides people with the opportunity to talk with others who love the same things, topics, and science as they do. We have much in common. Please, don’t compare us to Comic-Con! But when people come to a meeting, they’re so excited to show up, to engage with the staff, to see the people they know will be there, and to meet the people they haven’t met yet. It’s a gathering of people who love electrochemistry and electrochemical techniques with the same sort of enthusiasm and excitement.”

Advice for a Changing Landscape “Hang in there, like one of those cat posters with the claws! All history is cyclical. And so, while things may not be great now, I am optimistic that the people who value inclusion, who value science, who value opinions and different opinions, their voices will be heard.

Everyone should advocate for science, the thing they’re most passionate about. Advocating for equity, inclusion, and increasing opportunities in science is a part of that. The CIC is one place to be active. For those who are not part of the committee but are enthusiastic about its mission, there will be opportunities to do advocacy work in areas that align with our goals. Beyond the CIC and ECS, advocate for science and DEI with governmental organizations.”

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SOCIET Y NEWS

2025–2026 ECS Committees Executive Committee of the Board of Directors

James Fenton............................................................................................. President, Spring 2026 Francis D’Souza..........................................................................Senior Vice President, Spring 2026 Robert Savinell.............................................................................. 2nd Vice President, Spring 2026 Marca Doeff................................................................................... 3rd Vice President, Spring 2026 Gessie Brisard............................................................................................ Secretary, Spring 2028 Elizabeth Podlaha-Murphy.........................................................................Treasurer, Spring 2026 Alice Suroviec.................................................................... Community Inclusion Chair, Spring 2029 Christopher Jannuzzi.........................................................................Executive Director, Term as ED

Audit Committee

Colm O’Dwyer, Chair...........................................................Immediate Past President, Spring 2026 James Fenton............................................................................................. President, Spring 2026 Francis D’Souza..........................................................................Senior Vice President, Spring 2026 Kevin Johnson.............................................................Nonprofit Financial Professional, Spring 2028 Elizabeth Podlaha-Murphy.........................................................................Treasurer, Spring 2026

Community Inclusion Committee

Alice Suroviec, Chair.................................................................................................. Spring 2029 Natalia Bencomo....................................................................................................... Spring 2029 Anne Co..................................................................................................................... Spring 2029 Damilola Daramola................................................................................................... Spring 2029 Jeffrey Halpern.......................................................................................................... Spring 2029 Yoshinao Hoshi.......................................................................................................... Spring 2029 Nicole Iverson........................................................................................................... Spring 2029 Vivek Kamat............................................................................................................... Spring 2029 Eva Kovačević............................................................................................................. Spring 2029 Fred Omenya............................................................................................................. Spring 2029 Nicola Perry............................................................................................................... Spring 2029 Kay Song................................................................................................................... Spring 2029 Natasa Vasiljevic........................................................................................................ Spring 2029 Justyna Zeler.............................................................................................................. Spring 2029 TBD – student member............................................................................................. Spring 2027 TBD – student member............................................................................................. Spring 2027

Education Committee

Scott Calabrese Barton, Chair.................................................................................... Spring 2029 Damilola Daramola................................................................................................... Spring 2027 Samantha Gateman.................................................................................................. Spring 2026 Wen Shen................................................................................................................. Spring 2026 Maureen Tang........................................................................................................... Spring 2027 Justyna Zeler.............................................................................................................. Spring 2029 Maria Eugenia Toimil-Molares.................................................................................. Spring 2029 Dominika Grzesiak..................................................................................................... Spring 2027 Vivek Kamat..........................................................Community Inclusion Representative, Spring 2026 Nicola Perry..........................................................Community Inclusion Representative, Spring 2026 Gessie Brisard............................................................................................ Secretary, Spring 2028 E. Jennings Taylor...........................................Individual Membership Committee Chair, Spring 2026

Ethical Standards Committee

Colm O’Dwyer, Chair ..........................................................Immediate Past President, Spring 2026 Gessie Brisard............................................................................................ Secretary, Spring 2028 Peter Fedkiw .......................................................................................... Past Officer, Spring 2026 Elizabeth Podlaha-Murphy.........................................................................Treasurer, Spring 2026 Daniel Steingart....................................................................................... Past Officer, Spring 2027 Alice Suroviec.................................................................... Community Inclusion Chair, Spring 2029

Finance Committee

Elizabeth Podlaha-Murphy, Chair...............................................................Treasurer, Spring 2026 Gessie Brisard............................................................................................ Secretary, Spring 2028 Paul Kenis................................................................................................................. Spring 2026 Helmut Baumgart...................................................................................................... Spring 2028 Thorsten Lill............................................................................................................... Spring 2026 Kevin Johnson.............................................................Nonprofit Financial Professional, Spring 2028 Tim Gamberzky.......................................................................Chief Operating Officer, Term as COO

Honors and Awards Committee

Adam Weber, Chair .................................................................................................. Spring 2027 Elizabeth Biddinger................................................................................................... Spring 2027 Stanko Brankovic....................................................................................................... Spring 2027 Mikhail Brik............................................................................................................... Spring 2028 Dev Chidambaram.................................................................................................... Spring 2026 Uroš Cvelbar.............................................................................................................. Spring 2028 Katherine Ayers......................................................................................................... Spring 2029 Andrew Hoff.............................................................................................................. Spring 2026 Stephen Paddison..................................................................................................... Spring 2029 Y. Shirley Meng......................................................................................................... Spring 2026 Roberto Paolese........................................................................................................ Spring 2029 Thomas Thundat....................................................................................................... Spring 2027 Siegfried Waldvogel.................................................................................................. Spring 2028 Jeffrey Halpern.....................................................Community Inclusion Representative, Spring 2026 Fred Omenya........................................................Community Inclusion Representative, Spring 2026 James Fenton............................................................................................. President, Spring 2026

Individual Membership Committee

E. Jennings Taylor, Chair ........................................................................................... Spring 2026 Jedidian Adjetey Adjei................................................................................................ Spring 2026 Uroš Cvelbar.............................................................................................................. Spring 2026 Sahand Serajian........................................................................................................ Spring 2027 Joshua Gallaway........................................................................................................ Spring 2027 Hussain Abdul Jabbar................................................................................................ Spring 2027 Sarah Berlinger......................................................................................................... Spring 2028 Tomoyuki Yamamoto................................................................................................. Spring 2028 Kent Jingxu Zheng...................................................................................................... Spring 2026 Nicole Iverson......................................................Community Inclusion Representative, Spring 2026 Kay Song..............................................................Community Inclusion Representative, Spring 2026 Gessie Brisard............................................................................................ Secretary, Spring 2028 Alex Peroff....................................................Institutional Engagement Committee Chair, Spring 2028

Institutional Engagement Committee

Alex Peroff, Chair....................................................................................................... Spring 2028 Vimal Chaitanya......................................................................................................... Spring 2026 Hanping Ding............................................................................................................ Spring 2026 Hemanth Jagannathan............................................................................................... Spring 2026 Jacob Ketter .............................................................................................................. Spring 2027 John Muldoon .......................................................................................................... Spring 2027 William Cohen .......................................................................................................... Spring 2027 Russell Freed............................................................................................................. Spring 2028 Vivek Kamat............................................................................................................... Spring 2028 Dongping Lu.............................................................................................................. Spring 2028 Elizabeth Podlaha-Murphy.........................................................................Treasurer, Spring 2026 E. Jennings Taylor...........................................Individual Membership Committee Chair, Spring 2026

Nominating Committee

Colm O’Dwyer, Chair...........................................................Immediate Past President, Spring 2026 Stefan De Gendt........................................................................................................ Spring 2026 William Mustain........................................................................................................ Spring 2026 Sannakaisa Virtanen.................................................................................................. Spring 2026 Marca Doeff...................................................................................3rd Vice President, Spring 2026 Alice Suroviec.....................................................................Community Inclusion Chair, Spring 2028 Christopher Jannuzzi.........................................................................Executive Director, Term as ED

Technical Affairs Committee

Francis D’Souza, Chair................................................................Senior Vice President, Spring 2026 Colm O’Dwyer.....................................................................Immediate Past President, Spring 2026 Robert Savinell ........................................................ Publications Subcommittee Chair, Spring 2026 Gerardine Botte........................................................... 2nd Immediate Past President, Spring 2026 Maria Inman........................ Interdisciplinary Science & Technology Subcommittee Chair, Spring 2028 James Fenton............................................................................................. President, Spring 2026 Marca Doeff..................................................................Meetings Subcommittee Chair, Spring 2026 Alice Suroviec.................................................................... Community Inclusion Chair, Spring 2028 Christopher Jannuzzi.........................................................................Executive Director, Term as ED (continued on next page)

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Publications Subcommittee of the Technical Affairs Committee

Robert Savinell, Chair.................................................................... 2nd Vice President, Spring 2026 Marca Doeff, Vice Chair..................................................................3rd Vice President, Spring 2026 Netz Arroyo.................................................................................................ECSSP EiC, 12/31/2025 David Cliffel.................................................................................................... JES EiC, 11/14/2026 Robert Kelly........................................................................................ECS Interface EiC, 5/31/2026 Krishnan Rajeshwar........................................................................................JSS EiC, 12/31/2025 Rohan Akolkar................................................................................................ECSA EiC, 5/31/2027 Sreeram Vaddiraju.................................................................................................... Spring 2027 Fan Ren..................................................................................................................... 12/31/2025 Natasa Vasiljevic...................................................Community Inclusion Representative, Spring 2026 Eva Kovačević........................................................Community Inclusion Representative, Spring 2026

Meetings Subcommittee of the Technical Affairs Committee

Marca Doeff, Chair.........................................................................3rd Vice President, Spring 2026 Robert Savinell, Vice Chair............................................................. 2nd Vice President, Spring 2026 Vito Di Noto............................................................................................................... Spring 2028 Xiaolin Li.................................................................................................................... Spring 2026 Xiao Su ..................................................................................................................... Spring 2027 Damilola Daramola..............................................Community Inclusion Representative, Spring 2026 Justyna Zeler.........................................................Community Inclusion Representative, Spring 2026

Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Subcommittee of the Technical Affairs Committee

Maria Inman, Chair................................................................................................... Spring 2028 Natalia Bencomo..................................................Community Inclusion Representative, Spring 2026 Andreas Bund........................................................................................................... Spring 2028 Vidhya Chakrapani.................................................................................................... Spring 2026 Dev Chidambaram.................................................................................................... Spring 2028 Huyen Dinh............................................................................................................... Spring 2026 Alanah Fitch............................................................................................................... Spring 2026 Daniel Heller............................................................................................................. Spring 2028

David Hickey.............................................................................................................. Spring 2027 Yoshinao Hoshi.....................................................Community Inclusion Representative, Spring 2026 Chockkalingam Karuppaiah....................................................................................... Spring 2027 Rangachary Mukundan............................................................................................. Spring 2027 David Reber .............................................................................................................. Spring 2028 Alok Srivastava........................................................................................................... Spring 2027 Jianhua Tong............................................................................................................. Spring 2028 Sreeram Vaddiraju.................................................................................................... Spring 2026

Symposium Planning Advisory Board of the Technical Affairs Committee

Marca Doeff, Chair.........................................................................3rd Vice President, Spring 2026 Jeffrey L. Blackburn...........................................................Nanocarbons Division Chair, Spring 2026 Andreas Bund................................................................. Electrodeposition Division Chair, Fall 2027 Vidhya Chakrapani..............................................Electronics & Photonics Division Chair, Spring 2027 Anne Co...........................................Physical & Analytical Electrochemistry Division Chair, Spring 2027 Ariel Furst........................................Organic & Biological Electrochemistry Division Chair, Spring 2027 Paul Kenis ......... Industrial Electrochemistry & Electrochemical Engineering Division Chair, Spring 2026 Xingbo Liu.......................... High-Temperature Energy, Materials, & Processes Division Chair, Fall 2027 Chong-Geng Ma...................................... Luminescence & Display Materials Division Chair, Fall 2027 Praveen Sekhar ............................................................................. Sensor Division Chair, Fall 2026 Minhua Shao............................................................ Energy Technology Division Chair, Spring 2027 Eiji Tada..................................................................................... Corrosion Division Chair, Fall 2026 Jie Xiao ..........................................................................................Battery Division Chair, Fall 2026 Sreeram Vaddiraju...................................Dielectric Science & Technology Division Chair, Spring 2026 Maria Inman........................ Interdisciplinary Science & Technology Subcommittee Chair, Spring 2028

Other Representatives

Society Historian Roque Calvo......................................................................................................... Spring 2026 American Association for the Advancement of Science Christopher Jannuzzi.................................................................. Executive Director, Term as ED National Inventors Hall of Fame Adam Weber......................................................Honors & Awards Committee Chair, Spring 2027

249th ECS Meeting May 24–28, 2026

Seattle, WA, US Seattle Convention Center

Learn more

22

Registration opens February 2026

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SOCIET Y NEWS

ECS Division Contacts H M

Battery Jie Xiao, Chair Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

High-Temperature Energy, Materials, & Processes Xingbo Liu, Chair West Virginia University

Jagjit Nanda, Vice Chair Xiaolin Li, Secretary Neil Dasgupta, Treasurer Doron Aurbach, Journals Editorial Board Representative

Teruhisa Horita, Vice Chair Dong Ding, Junior Vice Chair Xinfang Jin, Secretary/Treasurer Minhua Shao, Journals Editorial Board Representative

H+ Cl–

Corrosion Eiji Tada, Chair Institute of Science Tokyo

Industrial Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Engineering Paul Kenis, Chair University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Rebecca Schaller, Vice Chair Yaiza Gonzalez-Garcia, Secretary/Treasurer Sannakaisa Virtanen, Journals Editorial Board Representative

Elizabeth Biddinger, Vice Chair Chockalingam Karuppaiah, Secretary/Treasurer Paul Kenis, Journals Editorial Board Representative

D

S

Dielectric Science and Technology Sreeram Vaddiraju, Chair Texas A&M University

Luminescence and Display Materials Chong-Geng Ma, Chair Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications

Eva Kovacevic, Vice Chair Zhi David Chen, Secretary Thorsten Lill, Treasurer Peter Mascher, Journals Editorial Board Representative

William Cohen, Vice Chair Luiz Jacobsohn, Secretary/Treasurer Won Bin Im, Journals Editorial Board Representative

T

Electrodeposition Andreas Bund, Chair Technische Universität Ilmenau Rohan Akolkar, Vice Chair Adriana Ispas, Secretary Massimo Innocenti, Treasurer Takayuki Homma, Journals Editorial Board Representative Electronics and Photonics Vidhya Chakrapani, Chair Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Zia Karim, Vice Chair Travis Anderson, 2nd Vice Chair Jennifer Hite, Secretary Helmut Baumgart, Treasurer Travis Anderson, Journals Editorial Board Representative Tae-Yeon Seong, Journals Editorial Board Representative Energy Technology Minhua Shao, Chair Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Hui Xu, Vice Chair Iryna Zenyuk, Secretary Ertan Agar, Treasurer Minhua Shao, Journals Editorial Board Representative

Nanocarbons Jeffrey L. Blackburn, Chair National Renewable Energy Laboratory Ardemis Boghossian, Vice Chair Yan Li, Secretary Hiroshi Imahori, Treasurer Jihyun Kim, Journals Editorial Board Representative O

B

Organic and Biological Electrochemistry Ariel Furst, Chair Massachusetts Institute of Technology Jeffrey Halpern, Vice Chair David Hickey, Secretary/Treasurer Janine Mauzeroll, Journals Editorial Board Representative Physical and Analytical Electrochemistry Anne Co, Chair The Ohio State University Svitlana Pylypenko, Vice Chair Iwona Rutkowska, Secretary Valentine Vullev, Treasurer Andrew Hillier, Journals Editorial Board Representative Sensor Praveen Kumar Sekhar, Chair Washington State University Dong-Joo Kim, Vice Chair Leyla Soleymani, Secretary Harshini Mukundan, Treasurer Netz Arroyo, Journals Editorial Board Representative Stefano Cinti, Journals Editorial Board Representative

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SOCIET Y NEWS

New Division Officers and Members at Large Three divisions held elections in September. These division executive committee members took office on October 17, 2025.

Electrodeposition Division Chair Andreas Bund, Technische Universität Ilmenau Vice Chair Rohan Akolkar, Case Western Reserve University Secretary Adriana Ispas, Technische Universität Ilmenau Treasurer Massimo Innocenti, Universitá degli Studi di Firenze Members at Large Faisal Alamgir, Georgia Institute of Technology Antoine Allanore, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Trevor Braun, Electra Toshiyuki Nohira, Kyoto University Maria Eugenia Toimil-Molares, GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung Jean-Yves Hihn, Université Marie et Louis Pasteur Adam Maraschky, Electra Bung Uk Yoo, Korea Institute of Materials Science Kent J. X. Zheng, University of Texas at Austin Vidhya Chakrapani, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute H M

High-Temperature Energy, Materials, & Processes Division

Chair Xingbo Liu, West Virginia University Vice Chair Teruhisa Horita, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Division Jr. Vice Chair Dong Ding, Idaho National Laboratory Division Secretary/Treasurer Xinfang Jin, University of Texas at Dallas Members at Large Mohammed Hussain Abdul Jabbar, Nissan Group of North America Stuart Adler, University of Washington Mark Allendorf, Sandia National Laboratories Jihwan An, Pohang University of Science and Technology Sean Bishop, Sandia National Laboratories Di Chen, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Fanglin (Frank) Chen, University of South Carolina Zhe Cheng, Florida International University Wilson Chiu, University of Connecticut Chuancheng Duan, University of Utah Jan Froitzheim, Chalmers University of Technology

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Fernando Garzon, University of New Mexico Yunhui Gong, HighT-Tech Srikanth Gopalan, Boston University Turgut Gür, Stanford University Liangbing Hu, University of Maryland Greg Jackson, Colorado School of Mines Xinfang Jin, University of Texas at Dallas Tatsuya Kawada, Tohoku University Hojong Kim, Pennsylvania State University Wonyoung Lee, Sungkyunkwan University Kang Taek Lee, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Olga Marina, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Torsten Markus, Technische Hochschule Mannheim Nguyen Minh, University of California, San Diego Jason Nicholas, Michigan State University Elizabeth Opila, University of Virginia Nicola Perry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Kannan Ramaiyan, University of New Mexico Sandrine Ricote, Colorado School of Mines Yixiang Shi, Tsinghua University Subhash Singhal, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Anna Staerz, Colorado School of Mines Adnan Syed, Cranfield University Hitoshi Takamura, Tohoku University Jianhua Tong, Clemson University Enrico Traversa, Università di Roma Tor Vergata Eric Wachsman, University of Maryland Yudong Wang, University of Connecticut Bilge Yildiz, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Xiao-Dong Zhou, University of Connecticut Luminescence and Display Materials Division Chair Chong-Geng Ma, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications Vice Chair William Cohen, Current Chemicals Secretary/Treasurer Luiz Jacobsohn, Clemson University Members at Large Marco Bettinelli, Università degli Studi di Verona Mikhail Brik, Tartu Ülikool John Collins, Wheaton College Won Bin Im, Hanyang University Tetsuhiko Isobe, Keio University Ru-Shi Liu, National Taiwan University Kazuyoshi Ogasawara, Kwansei Gakuin University Alok M. Srivastava, Current Chemicals

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

SOCIET Y NEWS

2025 Gordon Research Seminar on Nanomaterials for Applications in Energy Technology

by Ruocun (John) Wang and Stephanie Sandoval The 2025 Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on Nanomaterials for Applications in Energy Technology was held in Ventura, CA, February 22–23, 2025. The GRS brought together graduate students and postdocs prior to the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on the same subject, which was held immediately after the seminar. The seminar provided a unique forum for young doctoral and postdoctoral researchers to present their work, build collaborative relationships, and discuss ideas on nanomaterials in energy technology, ranging from batteries, supercapacitors, solar cells, and capacitive desalination to electrocatalysis and photocatalysis, in the absence of their advisors. The seminar was co-chaired by Dr. Ruocun (John) Wang (now an Assistant Professor at the University of North Texas) and Dr. Stephanie Sandoval (now an Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Münster) and sponsored by The Electrochemical Society (ECS), Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), MDPI, Bio-Logic, MXene Inc., Agilent Technologies, the University of North Texas, and Drexel University.

Our GRS welcomed 38 graduate students and postdocs representing academic institutions from seven different countries. While the GRS is only approximately 24 hours long, it is packed with insightful and interactive activities, including a plenary talk, two oral presentation sessions, two poster sessions, social hours, a mentoring panel, and an election for the next GRS co-chairs. Prof. Nella Vargas-Barbosa (University of Bayreuth) kicked off the GRS with her opening plenary talk, “Benchmarking (Nano)Material Characterization for Energy Technologies.” The inspiring talk emphasized the importance of standardizing characterization protocols among the international research community and set the tone for doing solid science for the GRS. Our contributed oral sessions were led by Dr. Jonathan Turnley (postdoc at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), Kateryna Shevchuk (graduate student at Drexel University), and

Natalie Williams (graduate student at Cornell University). These sessions featured contributed talks from the following researchers:

Co-chairs and co-chairs-elect of the 2025 and 2027 Nanomaterials for Applications in Energy Technology Gordon Research Seminar. From left to right: Diana LaFollette, Kateryna Shevchuk, Stephanie Sandoval, and Ruocun (John) Wang.

Prof. Nella Vargas-Barbosa delivering her opening plenary talk, “Benchmarking (Nano)Material Characterization for Energy Technologies.”

• Wei Ying Lieu (Agency for Science, Technology and Research [A*STAR], Singapore) • Dr. Maciej Tobis (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) • Mohammed-Ali Sheikh (University of Duisburg-Essen) • Bo Liu (University of California, Los Angeles) • Dr. Astita Dubey (University of Duisburg-Essen) • Dr. Debashis Tripathy (University of Cambridge) • Diana LaFollette (Georgia Institute of Technology) • Dr. Teng Cui (Stanford University) • Dr. Yuan Zhang (Drexel University) • Dr. Rui Ding (University of Chicago) • Tyler Pennebaker (University of California, Santa Barbara).

Our seminar finished strong with a mentoring panel discussion on career paths beyond the PhD, led by Prof. Veronica Augustyn (North Carolina State University) and panelists Prof. Gleb Yushin (Georgia Institute of Technology and Sila Nanotechnologies), Prof.

Nella Vargas-Barbosa, and Dr. Emily Edwards (Cell Press).

As part of the evaluation portion of our GRS, we received 97 percent positive responses from the attendees, with the top five strengths being “Poster sessions were interactive and engaging,” “Speaker pool was diverse and engaging,” “The environment was respectful and collegial,” “There were ample opportunities for networking between junior and senior scientists, creating a welcoming environment,” and “Ample time was provided for quality discussion.” This seminar provided a good platform for junior scientists to network, brainstorm new ideas, and create a small comfort zone for everyone who attended the GRC after the GRS. We are looking forward to the next GRS in 2027, co-chaired by Kateryna Shevchuk and Diana LaFollette.

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Reports from ECS Sponsored Meetings 2025 Report on the Lester Eastman Conference on High Performance Devices (LEC)

by Travis Anderson The Lester Eastman Conference on High Performance Devices has highlighted the physics and performance of devices and circuits for high-speed, high-frequency, high-power, and ultra-low-power devices, as well as optoelectronics and other emerging material and device technologies, for more than two decades. This year’s conference was held August 11–13, 2025, at the University of Florida, led by Technical Program Chair Dr. Travis Anderson (University of Florida) and General Chair Dr. Rongming Chu (Pennsylvania State University). The event brought together more than 70 students and leaders from government, industry, and academic communities in the US and Japan for technical presentations and discussion on high performance wide and ultrawide bandgap device technology. The conference highlighted device technologies for extreme environments, such as high temperature electronics, radiation environments, and high electric field operation. The event also featured an industry session where four exhibitors discussed technical solutions to support this community. ECS also participated in the industry session, highlighting upcoming opportunities for publications and community engagement.

Technical highlights included keynote presentations by Dr. David Meyer (DARPA), “UWBG Semiconductors: The Next Revolution in High Performance Electronics,” Dr. Reza Ghandi (GE Aerospace), “Development of Medium Voltage SiC Superjunction Devices,” and Dr. Asif Khan (University of South Carolina), “Electronic Devices using Extreme Bandgap AlxGa1-xN heterojunctions over bulk AlN.” An additional 20 invited speakers gave presentations on a wide variety of topics, including AlN and SiC electronics for extreme temperature (1000°C) operation, ferroelectric nitride semiconductors, progress in Ga2O3 materials and devices, radiation effects in GaN-based devices, thermal management of GaN devices, and 3D heterogeneous integration.

The conference’s 19 student presentations covered experimental and modeling work on many of these same topics. Yixin Xiong (Pennsylvania State University), Khush Gohel (University of Wisconsin–Madison), and Hsiao-Hsuan Wan (University of Florida) received the best student presentation awards, and Owen Meilander (Vanderbilt University), Ruixin Bai (University of Wisconsin– Madison), and Sihang Hui (University of Florida) received the best student poster awards. The conference supported several events to promote student engagement, including a Student Game Night and a Semiconductor Meme Contest.

2025 Battery Safety Workshop Summary Hosted by the BATT CAVE at UNC Charlotte | June 5–6, 2025 The fourth annual Battery Safety Workshop brought together a diverse group of researchers, engineers, and industry professionals to address critical challenges and advances in battery safety. Held at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the event highlighted North Carolina’s emergence as a growing hub for battery research and manufacturing.

The workshop featured technical sessions on battery modeling and failure modes, thermal management, system design, sustainable and next-generation battery materials, battery management systems, and safety in manufacturing. The program included presentations from leading experts representing national laboratories, major companies, and academic institutions.

Beyond the presentations, the event offered valuable opportunities for networking and collaboration, including a student poster session, speaker panels, and a group outing to a Charlotte Knights baseball game. (continued on next page) 26

A student presents their research during the poster session at the 2025 Battery Safety Workshop.

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

SOCIET Y NEWS

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SOCIET Y NEWS (continued from previous page)

The ECS-sponsored workshop was organized by UNC Charlotte in collaboration with the University of South Carolina, University of Delaware, North Carolina A&T State University, and the University of Connecticut. It continues to serve as a key platform for advancing

the safe development and implementation of battery technologies.

Next year’s conference will be held at the University of Delaware from June 11 to June 13.

Attendees at the 2025 Battery Safety Workshop held at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

UPCOMING ECS SPONSORED MEETINGS Visit the ECS website for more information.

69th Annual SVC Technical Conference April 25–30, 2026 | Long Beach, CA Long Beach Convention Center Electrochemical Engineering Workshop: From Fundamentals to Applications June 8–10, 2026 | Cleveland, OH Case Western Reserve University 21st International Meeting on Chemical Sensors July 11–15, 2027 | Montréal, Québec, Canada Concordia University To learn more about what ECS sponsorship can do for your meeting or to request ECS sponsorship for your technical event, contact ecs@electrochem.org.

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The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

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Manufacturing of Lithium-Ion Batteries and Pack Design 29

SOCIET PEOPLEY NEWS NEWS

In Memoriam ...

Derek Pletcher (1943–2025)

Prof. Derek Pletcher was born in North London and studied Chemistry at the University of Sheffield, receiving a BSc in 1964 and a PhD in 1967. After graduation, he immediately joined the Electrochemistry Group in the School of Chemistry at the University of Southampton. He was promoted to Chair in 1993 and became Professor Emeritus in October 2008. His research interests ranged from fundamental electrochemistry, through electrochemical engineering, to the industrial applications of electrolysis (electrosynthesis, gas sensors, fuel cells, batteries, metal deposition, and effluent treatment).

Derek was an Awarded Life Member of ECS’s IE&EE Division, having joined The Electrochemical Society in 1982. He was named a Fellow of The Electrochemical Society in 2005. In 2010, ECS awarded him the Vittorio de Nora Medal for his work related to the applications of electrochemistry.

Derek will also be remembered for his commitment to electrochemistry education, which was recognized by the ECS through their Henry Linford Medal for Teaching Excellence in Electrochemistry (2006). He was one of the founders of the Southampton Electrochemistry Summer School, which he ran until 1997. This school has been attended by more than 1000 scientists and engineers since its founding in 1969. His textbooks are still used widely and include A First Course in Electrode Processes (1991, 2009, and 2013), Industrial Electrochemistry (1984 and 1990), Instrumental Methods in Electrochemistry (1984 and later editions), and A First Course in Ion Permeable Membranes (1997).

His colleagues at Southampton will remember him as a true gentleman scientist, a mentor to so many, and a dear friend. The ECS and entire electrochemistry community will remember him and miss him greatly.

Contributed by Prof. Andrea Russell.

Derek was a true gentleman. He was active in promoting his junior colleagues by nominating them for awards and soliciting senior people for reference letters to support the nominations.

– Prof. Robert Savinell

In Memoriam ...

Norio Sato (1927–2025)

Prof. Norio Sato passed away at the age of 98 on July 10, 2025, in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. He was an Emeritus Member of the Electrochemical Society and a Fellow of The Electrochemical Society. He received the Corrosion Division H. H. Uhlig Award in 1983 and the Olin Palladium Award in 2001.

Prof. Sato was born on January 23, 1927, in Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan. He earned his B. Eng. in Materials Science at Hokkaido University in Sapporo in 1951. After working as a research associate in the Research Institute at Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd., he returned to Hokkaido University in 1954, where he joined the laboratory of Prof. Go Okamoto, who pioneered the electrochemical study of corrosion in Japan. He worked as an instructor in the laboratory, starting his career as a corrosion scientist. He became an Associate Professor at the same laboratory in 1960 and earned his D. Eng. in Electrochemistry and Corrosion Science at Hokkaido University in 1961. His thesis was on the electrochemical behavior and passivation of nickel.

In 1961, Prof. Sato traveled to Ottawa, Canada, to work as a Postdoctoral Fellow with Dr. Morris Cohen at the Division of Applied Chemistry, National Research Council, where he studied the growth mechanism of passive films on iron. After he returned to Hokkaido University in 1962, he continued to study passive film using sophisticated analytical methods. He was promoted to Professor of the Electrochemistry Laboratory in 1969 as the successor to Prof.

30

Go Okamoto. His studies were directed toward the fundamental understanding of metallic passivity and its breakdown, which are of basic importance in preventing the corrosion of metallic materials.

Prof. Sato served as the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Hokkaido University from 1986 to 1990, during which time he reformed the faculty system. He became a Professor Emeritus upon his retirement in 1990 and moved to the University of the Air (later renamed the Open University of Japan) as the Director of its Hokkaido Study Center located on the same campus as Hokkaido University. He kept up his research activity as a great corrosion scientist and electrochemist after his retirement from the University of the Air in 1997.

Professor Sato worked on the advancing edge of interfacial electrochemistry and pioneered many creative molecular approaches to the study of the interfacial structure and reactivity of metal electrodes, particularly the passivation and corrosion of metals.

Among his many scientific accomplishments, some of the most outstanding achievements include sophisticated fine-chemical analyses of passive films on iron group metals, thermodynamics of electrostriction-induced film breakdown, the stability of passive films depending on their semiconductive properties, the ion-selectivebipolar layer leading to the formation of passive films, fluctuationinduced pit initiation, the potential-dimension diagram for the stability of localized corrosion, and the ion-selectivity of interfacial precipitates affecting metallic corrosion.

In addition to his elaborately comprehensive studies of metallic passivity, one of his finest achievements is elucidation of the decisive role played by the ion-selectivity of interfacial layers in corrosion of metals, which provided a technical patent for improved corrosion The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

SOCIET PEOPLEY NEWS NEWS prevention coatings. His efforts in advancing further the fundamental knowledge of electrochemistry culminated with the basic physical concepts of electrode potential that are essentially important in electrochemistry as well as in materials corrosion.

Prof. Sato authored more than 300 research and review papers and held two patents. Furthermore, he wrote 21 books in electrochemistry and corrosion science, including Electrochemistry at Metal and Semiconductor Electrodes and Chemical Energy and Exergy—An Introduction to Chemical Thermodynamics for Engineers published

by Elsevier in 1998 and 2004, respectively. In recognition of his outstanding achievements in electrochemistry and corrosion science, he received numerous international awards from other societies, such as the Takei Award of the Japan Electrochemical Society in 1978, the U. R. Evans Award of the Institute of Corrosion Science and Technology in 1985, and the W. R. Whitney Award of the National Association of Corrosion Engineers in 1987. He was named a Fellow of NACE International in 1993, and an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Corrosion in 1998.

Prof. Sato was a member of the International Corrosion Council, representing Japan from 1975 to 1990. He was the President and Director of the Japan Society of Corrosion Engineering from 1992 to 1994 and made substantial contributions to the promotion of international collaboration in corrosion research and education. He organized multiple international corrosion gatherings, including the 5th International Congress on Metallic Corrosion in 1972 in Tokyo and the 6th International Symposium on Passivity of Metals and Semiconductors in 1989 in Sapporo, and he played a leading role in establishing Japan-USA bilateral and Japan-USSR bilateral gatherings for corrosion and corrosion prevention, which were held irregularly for 30 years.

Prof. Sato supervised and trained in his laboratory more than 100 students, some of whom grew to become internationally noted electrochemists and corrosion engineers. He was an excellent scientist, teacher, and organizer. His colleagues and students respected him because of his deep insight and well-considered advice. For his great contributions to research, education, and management in the university, he was awarded “The Order of the Sacred Treasure, Old Ray with Neck Ribbon,” Japan in 2005.

After his retirement from the University of the Air, he enjoyed traveling with his wife, Yuko Sato, to several countries (including Canada, Portugal, and India) to visit friends or to give invited talks.

Norio and Yuko were blessed with three daughters, Yumiko, Eriko, and Makiko. The great pleasure of Norio and Yuko was visits with their three grandchildren. His deepest sadness was that his darling wife, Yuko, passed away in 2012. Afterwards, Norio was well cared for by his eldest daughter, Yumiko Ishii. In his leisure, he wrote thoughtful essays on several subjects, such as “time flow,” “language and thought,” “religion,” and “late in the life of a human being,” which were gathered into a booklet and distributed to his close friends and colleagues. He sometimes visited the public gymnasium and hot spa near his home to maintain his health.

Prof. Sato will be much missed by all his many friends, colleagues, and former students he supervised.

Someone whispers, “His soul may be traveling to a faraway galaxy to seek a peaceful new world.”

This notice was prepared by Masahiro Seo, Professor Emeritus of Hokkaido University and Fellow of The Electrochemical Society.

In Memoriam ...

John A. Turner (1948–2025)

It is with profound sorrow that we report the passing of Dr. John A. Turner, Fellow of The Electrochemical Society (ECS), a beloved scientist, collaborator, and representative of the ECS community. John joined ECS in 1980, was an Awarded Life Member of the Society, and contributed to the Energy Technology Division (ETD) as his home division.

John is known for his pioneering work in photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen production and for his tireless advocacy of a hydrogen economy.1,2 His team’s 1998 demonstration3 of high solar-to-hydrogen efficiency using a multijunction III-V semiconductor photocathode was considered a key advancement in the endeavor to push this technology from lab to market. It also served as a compelling demonstration of the concepts behind a solar hydrogen economy, which were shared with visitors to his laboratory at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

Illumination of the immersed electrode led to furious hydrogen bubble formation and this macroscopically observable demonstration effectively demystified the concepts of photoelectrochemistry for the public. John was also a vocal proponent of a hydrogen economy, sharing his vision through presentations at conferences and invited seminars around the globe. In 2015, he presented the ECS Lecture in the Plenary Session, “Hydrogen from Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting—What’s it gonna’ take?” at the 227th ECS meeting in

Chicago. John had a stout slide deck aimed at persuading critics of an energy economy centered on hydrogen fuel derived from water electrolysis. He argued that an energy system that relies entirely on domestic resources, produces no harmful byproducts, is scalable to meet any future envisioned demand, and is sustainable for the lifetime of the sun was one worth pursuing. John also shared his passion for hydrogen via his personalized “H2WIZRD” license plate.

John practiced an open-door policy, hosting multiple visiting scientists and interns from all career stages. He welcomed dozens of uninitiated researchers into his group to learn the complex skills and intricacies of experimental PEC materials science. They universally remember him for his kindness, wit, and humility, and many attribute their decision to pursue careers in science to his mentorship. In August, the planet lost not just a brilliant scientist, but a compassionate visionary whose unwavering lifelong dedication to impactful research was driven by a profound hope for a brighter and more sustainable future for all generations to come. We miss you, John. Your spirit and the inspiration you brought to us will forever live on in the countless lives you touched and transformed.

– Todd G. Deutsch, Distinguished Member of Research Staff at NREL and Turner Group intern, graduate student, postdoc, and scientist I hired John in early 1979, a few months after I had joined the Solar Energy Research Institute—SERI, the predecessor to NREL. John was my first SERI hire, and he had just finished his two-

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SOCIET PEOPLEY NEWS NEWS (continued from previous page)

intelligence, and sincerity. John dedicated over 40 years of his life solely to NREL/SERI, leaving an indelible legacy through his unwavering commitment and expertise. Those fortunate enough to work alongside him are deeply grateful for the privilege and are deeply saddened by his sudden passing.

– Arthur J. Nozik, Emeritus Senior Research Fellow at NREL John is known globally for his profound contributions and unwavering advocacy for renewable hydrogen production as a nonpolluting energy source. I have many fond memories of John, both professional and personal, that go back almost 50 years. John was a postdoc at Caltech in Fred Anson’s group when I was a graduate student, and he introduced me to the advantages of using minicomputers to acquire and process data from electrochemical experiments such as chronocoulometry. Several years later, when John was at SERI and I was an assistant professor at CU Boulder, John helped me choose instrumentation and he provided software that was essential for investigating semiconductor/solution interfaces.

John’s willingness to devote his time, expertise, and enthusiasm in a genuinely friendly and selfless manner is something I will always remember.

John also had a wonderful personality and sense of humor, which I was fortunate to experience at numerous meetings, especially at electrochemistry Gordon Research Conferences and DOE Solar Photochemistry Program meetings. Whether it was touch football on the beach, WETS parties, ducking out of evening sessions to watch the NBA playoffs, or late-night trips to In-N-Out Burger, John was game. During retirement, John and I went hiking several times and I always enjoyed our wide-ranging conversations as much as the hikes themselves. He was a terrific colleague and friend.

– Carl A. Koval, Professor Emeritus, University of Colorado

John demonstrating components of a solar-hydrogen system in his NREL laboratory in 2006. Photo: Jack Dempsey, NREL.

year postdoctoral work at Caltech under renowned electrochemist Professor Fred Anson. While at Caltech, John had also learned about PEC hydrogen production from world-famous Professor Heinz Gerischer, a visiting scholar at the time. John was the ideal candidate to join us and to help lead the nascent solar photoconversion group at SERI. He was ambitious, collaborative, pleasant, supremely trained and confident in electrochemistry, and even an expert in computer technology and modern electronic data collection. He was nicknamed “The Wizard” by his SERI photoconversion colleagues Jerry Cooper and Brad Thacker.

John and I co-authored over a dozen manuscripts between 1980 and 1988, some of which were first observations that reported groundbreaking results in PEC science, hot carrier electron transfer in PEC cells, and quantization effects in photoelectrodes.4 In the early 1990s, John began developing his own research funding pathways and programs and hiring his own collaborative staff. His efforts were very successful, and he significantly advanced NREL’s research and development while enhancing its global reputation. Furthermore, John was a person of great honesty, loyalty, compassion, fairness, 1.

2.

3.

4.

John was a completely unselfish collaborator who could get a computer to jump through hoops of real fire. He was always willing to train new lab members and to improve data collection and analysis for all by maintaining and adding new features to the shared software he wrote. He was also the fastest member of the Fred Anson Group Caltech touch football team since he was an All-American track star in college. Although he carried the football like a relay-race baton, opponents could never get close enough to knock it from his hand. In retirement he was a frequent visitor to Wyoming for hikes in the parks and mountains, and afterwards always enjoyed a sushi feast.

– Bruce A. Parkinson, Professor Emeritus, University of Wyoming

John amidst a cohort of interns who spent the summer of 2008 in his group.

Photo: Todd Deutsch

J. A. Turner, Science, 285(5428), 687 (1999).

J. A. Turner, Science, 305(5686), 972 (2004).

O. Khaselev and J. A. Turner, Science, 280(5632), 425 (1998). https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=iWwXf1gAAAAJ&hl=en

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The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

SOCIET PEOPLEY NEWS NEWS When I started research into PEC during my graduate school days at the University of Hawaii, there were very few real experts in the field to rely on; but John was the coach who always took me under his wing, as my “PEC Whisperer.” Later, when I became Program Manager at DOE, he would often refer to me as his “boss,” somewhat ironically, but mostly with pride in my accomplishments. I’ve always treasured this, and it continues to inspire me to “pay it forward” in helping grow the amazing PEC community that we have today.

– Eric L. Miller, Executive Director of the Association of Geological Hydrogen

John discussing the history of NREL hydrogen and fuel cell research during a hydrogen and fuel cell industry panel discussion at NREL as part of a celebration of National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day on October 8, 2015.

Photo: Ellen Jaskol, NREL.

John was a patient teacher and a kind and helpful colleague.

He assisted me, a synthetic inorganic chemist, in broadening my technical skills to include electrochemistry. His advice to read Bard and Faulkner’s textbook on electrochemistry was tremendously helpful. It was followed by many helpful discussions of different aspects of electrochemistry. His keen sense of humor and strong advocacy of a renewable hydrogen energy economy made for many enjoyable—and even heated—debates about the relative merits of a hydrogen economy versus a renewable-energy economy based on energy storage using other small molecules as substrates, such as N2 and CO2, in addition to H2O. So, thank you, John, for your time with us, for being the “wizard” to many, and for “teaching me all I know about electrochemistry.”

– Daniel L. DuBois, Research Fellow, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (Retired) John was a pioneer in hydrogen research and a visionary for a zero-carbon future, yet he approached his work and everyone around him with humility, humor, and generosity. No question was too small, and no meeting too insignificant—you could always come see “The Wizard.” Each summer his lab was full of interns, students, postdocs, and visiting researchers, reflecting his core belief that the more minds involved, the further the work would go. His passion for abundant, clean energy for all created a worldwide network of researchers, innovators, and policymakers who were inspired by his mentorship and who continue carrying his legacy forward to this day. Many of us who passed through his lab remain colleagues, collaborators, and friends, still connected by the vision and values he shared with us.

I wouldn’t be where I am today without John’s guidance and the opportunities he gave me early in my career.

I owe my career at NREL to John. He was willing to take a chance on me and hired me. I’m forever grateful for him believing in me and for his mentorship throughout the years at NREL. I greatly admired his vast knowledge, extensive experience, and his love for science and mentoring. What I admired most was his ability to create a safe and supportive environment where others felt encouraged to speak up and grow in their careers. He showed us that we can disagree respectfully and still work collaboratively for the sake of the advancement of science and the betterment of society. We have lost an incredibly talented, highly respected, compassionate, and deeply cherished scientist, mentor, and colleague. I miss him dearly.

– Huyen Dinh, Group Manager, Distinguished Member of Research Staff at NREL My memory of John was always his relaxed style of life and attitude toward our [Solar Photochemistry program] reviews. He was a stalwart of solar fuels to the very end. He even defended solar fuels when his colleagues didn’t, and finessed details based on new input.

He was one of the most recognized and cited people in the world for the field. The over 11,000 citations of his three Science papers4 are a testament to that. When we defended our Solar Fuels Hub proposal to DOE with John as the proposed director, John stood up and said, “I’ve been working hard to get to this point and to have this opportunity to defend a science in which I have 100 percent belief.”

It was a powerful comment that has stuck with me.

– Garry Rumbles, Emeritus Sr. Research Fellow at NREL and former lead of NREL’s Solar Photochemistry program John and his work were among the reasons I chose to join NREL in late 2009. I had the pleasure of working closely with him over the following several years. John was insightful, creative, and always refreshingly candid—he called them exactly as he saw them with a humorous and healthy dose of pragmatism. He was a delight to work with, whether writing big proposals, strategizing about solar fuels, or contemplating the ways of the world over a late-night scotch. Many of his ideas still drive solar fuels R&D on a global scale. He is greatly missed by all of us.

– Bill Tumas, Associate Laboratory Director, Materials, Chemical & Computational Science (NREL)

– Jennifer Leisch, Deputy Director NREL Foundation and Turner Group undergraduate intern, PhD researcher, and graduate turned John Turner superfan

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Reports from the Frontier edited by Scott Cushing, Interface Contributing Editor

This feature is intended to let ECS award-winning students and post-docs write primary author perspectives on their field, their work, and where they believe things are going. This month we highlight the work of Yirui Arlene Zhang, recipient of the H. H. Dow Memorial Student Achievement Award (2024).

Understanding Battery Electrode–Electrolyte Interfaces with In Situ Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy

by Yirui Arlene Zhang

R

echargeable batteries are vital to modern energy systems, from personal electronics to electric vehicles.

As the demand grows for longer-lasting, faster-charging, and higher-energy lithium-ion batteries, interest is expanding beyond traditional LiCoO₂ toward Ni-rich layered oxides, lithium-rich compounds, and high-voltage spinels for positive electrodes, as well as lithium metal and alloy negative electrodes. Yet, a major limitation to their performance and stability lies in the electrode–electrolyte interface.

The interfacial region often exhibits unique solvation structures, ion distributions, and electric fields that differ markedly from those in the bulk electrolyte. Further, this dynamic interfacial region hosts critical processes such as charge transfer, electrolyte decomposition, and surface film formation. During battery operation, electrochemical and/or chemical reactions between the electrode surface and the surrounding electrolyte can give rise to complex interphases. For instance, at the negative electrode such as graphite or Li metal, spontaneous reduction of liquid electrolyte components leads to the formation of the solid electrolyte interphase,1, 2 which is crucial for preventing continuous electrolyte consumption but prone to instability. At high-voltage Li-ion positive electrodes, oxidative degradation of carbonate solvents can also generate resistive films and acidic byproducts that contribute to capacity fade.3-5 These transformations are central to battery degradation mechanisms but remain difficult to observe due to their reactive, nanoscale, and complex nature. As a result, understanding and ultimately controlling the electrode–electrolyte interface is crucial in developing stable and efficient batteries.

Among the many techniques developed to probe interfaces in batteries, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy offers the advantage of functional group-level chemical specificity. It detects molecular vibrations—such as C=O, C-O, or P-F stretching—that serve as fingerprints for electrolyte components and surface species.

Traditionally, FTIR has been applied ex situ to electrodes collected after cycling, revealing electrolyte degradation products and surface film formation. For instance, ex situ FTIR studies on Li6-8 and carbon-based9,10 negative electrodes have identified metal formates, inorganic and organic carbonates, and other compounds within the solid electrolyte interphase, shedding light on their possible formation pathways. On the positive electrode side, diffuse reflectance FTIR of powders scraped from cycled electrodes11 or ground from charged 34

pellets12 has also revealed surface film formation. However, ex situ approaches provide only a static, post-mortem view—often missing intermediates or dynamic processes that inform the reaction pathways. This limitation has motivated a shift toward in situ FTIR spectroscopy, which enables real-time tracking of molecular transformations at electrochemical interfaces under controlled electrode state-of-charge.

Developing In Situ FTIR for Li-ion Battery Porous Electrodes In situ FTIR, widely used in electrocatalysis to probe surface intermediates, can track how chemical species at the electrode– electrolyte interface evolve in real time under applied potentials, providing direct insight into interfacial reactions as they unfold.

However, adapting in situ FTIR for battery systems introduces unique challenges. Electrodes in Li-ion batteries often operate under highly reducing or oxidizing conditions, creating harsh environments for optical components. Most high-refractive-index, infraredtransparent prisms, such as Ge, Si, ZnSe, and KRS-5, can react with Li metal, non-aqueous electrolytes, or HF formed from electrolyte decomposition, resulting in prism degradation and compromised IR signal collection.13 Further, achieving optimal cycling performance requires composite electrodes composed of compact, porous materials that are calendared or pressed—adding further complexity to in situ cell design. Despite these challenges, well-designed in situ cells can reveal molecular-level interfacial processes that would otherwise remain inaccessible.

Rather than using traditional thin-film configurations,14, 15 we developed a custom in situ FTIR setup for composite porous electrodes (Fig. 1a),16 enabling improved cycling stability which representative charge–discharge behavior, which we attribute to better stack pressure in a coin-cell-like configuration and enhanced electrical conductivity in the composite electrodes. The in situ spectro-electrochemical cell incorporated a CaF2 hemisphere as the IR prism and a ~15 nm platinum thin film as the current collector. We drop-cast the NMC composite onto a glassy fiber substrate and coldpressed it, with the active NMC particles facing the CaF2 prism to enable effective optical access to the electrode–electrolyte interface.

We then measured in situ FTIR using an attenuated total reflection The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

To examine whether the formed species could remain at the surface or diffuse/ dissolve away, we collected in situ spectra during potentiostatic and open-circuit conditions after charging to 4.4 VLi. Soluble products like VC and oligomers diffused away during resting, leaving de-H EC anchored on the surface (Fig. 1c).

The soluble species were not present in ex situ FTIR spectra of charged electrode surfaces, underscoring the importance of in situ monitoring. Notably, the emergence of these IR signatures correlated with a great increase in interfacial impedance, implicating carbonate dehydrogenation as a contributor to surface passivation and capacity fade.16 These findings point toward interfacial decomposition processes that are not purely electrochemical, but also are chemically driven by reactive surfaces.

The oxidative instability of organic electrolytes on charged oxides suggests several design strategies toward stable cycling. Tuning surface chemistry, such as surface coatings (e.g., Al2O3), can reduce lattice oxygen activity and suppress solvent decomposition. DFT calculations showed that while dehydrogenation on Ni-rich oxides is energetically favorable (with EC dissociation energy of -2.6 eV, Fig. 1d),16 this driving force is significantly reduced by decreasing the metal-oxygen covalency or lowering the O 2p-band center with respect to the Fermi level.17 In parallel, tuning the electrolyte—such as using sacrificial solvents that oxidize preferentially and form a thin, stable layer—can also protect the electrode surface and mitigate further electrolyte decomposition, improving capacity retention.18, 19 Comparative Fig. 1. In situ FTIR on NMC composite electrodes in carbonate electrolytes. (a) Schematic of in situ FTIR studies across electrode and electrolyte spectro-electrochemical cell. (b) In situ FTIR difference spectra (C=O stretching region, in red) during galvanostatic charging of NMC811 electrode, in EC with 1.5 M LiPF6 electrolyte. ATR spectra for bulk compositions reveal that oxygen release electrolyte solutions are overlaid (in black). (c) Voltage profile (black) and deconvoluted peak areas (red) tendencies, electrolyte formulation, and of EC and its decomposed products from in situ FTIR during galvanostatically charging, potentiostatically mechanical degradation (e.g., particle holding, and open-circuit resting in the spectro-electrochemical cell. (d) Diagram and DFT-calculated cracking) all correlate with surface film energetics of EC dissociation and hydrogen transfer to Ni-rich surface. Adapted from ref.16. formation and capacity fading.19-21 By elucidating these correlations, in situ FTIR can provide molecular-level guidance for tuning electrode surface (ATR) accessory in a single reflection mode. Infrared signals, chemistry and electrolyte environment to mitigate degradation including molecular fingerprints such as C=O stretching modes, and enhance the cycling stability of high-energy Li-ion batteries. enabled in situ tracking of chemical changes of electrolytes on the surface of active materials—such as NMC (LixNiaMnbCo1-a-bO2, x = 0 to 1) composite electrodes—under conditions including galvanostatic Perspective and Outlook cycling, potentiostatic holds, and open-circuit rest.

In situ FTIR spectroscopy has emerged as a valuable tool for probing dynamic transformations at battery electrode–electrolyte Revealing Reaction Mechanisms and interfaces. The technique is broadly applicable to other emerging Guiding Battery Materials Design battery chemistries. On the negative electrode side, in situ FTIR can be applied to study solid electrolyte interphase formation on lithium In situ FTIR spectroscopy on layered oxide composite electrodes metal electrodes. Although optical access is more challenging in has revealed the pathways of electrolyte oxidative decomposition reflective and reactive Li-metal systems, ATR-FTIR using chemically during battery cycling. On NMC811 (LixNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2, x = 0 to inert prisms like diamond, combined with modified cell architectures, 1), for instance, vibrational bands corresponding to dehydrogenated may enable detection of early-stage decomposition products and products—including dehydrogenated ethylene carbonate (de-H solvation environments at buried interfaces. Similarly, other battery EC), vinylene carbonate (VC), and oligomers—appeared as early chemistries—including sodium-ion and lithium-sulfur—could 16 as first-cycle galvanostatic charging to 3.8 VLi (Fig. 1b). These benefit from tailored in situ FTIR setups to study interfacial reactions. species, confirmed by both density functional theory (DFT)Future developments may improve spatial resolution through simulated and experimental spectra, were absent on Pt or NMC111 nanoscale tip-based22-25 or plasmon-enhanced26, 27 IR platforms, (LixNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2, x = 0 to 1), highlighting the role of electrode enabling identification of heterogeneities and subtle species at the composition and oxygen activity in triggering decomposition. (continued on next page) The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

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interface. In parallel, coupling FTIR with complementary methods— such as electrochemical analysis, mass spectrometry, or ab initio modeling—could provide a more comprehensive picture of the interfacial processes. As battery technologies evolve, in situ FTIR is well positioned to deliver the molecular-level insights needed to stabilize and optimize electrochemical interfaces.

Acknowledgments The author acknowledges collaborative work with Prof. Yang Shao-Horn, Prof. Martin Bazant, and colleagues at MIT. This perspective reflects insights from multiple studies and ongoing efforts supported by BMW group, Shell International Exploration & Production Inc., and the Schmidt Science Fellows program. © The Electrochemical Society. DOI:10.1149/2.F03254IF

About the Author Yirui Arlene Zhang, Assistant Professor, Rice University Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (Tsinghua University), PhD in Mechanical Engineering under Prof. Yang ShaoHorn (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Research Interests: Batteries, Electrocatalysis, Plasmonics, In situ spectroscopy, Interfaces, Kinetics Work Experience: Schmidt Science Fellow, Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford University Awards: ECS Energy Technology Division Graduate Student Award (2023), ECS H. H. Dow Memorial Student Achievement Award (2024), CAS Future Leaders in Chemistry (2024), MRS Graduate Student Award (2022), and Wunsch Foundation Award Outstanding Graduate Research (2019) from MIT. Website: https://sites.google.com/view/yirui-arlene-zhang/ https://orcid.org/ 0000-0001-7604-8623

About the Editor Scott Cushing, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Caltech Education: BS in Physics, emphasis in Material Science and Chemistry and PhD in Physics, under Nick Wu and Alan Bristow (West Virginia University).

Research Interests: With a multidisciplinary background spanning Chemistry, Materials Science, and Physics, his research focuses on the creation of new scientific instrumentation that can translate quantum phenomena into practical devices and applications. The Cushing lab is currently pioneering the use of attosecond X-ray, time-resolved TEM-EELS, and ultrafast beams of entangled photons for a range of microscopy and spectroscopy applications.

Work Experience: Past appointments include Dept. of Energy EERE Postdoctoral Fellow, Prof. Stephen Leone Group University of California, Berkeley with a Co-Appointment at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Currently Senior Research Advisor for Pacific Integrated (PI) Energy, San Diego, CA. Pubs & Patents: >60 publications, 3 patents, h-index >30, cited ~8,000 times Awards: 2022 Cottrell Scholar, 2022 Shirley Malcom Prize for Excellence in Mentoring, 2019–2021 Young Investigator awards for DOE, AFOSR, ACS, and Rose Hill Foundation.

Work with ECS: ETD Division: assist with organizing and chairing symposium. Member for >15 years.

Website: cushinglab.caltech.edu https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3538-2259 36

References 1. E. Peled, J Electrochem Soc, 126, 2047 (1979).

2. G. M. Hobold, K.-H. Kim, and B. M. Gallant, Energy Environ Sci, 16, 2247 (2023).

3. M. G. S. R. Thomas, P. G. Bruce, and J. B. Goodenough, J Electrochem Soc, 132, 1521 (1985).

4. K. Edström, T. Gustafsson, and J. O. Thomas, Electrochim Acta, 50, 397 (2004).

5. J. Li, L. E. Downie, L. Ma, W. Qiu, et al., J Electrochem Soc, 162, A1401 (2015).

6. G. Nazri and R. H. Muller, J Electrochem Soc, 132, 2050 (1985).

7. D. Aurbach, M. L. Daroux, P. W. Faguy, and E. Yeager, J Electrochem Soc, 134, 1611 (1987).

8. E. Markevich et al., ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 16, 43602 (2024).

9. X. Zhang, R. Kostecki, T. J. Richardson, J. K. Pugh, et al., J Electrochem Soc, 148, A1341 (2001).

10. B. S. Parimalam, A. D. MacIntosh, R. Kadam, and B. L. Lucht, J Phys Chem C, 121, 22733 (2017).

11. D. Aurbach et al., J Electrochem Soc, 145, 3024 (1998).

12. R. Tatara et al., ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 11, 34973 (2019).

13. D. Aurbach and Y. S. Cohen, Identification of surface films on electrodes in non-aqueous electrolyte solutions: spectroscopic, electronic and morphological studies, Imperial College Press: London, (2004).

14. K. Kanamura, S. Toriyama, S. Shiraishi, M. Ohashi, et al., J Electroanal Chem, 419, 77 (1996).

15. J.-T. Li, S.-R. Chen, X.-Y. Fan, L. Huang, et al., Langmuir, 23, 13174 (2007).

16. Y. Zhang et al., Energy Environ Sci, 13, 183 (2020).

17. L. Giordano et al., Chem Mater, 31, 5464 (2019).

18. P. Karayaylali et al., J Electrochem Soc, 167, 040522 (2020).

19. W. Xue et al., Energy Environ Sci, 14, 6030 (2021).

20. R. Jung, M. Metzger, F. Maglia, C. Stinner, et al., J Electrochem Soc, 164, A1361 (2017).

21. R. C. McNulty et al., Energy Environ Sci, 18, 7603 (2025).

22. J. Mathurin et al., J Appl Phys, 131, 010901 (2022).

23. A. Hammiche et al., Appl Spectrosc, 53, 810 (1999).

24. A. Dopilka, Y. Gu, J. M. Larson, V. Zorba, et al., ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 15, 6755 (2023).

25. N. Ocelic and R. Hillenbrand, Optical device for measuring modulated signal light, US Patent WO2007039210A1 (2007).

26. J. Li, J. Li, and X.-H. Xia, ACS Meas Sci Au, 4, 606 (2024).

27. E.-M. You et al., Electrochim Acta, 498, 144689 (2024).

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Innovation and The Electrochemical Society: Past and Planned Symposia Provide the Foundation for Future Interdisciplinary Symposia

F

by E. Jennings Taylor

or over 122 years, The Electrochemical Society and its members have been dedicated to advancing innovation. It is a foundational aspect of what ECS does. In recognition of our commitment to advancing innovation, and to help inspire the next generation of thought leaders in ECS’s technical domain, the Society is proud to announce a special symposium taking place at the 250th ECS meeting: “Celebrating Electrochemical and Solid-State Science Innovations: Commercialization of Processes and Products.”

The vision and mission statements of The Electrochemical Society are reproduced in Fig. 1.1 As is evident from the vision statement, the raison d’être for the ECS is to be …the steward of electrochemical and solid state science and technology… and to …accelerate scientific discovery and innovation… To support its vision, the ECS mission is to …advance the theory and practice…; to …encourage research, discussion, critical assessment, and dissemination of knowledge…; and to …hold meetings, publish papers, foster training and education…The vision/mission of the ECS supports its overriding objective …to promote science and technology in the public interest.

Two distinct aspects of the ECS vision/mission statements are represented in blue and green in Fig 1. The terms in blue are directed toward scientific discovery, basic understanding, and theoretical knowledge. These describe one focus of the ECS community comprising world-class researchers, scientists, engineers, students, and Nobel laureates. The terms in green are directed toward innovation, technology, and practical application of basic understanding. These describe another focus of the ECS community comprising technologists, entrepreneurs, innovators, students, and National Medal of Technology and Innovation awardees. The ECS community broadly represents academia, industry, and government labs and its members encompass the basic focus, the practical focus, and many who seamlessly transition between both focuses.

In Fig. 2 the interdependence of the “Discovery Research” and “Technological Innovation” processes are schematically represented.

In the “Discovery Research” process, the input is dollars (or funding) to support the research activity, and the outcome is “Basic Knowledge.” This “Basic Knowledge” aligns with the Advancing the Theory component of the ECS vision/mission statements. “Basic Knowledge” is a critical input for the “Technological Innovation”

process which, if successful, leads to commercial (or value added) products and processes. The “Technological Innovation” process aligns with the Advancing the Practice component of the ECS vision/mission statement. In combination, “Discovery Research – Technological Innovation” address ECS’s overarching goal to promote science and technology in the public interest.

However, while “Basic Knowledge” is a critical outcome of the “Discovery Research” process (another being training of the next generation of electrochemical and solid-state scientists and engineers), it is NOT the only input required for the “Technological Innovation” process. The other input is “Translational Knowledge.”

Lack of “Translational Knowledge” is the reason many scientific discoveries fail to transition from the laboratory to successful products and/or processes. This result is often referred to as failing to cross the “Valley of Death.”2 “Translational Knowledge” generally consists of technology maturation issues as well as tangential issues.

Technology maturation issues can include advancing the technology from the laboratory scale to α-scale prototype demonstration (conducted by research staff) to β-scale pre-production validation (conducted by industry personnel). Technology maturation can be measured using defined stage gates such as the Technology Readiness Level (TRL)3 and Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL)4 scales. While technology maturation issues are technology specific, lessons from one electrochemical or solid-state technology can often be applied to another technology.

VISION The vision of ECS is to be recognized as the steward of electrochemical and solid state science and technology. By creating uninhibited availability of the science through open access, ECS can Free the Science, and accelerate scientific discovery and innovation, leading the community as the advocate, guardian, and facilitator of our technical domain.

MISSION The mission of The Electrochemical Society is to advance theory and practice at the forefront of electrochemical and solid state science and technology, and allied subjects.

+

To encourage research, discussion, critical assessment, and dissemination of knowledge in these fields, the Society holds meetings, publishes scientific papers, fosters training and education of scientists and engineers, and cooperates with other organizations to promote science and technology in the public interest.

Fig. 1. Vision and mission of The Electrochemical Society.

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Fig. 2. Representation of the discovery research and innovation processes.

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

Table I. ECS Innovation Symposia: 2012 to 2026 Years

Title/Topic

Divisions

2012, 2016, 2021

Contemporary Issues and Case Studies in Electrochemical Innovation

NTS, IE&EE, ETD, ECS-J

2013

Innovations and New Directions in Organic Electrochemistry

OBE, PAE

2014, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Electrochemical Science & Technology: Challenges & Opportunities on the Path from Discovery (Invention) to Product

ELDP, IE&EE, PAE, OBE

2014

Practical Implementation and Commercialization of Sensors

SENS

2021, 2023

Crosscutting Materials Innovation for Transformational Chemical & Electrochemical Energy Conversion Technologies

ETD, H-TEMP, IE&EE

2024

Innovation in Electrochemistry

PAE, ETD, IE&EE, K-ECS

2024, 2026

Highlighting Startups Pursuing Electrochemical Manufacturing

IE&EE, ETD

2025

Bridging Reaction Development and Scale: Electrochemical Synthesis of Pharmaceutical and Fine Chemicals

IE&EE, OBE

2026

Commercialization of New Battery Technologies: Difficulties and Challenges

BATT

Tangential issues can include financing/funding, intellectual property rights/freedom to operate, managing partner relationships, marketing and customer definition, contracts, growth/exit strategy, and the like. Tangential issues are not technology specific and lessons from one electrochemical or solid-state technology are often generally applicable to another.

The content of ECS meeting symposia and peer-reviewed publications is primarily directed toward the accelerate scientific discovery component of the ECS vision/mission statements. Recently, commercialization has been the subject of an Interface focus issue (Fall 2023) and symposia directed toward the accelerate innovation component of the ECS vision/mission statement have emerged.

Table I lists ECS meeting symposia related to “innovation” or “technology maturation/translational knowledge” from 2012 to 2026.

Beginning in 2012, seventeen symposia across fifteen meetings were identified. These symposia were sponsored by the New Technology Subcommittee (NTS) (precursor to the Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Subcommittee), eight different divisions, and ECS-J (Japan) and the K-ECS (Korea). The symposia are co-sponsored by at most four divisions. The relatively short list of sponsors is likely due in part to a lack of communication between divisions and in part to a division-specific restrictive title. For example, “Commercialization of New Battery Technologies: Difficulties and Challenges” could be more encompassing as “Commercialization of New Electrochemical and Solid-State Technologies: Difficulties and Challenges” As another example, “Contemporary Issues and Case Studies in Electrochemical Innovation” could be more encompassing as “Contemporary Issues and Case Studies in Electrochemical and Solid-State Science and Technology Innovation.”

A word map representing the calls for abstracts from all the previous innovation symposia is presented in Fig. 3. In addition to the expected electrochemical and solid-state science–related words, other terms appear, including innovation, invention, commercial, customers, industry, and case studies. These symposia all addressed technology maturation issues and tangential issues as discussed above.

These symposia were well-attended and provide the foundation for future interdisciplinary symposia co-sponsored by all divisions.

For the fall (October 25–29, 2026) ECS meeting in Calgary, Canada, the innovation symposium’s working title is “Celebrating Electrochemical and Solid-State Science Innovations: Commercialization of Processes and Products.” The symposium call for abstracts includes elements from all the previous innovation symposia. The symposium is sponsored by the Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Subcommittee (ISTS) with co-organizers being recruited from all divisions. The symposium is relevant to all

ECS divisions and is a forum for exchanging “Best Practices” and “Lessons Learned.”

Since the symposium coincides with the 250th meeting of the ECS, we will celebrate noteworthy electrochemical and solid-state science and technology innovations. To reemphasize, these talks will focus on the technology maturation matters and tangential issues required to move technology from the laboratory to commercial products and processes.

At the time of the preparation of this article (August 2025), the talks include: 1) a representative from de Nora Tech will present the story of the collaboration between Vittorio de Nora and Henri Beer to commercialize the dimensionally stable anode (DSA®)5; 2) Prof.

Michel Armand6 of CIC energiGUNE will speak about his role in securing the interest of Hydro-Quebec in Prof. John Goodenough’s lithium-ion battery patent); 3) Dr. Ben Feldman of Abbott Labs will present the story of working with Dr. Adam Heller7 and Ephraim Heller to transition the FreeStyle® glucose sensor to Abbott Diabetes Care); 4) Prof. Esther Takeuchi8 of Stony Brook University and Brookhaven Laboratory will tell the story of moving the lithium/SVO battery from the industrial labs of Wilson Greatbatch to commercial use in implantable cardiac defibrillators; and); 5) Prof. Stanley Whittingham9 of SUNY at Binghamton will share his industrial and academic experiences in the commercialization of lithium batteries.

By the 250th ECS meeting in Calgary, we expect to include additional noteworthy electrochemical and solid-state science innovations representing all divisions. In addition, we will feature interdisciplinary case studies of recent and ongoing technological innovation efforts. The symposium will include participation from (continued on next page)

Fig. 3. Word map of previous innovation symposia.

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international and early career innovators. Finally, Roque Calvo, ECS Historian and former Executive Director, will present a historical overview of significant electrochemical and solid-state science innovators. The shared experiences and lessons learned (failures and successes) will provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and accelerate innovation and promote technology in the public interest!

Acknowledgement I would like to thank Chris Jannuzzi and John Lewis for numerous insightful discussions in conceptualizing and implementing the “Celebrating Electrochemical and Solid-State Science Innovations: Commercialization of Processes and Products” symposium. I would also like to acknowledge the ideas and contributions from the organizers of past innovation related symposia. © The Electrochemical Society. DOI:10.1149/2.F04254IF

References 1. https://www.electrochem.org/mission/ (accessed Sept. 7, 2025).

2. G. A. Moore, Crossing the Chasm, 3rd Ed., Harper Collins Publishers, New York (2014).

3. https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/ uploads/2017/12/458490main_trl_definitions.pdf (accessed Sept. 8, 2025).

4. https://www.dodmrl.com/MRL_Deskbook_V2.pdf (accessed Sept. 8, 2025).

5. H. B. Beer, J Electrochem Soc, 127(8), 303C (1980).

6. A. Mauger, C. M. Julien, J. B. Goodenough, and K. Zaghib, J Electrochem Soc, 167, 070507 (2020).

7. https://www.electrochem.org/heller (accessed Sept. 9, 2025).

8. https://www.electrochem.org/takeuchi (accessed Sept. 9, 2025).

9. https://www.electrochem.org/whittingham (accessed Sept. 9, 2025).

About the Author E. Jennings Taylor, Founder of Faraday Technology, Inc. Research Interest: Founder of Faraday Technology, Inc., a small business focused on developing innovative electrochemical processes and technologies based on pulse and pulse reverse electrolytic principles. Until his recent retirement, Taylor led Faraday’s patent and commercialization strategy and negotiated numerous patents via field-of-use licenses as well as patent sales. He is admitted to practice before the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) in patents cases as a patent agent (Registration No. 53,676). He is a Member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA).

Pubs & Patents: Numerous technical pubs and presentations, inventor on 40 patents.

Work with ECS: Member for 42 years, ECS Fellow.

Website: http://www.faradaytechnology.com/ https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3410-0267

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The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

ECS Summer & Colin Garfield Fink Fellowships Summary Reports Summer Fellowships Each year, ECS awards up to four summer fellowships to support graduate students continuing their research in a field of interest to the Society from June through August. The ECS Summer Fellowships program comprises four named awards: Edward G. Weston Fellowship Joseph W. Richards Fellowship F. M. Becket Fellowship H. H. Uhlig Fellowship The Society also awards the Colin Garfield Fink Summer Fellowship to one postdoctoral scientist or engineer who is a member in good standing. The Summer Fellowship and Charles Garfield Fink recipients are each awarded USD $5,000.

Congratulations to the five 2025 recipients!

The Society thanks the ECS Summer Fellowship Subcommittee for reviewing the applications and selecting the outstanding recipients. Subcommittee members are: • • • • • •

Peter Mascher, Subcommittee Chair, McMaster University Oumaïma Gharbi, Sorbonne Université Junsoon Han, Sorbonne Université Joey Kish, McMaster University Patrik Schmutz, Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs-und Forschungsanstalt Kody Wolfe, Ohio University

Interested in applying for an ECS Summer Fellowship or the Colin Garfield Fink Summer Fellowship? The 2026 award application deadline is January 15, 2026. Learn more about ECS fellowships and grants.

2025 ECS Colin Garfield Fink Research Fellowship – Summary Report Resolving Interfacial Hydration and Charge Separation in SrTiO3 Single Crystals: A 3D-AFM Study

by Mingyi Zhang

S

emiconductor based photocatalytic water splitting is a promising route for scalable, low-cost solar hydrogen production.1-4 Since the first demonstration of a TiO₂ photoelectrode in 1972,5 researchers have developed a wide range of photocatalyst materials. However, commercial applications of photocatalysis remain limited due to low overall efficiency, largely caused by the rapid recombination of photogenerated charge carriers. One effective strategy is to design anisotropic catalysts that expose facets with different crystallographic orientations, enabling electrons and holes to migrate to distinct surfaces for the two half-reactions.6-9 Notably, Al-doped faceted SrTiO₃ synthesized from a SrCl₂ melt, which co-exposes the (100) and (110) facets, remains one of the most efficient photocatalysts reported to date.10-12 Probing local surface potential and chemistry is crucial to understanding internal fields and charge dynamics. While much effort has focused on band structures within solids, the role of electrolytes—including ion adsorption, hydration, and double-layer formation—remains largely unexplored.

Three-dimensional atomic force microscopy (3D-AFM) represents an emerging tool that offers molecularresolution insights into interfacial hydration, ion arrangement, and charge distribution by measuring tip–substrate interactions in three dimensions.13-16 This study investigated the

interfacial hydration structure and electric double layer (EDL) of SrTiO₃ single crystals using 3D-AFM under varying externally applied biases (Fig. 1A).17 We examined both (100)- and (110)-oriented single crystals (MTI Corporation, no surface treatment) to elucidate charge separation behavior across different crystal facets with a faceted particle photocatalyst (Fig. 1B). We then chose a 1 mM KCl electrolyte (pH = 7), which has a suitable Debye screening length (~9.6 nm from Debye–Hückel expectation). We selected five potential conditions, 0 V, +0.2 V, +0.5 V with respect to open circle potentials, where no significant electrochemical processes take place (Fig 1C). For each condition, we collected two sets of force maps with force distances of 5 nm and 15 nm, enabling characterization of the shortrange hydration structure and the longerrange EDL structure, respectively.

Averaged force and force-gradient curves collected from (100) SrTiO₃ single crystals reveal a screening length of ~9 nm, consistent with Debye–Hückel predictions (Figs. 1D–E). At 0 V, a long-range attractive force is observable, which becomes stronger under positive bias and weaker under negative bias. Given that silicon AFM probes typically oxidize to form a native silica layer that is negatively charged at neutral pH,18 these results indicate a positively charged (100) surface, with its potential modulated by the applied bias. In contrast, the (110)

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

surface exhibits long-range repulsive forces, suggesting a negatively charged surface (Figs. 1F–G). This supports the hypothesis of charge separation in SrTiO₃ particles due to facet-dependent surface potentials.

Converting force measurements to surface potential will require further calibration of the charge of the tip.19 Moreover, changes in the force-gradient profiles, such as the disappearance of the large oscillatory features on the (110) surface under applied bias, suggest restructuring of the EDL. To probe the interfacial hydration structure, we collected force maps at reduced z-distances (5 nm), and generated representative X–Z slices (Fig. 2). On the (100) surface, an ordered layered structure with an interlayer spacing ~0.34 nm is observable, with alternating bright and dark oscillations corresponding to regions of low and high water density.20,21 Under 0.2 V bias, the hydration structure became less ordered, with layers still discernible but expanded to ~0.4 nm spacing. At 0.5 V, the layering was no longer resolvable, indicating a significant loss of local order in water and ion arrangement. Similar trends occurred on the (110) surface, though the hydration structure appeared less well-defined overall, likely due to the higher surface roughness of the purchased (110) substrates. More well-defined hydration structures should (continued on next page) 41

Zhang

(continued from previous page)

Fig. 1. (A) Schematic of the operando electrochemical AFM (EC-AFM) setup. (B) Illustration of a faceted SrTiO₃ single crystal photocatalyst exposing (100) facets (red) and (110) facets (blue). (C) Cyclic voltammograms of a bare (100) SrTiO₃ single crystal in 1 mM KCl. (D, E) Averaged tip–sample force and forcegradient curves collected on (100) surfaces under different applied potentials relative to open-circuit potential. (F, G) Corresponding force and force-gradient curves collected on (110) surfaces.

appear on annealed surfaces or freshly grown particles obtained directly from hydrothermal synthesis.

These results demonstrate how surface charging and interfacial solution structure at SrTiO₃ surfaces evolve under applied bias.

The responses are orientation-dependent and are strongly influenced by electrochemical conditions, highlighting that, beyond band structure, solution structure may also play a critical role in the electrochemical and photochemical performance of SrTiO3 and other oxides. While this study serves as a proof-of-concept for applying 3D-AFM to electrochemical interfaces, future work will extend to more realistic conditions, including surface annealing, doping, solution pH, external illumination, and the loading of cocatalysts.

Acknowledgements

About the Author

The author gratefully acknowledges the financial support from the Electrochemical Society’s Colin Garfield Fink Summer Fellowship (2025). This work was also supported by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES), Division of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), Synthesis, and Processing Science Program at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) through FWP-67554. PNNL is a multiprogram national laboratory operated for DOE by Battelle under contract number DE-AC05–76RL01830. © The Electrochemical Society.

DOI:10.1149/2.F05254IF

Mingyi Zhang is currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the laboratory of Dr. James J. De Yoreo, Chief Scientist for Materials Synthesis and Simulation Across Scales at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Mingyi’s research focuses on understanding the structure and dynamics of the solid-liquid interface and its influence on crystal growth and nucleation processes and on photo/electrochemistry. By employing in situ atomic force microscopy and force spectroscopy to elucidate the

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The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

Fig. 2. (A–E) X–Z slices from force gradient maps normal to SrTiO3 (100) surface at various applied voltages. (F–J) X–Z slices from force gradient maps normal to SrTiO3 (110) surface at various applied voltages.

structure and dynamics of solid-liquid interfaces, his work has advanced the fundamental understanding of crystallization and electrochemistry.

Mingyi joined PNNL after completing his PhD in Materials Science at Carnegie Mellon University in 2022, supervised by Prof. Gregory S. Rohrer and Prof. Paul A. Salvador. He participated in the 2024 Rising Star in Materials Science and Engineering workshop (a joint program of Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign), and in 2023 he received the PNNL Outstanding Performance Award and the Materials Research Society (MRS) Best Talk Award. Mingyi’s 11 published articles have an h-index of 4. He mentors four PhD candidates and two undergraduate students.

References 1. T. Hisatomi, T. Yamada, H. Nishiyama, T. Takata et al., Nat Rev Mat, 10, 769 (2025).

2. X. Tao, Y. Zhao, S. Wang, C. Li et al., Chem Soc Rev, 51, 3561 (2022).

3. S. Chen, T. Takata, and K. Domen, Nat Rev Mat, 2, 17050 (2017).

4. L. Li, P. A. Salvador, and G. S. Rohrer, Nanoscale, 6, 24 (2014).

5. A. Fujishima and K. Honda, Nature, 238, 37 (1972).

6. R. Chen, S. Pang, H. An, J. Zhu et al., Nat Energy, 3, 655 (2018).

7. R. Li, F. Zhang, D. Wang, J. Yang et al., Nat Commun, 4, 1432 (2013).

8. A. J. Kaufman, A. C. Nielander, G. J. Meyer, S. Maldonado et al., Nat Catal, 7, 615 (2024).

9. M. Zhang, P. A. Salvador, and G. S. Rohrer, J Am Ceram Soc, 105, 5336 (2022).

10. T. Takata, J. Jiang, Y. Sakata, M. Nakabayashi et al., Nature, 581, 411 (2020).

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11. S. Su, I. Siretanu, D. van den Ende, B. Mei et al., Adv Mater, 33, e2106229 (2021).

12. M. Zhang, P. A. Salvador, and G. S. Rohrer, ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 12, 23617 (2020).

13. T. Fukuma and R. Garcia, ACS Nano, 12, 11785 (2018).

14. Q. Ai, L. K. S. Bonagiri, K. S. Panse, J. Kim et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 122, e2421635122 (2025).

15. M. Zhang, Y. Chen, C. Wu, R. Zheng et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 121, e2412358121 (2024).

16. E. Nakouzi, A. G. Stack, S. Kerisit, B. A. Legg et al., The Journal of Physical Chem C, 125, 1282 (2020).

17. H. Söngen, R. Bechstein, and A. Kühnle, J Phys: Condens Matter, 29, 274001 (2017).

18. R. O. James and T. W. Healy, J of Colloid Interface Sci, 40, 65 (1972).

19. A. Klaassen, F. Liu, F. Mugele, and I. Siretanu, Langmuir, 38, 914 (2022).

20. S. Benaglia, M. R. Uhlig, J. HernandezMunoz, E. Chacon et al., Phys Rev Lett, 127, 196101 (2021).

21. M. Watkins and B. Reischl, J Chem Phys, 138, 154703 (2013).

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2025 ECS Edward G. Weston Research Fellowship – Summary Report Single-Particle Electrochemistry of LiFePO4 Single Crystals

by Jinhong Min

L

ithium-ion batteries store energy by inserting and extracting lithium ions into and out of a host material via a liquid electrolyte. The positive electrode, or cathode, is usually composed of a transition metal oxide. Two types of cathodes are widely used: high-energy layered oxides LiMO2 (M = Ni, Mn, Co, Al), where lithium usually enters the host as a solid solution,1 and low-cost olivine LiFePO4 (LFP), where lithium insertion yields phase separation into Li-poor and Li-rich phases.2 In past work, I was able to conduct single-particle electrochemistry in individual layered oxide particles by placing isolated battery particles on microelectrode arrays constructed using semiconductor microfabrication techniques.3–5 This enables the ability to charge and discharge individual battery particles without a porous electrode to understand their intrinsic behavior.

During the fellowship, I extended the work to conduct single-particle electrochemistry of micron-sized, carbon coated single-crystal LiFePO4 platelet particles, typically about 5 microns in length and 1 micron thick. Performing electrochemical measurements on these particles required custom fabrication of Au microelectrodes on silicon substrates using semiconductor processing techniques (Fig. 1a, b). We patterned an array of Au working microelectrodes and one large Au counter electrode through lithography. We physically positioned LFP particles on the microelectrodes with a microneedle (Fig. 1c) and then electrically connected the particles to the electrodes through Pt deposited by electron beam induced deposition (Fig. 1d).

The electrolyte was 1M LiClO4 in propylene carbonate.

We (dis)charged this LFP particle at a constant current of ±3.3 pA within a cutoff voltage range of 3.0–3.8 V (Fig. 2a). The voltage profile exhibited a flat plateau that originated from phase separation in LFP. The voltage difference between each plateau was about 25 mV. Previous studies have suggested that the voltage plateau could be a result of phase separation within a particle (intraparticle) or phase separation between particles (interparticle).6 By conducting our measurement on one single-crystal LFP particle, we show that the voltage plateau also arises during charge and discharge of a single battery particle. Our single-particle measurements, however, demonstrate that plateau regions can also be observed without particle-by-particle behavior.

Fig. 1. Design of microelectrode array for single-crystal LFP particle electrochemistry. a) A 3×3 cm microelectrode array fabricated by patterning Au on a silicon wafer. b) Magnified image showing several working microelectrodes and the counter electrode. The array contains 200 Au microelectrodes and one large Au counter electrode. c) Magnified image of a single microelectrode. An LFP particle was placed on the electrical contact window of the microelectrode using a tungsten microneedle. d) SEM image of an LFP particle. The particle was electrically connected to the Au microelectrode through Pt by electron beam induced deposition.

In Fig. 2b, we further investigated rate dependence by varying the discharge current from C/3 (3.3 pA) to 10C (100 pA). While nanoscale LFP particles7 are commonly employed to compensate for the intrinsically low electronic conductivity and lithium diffusivity of LFP cathodes, our results show that a 9×3×0.8 μm particle can still deliver about 80% of its capacity in less than 20 minutes (3C) and about 60% of its capacity in less than six minutes (10C). This suggests that these micron-sized particles can also maintain an acceptably fast cycling rate.

Acknowledgments The author gratefully acknowledges The Electrochemical Society for the 2025 Edward G. Weston Fellowship. Additionally,

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the author thanks his PhD advisor, Prof.

Yiyang Li at the University of Michigan, as well as Prof. Chong Liu, Dr. Gangbin Yan, and Suin Choi from the University of Chicago for providing the single-crystal LFP particles. © The Electrochemical Society.

DOI:10.1149/2.F06254IF

About the Author Jinhong Min is a fifthyear PhD candidate under Prof. Yiyang Li in the Materials Science and Engineering Department at University of Michigan (U-M). His doctoral research focuses on understanding

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

Fig. 2. Single-particle electrochemistry of an LFP particle using a microelectrode array. a) Charge–discharge profile measured at a constant current of ±3.3 pA. The inset graph shows a magnified view of the red-dashed box. The voltage difference between the charge and discharge plateaus is 25 mV. The inset SEM image shows the LFP particle before Pt deposition. Scale bar is 2 μm. b) Discharge curves measured from C/3 to 10C on the same LFP particle. Each charge was performed at C/3. After reaching the discharge cutoff voltage of 3.0 V, the voltage was held at 3.0 V for 1 h.

fundamental materials properties through novel characterization approaches.

Jinhong completed a BS in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Seoul (2018) and an MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University in 2021. His research has been recognized with a 2024 Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship at U-M, and he received a Silver Graduate Student Award at the 2023 MRS fall meeting.

References 1. F. Friedrich et al., J Electrochem. Soc., 166, A3760 (2019).

2. A. K. Padhi, K. S. Nanjundaswamy, and J. B. Goodenough, J Electrochem Soc, 144, 1188 (1997).

3. J. Min, L. M. Gubow, R. J. Hargrave, J. B. Siegel et al., Energy Environ Sci, 16, 3847 (2023).

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

4. J. Min, W. Suk, S. C. Y. Wong, and Y. Li, Adv Funct Mater, 34, 2410241 (2024).

5. W. Suk, J. Min, T. Liu, and Y. Li, Chem Mater, 37, 1788 (2025).

6. W. Dreyer et al., Nature Mater, 9, 448 (2010).

7. C. Delacourt, P. Poizot, S. Levasseur, and C. Masquelier, Electrochem SolidState Lett, 9, A352 (2006).

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2025 ECS Joseph W. Richards Fellowship – Summary Report Enhanced Interfacial Stability through Solvation Engineering in HighEntropy Electrolyte for Zinc Metal Batteries

by Ziqing Wang

L

ithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used but face safety, environmental, and cost challenges.1,2 Zinc metal batteries (ZMBs) offer high theoretical capacity and promise as nextgeneration storage, but issues like dendrites, byproducts, and hydrogen evolution hinder performance, making electrodeelectrolyte interface modification crucial for improvement.3,4 Artificial protective layers can mitigate side reactions in ZMBs, but their complex fabrication limits costeffectiveness, while known in situ solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layers from LIBs lack stability in aqueous systems.5,6 Recently, ZnF2 has emerged as a robust, insoluble protective material with good ion transport, and stacking additional ZnF2 layers can effectively suppress the growth and penetration of hard zinc dendrites.7,8 We prepared a multi-ether-based high-entropy electrolyte (HEE-5, five indicates the number of solvents), which was developed by combining three similar ether solvents, a fluorine-rich ether diluent, water, and Zn(BF4)2, resulting in a unique solvation structure that accelerates desolvation, promotes BF4− decomposition, and forms a dense, micron-thick ZnF2 interfacial layer to suppress dendrite growth.

To investigate the effect of solvent species number and solvation entropy on the electrode-electrolyte interface and SEI formation, we prepared two additional electrolytes: HEE-3 (three solvents, one ether-based) and HEE-4 (four solvents, two ether-based). After Zn deposition on Zn foils, we examined the electrode surfaces using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). SEM images reveal clear differences in electrode surface morphology across the three electrolytes. In HEE-3, the electrode exhibits a rough texture under a 100 μm scale bar, with particles averaging 1–2 μm in diameter (Fig. 1a). These large aggregates indicate ZnF2 formation, but the protective layer appears non-uniform.

When the solvent number increases to four (HEE-4), the surface becomes denser and more uniform (Fig. 1b), and particle size reduces, demonstrating that higher solvent diversity can suppress ZnF2 aggregation and promote a more compact SEI. A further increase to HEE-5 results in an even smoother and more uniform surface (Fig. 1c). At higher magnification, this protective layer consists of densely and uniformly distributed nanoscale ZnF2 particles, rather than large aggregates, indicating that high-

Fig. 1. SEM images of Zn electrodes in (a) HEE-3, (b) HEE-4, and (c) HEE-5. XPS spectra of Zn electrodes with different elements of (d) C 1s, (e) F 1s, and (f) Zn 2p3/2.

entropy solvation enables more controlled ZnF2 deposition. XPS analysis provides further evidence of compositional changes in the protective layer. The C 1s spectra (Fig. 1d) show no significant differences in organic components, indicating that organic species formation remains relatively consistent across these electrolytes. In contrast, the F 1s spectra (Fig.1e) reveal a progressive increase in ZnF2 content with higher solvent numbers, correlating with the thicker, denser protective layers observed in SEM. Consistently, the Zn 2p spectra (Fig. 1f) show a stronger ZnF2 signal in HEE-5 compared to HEE-3 and HEE-4, confirming that higher entropy enhances the inorganic composition of the interfacial layer.

In summary, the above results demonstrate that increasing the number of solvent species leads to smoother electrode surfaces and smaller ZnF2 particle size, as well as greater ZnF2 content. These factors collectively contribute to the formation of a uniform, inorganic-rich protective layer that effectively suppresses zinc dendrite growth.

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Acknowledgment Z. W. is grateful for the support and mentorship of C. Buddie Mullins and acknowledges financial support from the ECS Joseph W. Richards Summer Fellowship and UT Austin University Continuing Fellowship. © The Electrochemical Society.

DOI:10.1149/2.F07254IF

About the Author Ziqing Wang is a PhD student at the University of Texas at Austin in the group of Prof. C. Buddie Mullins. Ziqing has developed multiple electrolyte systems for aqueous zinc-ion batteries to enable stable cycling at sub-zero

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

temperatures and high voltages. His work also focuses on interfacial electrochemistry at the electrode surface to gain insights into reaction kinetics.

After completing a BE at Central South University in 2020, Ziqing joined UT Austin in 2021. He was awarded the University Graduate Continuing Fellowship (2024) and Allen J. Bard Center for Electrochemistry Student Scholar Fellowship (2023). The author of 21 articles (10 as first and co-first author) with an h-index of 12, Ziqing serves as a review editor for Frontiers in Chemistry.

He is the co-founder and technical lead of StandUp Energy LLC. In his free time, Ziqing is an amateur body builder.

References 1. J. Lin, W. Li, and Z. Chen, ACS Energy Lett,10(2), 947 (2025).

2. M. Li, J. Lu, Z. Chen, and K. Amine, Advanced Mat, 30(33), 1800561 (2018).

3. H. Li, S. Li, R. Hou, Y. Rao et al., Chem Soc Rev, 53(15), 7742 (2024).

4. Y.-M. Li, W.-H. Li, K. Li, W.-B. Jianget al., J Am Chem Soc, 146(45), 30998 (2024).

5. J. Wan, Z. Zuo, Z.-Z. Shen, W.-P. Chen, et al., J Am Chem Soc, 144(21), 9354 (2022).

6. L. Alzate-Vargas, S. M. Blau, E. W. C. Spotte-Smith, S. Allu et al., J Phys Chem C, 125(34), 18588 (2021).

7. D. Xie, Y. Sang, D.-H. Wang, W.Y. Diao et al., Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 62(7), e202216934 (2023).

8. T. Li, S. Hu, C. Wang, D. Wang et al., Angew Chemie Int Ed, 62(51), e202314883 (2023).

2025 ECS F. M. Becket Fellowship – Summary Report Advancing CO2 Electroreduction through Novel Electrocatalysts for Selective C2 Products and Direct Carbonate Synthesis

by Monsuru Dauda

E

lectrocatalytic CO₂ conversion offers dual benefits of atmospheric carbon mitigation while generating valuable chemicals through renewable energy integration. This approach addresses the growing demand for sustainable chemical production pathways that can replace traditional fossil fuel-based processes.1 Ethanol emerges as a prime target due to its versatile applications across the fuel, chemical, and beverage industries, coupled with existing infrastructure for distribution and utilization. Conventional ethanol manufacturing predominantly relies on fermentation, which inherently produces CO₂ emissions and competes with agricultural resources. Similarly, organic carbonates like diethyl carbonate currently require energy-intensive synthesis using hazardous reagents such as phosgene. These production challenges create opportunities for electrochemical alternatives that can transform waste CO₂ into valuable products.

Our recent work has established the mechanistic understanding guiding C₂ product selectivity, where the degree of partial positive charge (δ⁺) on Cu sites determines product distribution.2,3 This understanding enabled remarkable ethanol production with faradaic efficiencies approaching 50% at 350 mA cm⁻² using CuSn₀.₀₃ electrocatalysts. However, current electrochemical systems face substantial technical barriers that limit commercial viability. Product crossover represents a significant challenge, where liquid products migrate across membranes, causing oxidative degradation, catalyst fouling, and

dilution below 0.05 wt%. This phenomenon renders product recovery economically infeasible due to high separation costs.

This work leverages our established mechanistic understanding to design advanced membrane electrode assembly systems that address ethanol crossover challenges, targeting concentrated ethanol production. The results presented in Fig. 1 represent a shift in CO₂ electroreduction technology, demonstrating a practical solution to the longstanding crossover problem that has hindered commercial viability for over a decade. The concentrated ethanol product can then be integrated as a feedstock for diethyl carbonate production, creating a tandem electrochemical process that maximizes carbon utilization efficiency while generating two high-value chemicals from a single CO₂ conversion platform.

This integrated approach addresses both the product separation challenges that have limited commercial viability and creates additional revenue streams that enhance overall process economics.

Initial experiments using conventional membrane electrode assembly configurations confirmed the severity of crossover in traditional systems (Fig. 1A–B). Despite achieving total ethanol faradaic efficiencies of ~48.5% using CuSn₀.₀₃ electrocatalysts at 400 mA cm⁻², only 5.0% of the produced ethanol remained in the cathode compartment where it could be recovered, while 43.4% migrated to the anode compartment. This corresponds to a crossover rate of 89.7%, essentially rendering

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

nine out of every ten ethanol molecules produced completely unrecoverable and making recovery economically infeasible.

The data demonstrates that crossover percentages remain consistently high (85– 95%) across current densities from 100 to 500 mA cm⁻² (Fig. 1B), indicating that this phenomenon represents a fundamental limitation of conventional membrane architectures rather than an operational parameter that can be optimized. This systematic product migration explains the disconnect between high faradaic efficiencies reported in the literature and the lack of commercial implementation of CO₂to-ethanol technology.

To mitigate crossover, we evaluated alkaline-stable membranes (Fig. 1C). The membranes tested were Fumasep FAA-3 (ammonium), PiperION (piperidinium), and Sustainion X37-50RT (imidazolium).

Among these, Sustainion X37-50RT exhibited the lowest crossover, which we attribute to its reduced water uptake (20%) compared to Fumasep (30%) and PiperION (42.5%).4 The reduced water uptake limits polymer swelling and decreases free volume within the membrane matrix, thereby restricting ethanol permeation while maintaining adequate ionic conductivity for electrochemical operation. However, even the optimized single membrane configuration could not achieve the low crossover rates necessary for producing concentrated ethanol streams suitable for downstream processing. (continued on next page) 47

Dauda

(continued from previous page)

Fig. 1. Membrane architecture optimization for ethanol recovery in CO₂ electroreduction. (A) Conventional MEA showing severe crossover. (B) ~90% ethanol crossover with Cu-Sn₀.₀₃ at 400 mA cm⁻². (C) Alkaline-stable membrane evaluation with Sustainion X37-50RT showing lowest crossover. (D) Three-compartment design achieving ~1.0% crossover and 63% ethanol efficiency. (E) Recovery comparison showing dramatic improvement with three-compartment system.

To address this, we developed a threecompartment electrolyzer with cathodic, anodic, and intermediate chambers (Fig. 1D). The design incorporates an anion exchange membrane at the cathode and a cation exchange membrane at the anode, establishing opposing ion flows that create an intermediate collection zone.

This architecture leverages differential ion transport mechanisms to suppress crossover while maintaining ionic conductivity. However, the cell potential is high compared to conventional MEA, limiting the current density. At 100 mA cm⁻², the system demonstrated a total ethanol faradaic efficiency of ~63% with crossover reduced to ~1%. This represents a 98.8% reduction in crossover compared to conventional designs. At 400 mA cm⁻², the intermediate layer captures ~19% of the total ethanol production, while crossover to the anode is reduced to ~2%, which is a 95% improvement over conventional twocompartment designs. This dual mechanism of enhanced recovery and minimized loss enables the production of the concentrated ethanol streams that are necessary for economically viable downstream processing

(Fig. 1E). The three-compartment design addresses the primary technical barrier preventing commercial adoption of CO₂to-ethanol technology. The quantitative improvements demonstrated—98.8% reduction in crossover and 95% improvement in product retention—represent significant advances toward practical implementation of electrochemical CO₂ conversion systems.

The second phase of research explored direct electrochemical conversion of CO₂ to diethyl carbonate using ethanol fed from the optimized reduction system. This direction represents an opportunity for value-added product synthesis, as organic carbonates command premium prices in industrial applications while current production methods often rely on toxic reagents and energy-intensive processes. Initial catalyst development efforts focused on creating specialized electrocatalysts for carbonate formation, building upon the mechanistic understanding developed for C₂ product formation.

Preliminary investigations identified promising catalyst formulations that showed activity for carbonate formation under specific operating conditions. This work is ongoing, and the integration of

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ethanol production and carbonate synthesis represents a novel approach to CO₂ utilization that maximizes value creation while minimizing environmental impact, with measurable carbonate formation observed during initial testing phases.

The development of advanced membrane electrode assembly systems shows promise for addressing the longstanding challenge of product crossover in CO₂ electroreduction.

The three-compartment design represents a significant advancement in maintaining product concentration while achieving high conversion efficiencies. The integration of ethanol production with subsequent carbonate synthesis creates a comprehensive CO₂ utilization platform that enhances both environmental and economic outcomes.

Future work will focus on optimizing the three-compartment system design parameters and scaling the integrated process for larger-scale demonstrations, while continuing catalyst optimization for direct carbonate synthesis to improve the selectivity and efficiency of the overall process.

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

Acknowledgements The author, Monsuru Dauda, is grateful for the support of the 2025 F. M. Becket Summer Fellowship. He also gratefully acknowledges his PI, Prof. John C. Flake. © The Electrochemical Society.

DOI:10.1149/2.F08254IF

About the Author Monsuru Dauda is a PhD student at Louisiana State University (LSU) with Prof. John C. Flake as his advisor. He joined the PhD program at LSU after completing a BT with First Class Honors in Chemical

Engineering at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in 2021, and an MS, also in Chemical Engineering, at LSU in 2024. He is the author of more than five journal articles (h-index 4), 14 conference proceedings, and two submitted patent applications. Monsuru has received the ECS Industrial Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Engineering Division Student Achievement Award (2025) and served as a PRiME 2024 Meeting Student Ambassador. He has ECS-IOP Trusted Reviewer status.

References 1. M. O. Dauda, Copper-Based Electrocatalysts for Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 to C2 Products, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, (2024).

2. M. O. Dauda et al., J Electrochem Soc, 171, 034501 (2024).

3. M. O. Dauda et al., J Electrochem Soc, 171, 084503 (2024).

2025 ECS H. H. Uhlig Fellowship – Summary Report Electron and Hole Upconversion as a New Design Paradigm for Combining Photochromism with Electrochromism

by Beauty K. Chabuka

O

ne of the key functional elements of molecular machines is switching, where molecular and electronic structures change in response to an external stimulus. Photochromic and electrochromic materials are classic examples: both change color but through different triggers.

Photochromic systems undergo structural transformations upon light exposure (UV or visible), while electrochromic systems switch color through controlled redox reactions driven by electrical current. Each mechanism offers distinct advantages— photochromics respond to environmental conditions, while electrochromics provide precise user control. Their integration creates an opportunity for more versatile smart materials.

Redox upconversion comes in two forms. In electron upconversion, an exergonic step converts a weak reductant into a stronger one,6,7 while in hole upconversion, a weak oxidant becomes more potent8 (Fig. 1). The thermodynamic requirement is straightforward: the radicalionic pathway must be less exergonic than its neutral counterpart. When this requirement is satisfied, the upconverted

radical-ionic intermediate can propagate an electrocatalytic chain reaction, allowing a single electron event to drive multiple transformations. Since not all systems display this behavior, an important challenge is identifying how electron or hole upconversion can be activated. Here, we investigate electrocyclic reactions of diarylethene derivatives. (continued on next page)

Advantages of RedoxBased Switching Redox-based switching offers a powerful alternative to light-dependent mechanisms.

This strategy has two major benefits. First, electron transfer (ET) reactions, whether oxidative or reductive, often proceed with lower activation barriers than neutral reactions,1-3 enabling faster switching.

Second, redox systems can exploit redox upconversion to drive electron catalysis,4,5 substantially amplifying efficiency.

Fig. 1. Left: Electron and hole upconversion increase the reducing or oxidizing potential (E). Right: In a redox, upconversion allows the radical ionic product intermediate to transfer or to accept electrons, propagating a chain reaction.

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Chabuka

(continued from previous page)

Results Dithienylethene (DTE) derivatives, which reversibly switch between open and closed isomers under UV and visible light, offer stability and predictability as molecular photoswitches.9-11 These properties make them ideal for probing redox upconversion, where radical-ionic pathways support electron- and hole-mediated catalysis to boost reaction efficiency.

Structural Modifications

Reversible systems always naturally satisfy energy requirements in one direction.

Our results show that upconversion occurs only during cycloreversion, where the neutral process is exergonic. Although unsubstituted systems (R = H) are not reversible, they provide a useful baseline.

Interestingly, cyano substitution (R = CN) exhibited bifunctional behavior, enabling both electron and hole upconversion under favorable conditions (Fig. 2A).

Bridge Functionalization

In systems 1a → 1b and 2a → 2b, redox upconversion was maintained regardless of substituent R. Replacing hydrogen at the cyclopentenyl bridge with fluorine increased the exergonicity of the neutral and radical anion reactions, while in radical cations this effect appeared only with methoxy substitution (–OCH₃). Because redox upconversion trends were consistent, all subsequent analyses contain a fluorinated bridge.

Adding or Fusing Aromatic Groups

Adding aromatic groups to thiophene (3a → 3b) and thiazole units (4a → 4b) preserved the reactivity pattern but altered upconverted energy. For example, in electron upconversion, when R= CN, energy increased to 5.2 kcal/mol, but dropped to 3.2 kcal/mol for thiazole systems, whereas in hole upconversion the energy consistently decreased. Fused aromatic groups also displayed redox upconversion, but this effect was switched off by a methoxy group (5a → 5b).

While kinetic factors influence whether oxidative or reductive pathways dominate, they do not alter the fundamental thermodynamic rules governing redox upconversion (Fig. 2B).

Conclusion Redox upconversion provides a powerful strategy for amplifying switching events in photochromic compounds, enabling electrons or holes to trigger single-electron transfer (SET) catalysis.

Fig. 2. A. Functionalizing the dithienylethenes (DTE) core can activate and enhance the magnitude of redox upconversion energy by tuning redox potentials. Redox upconversion is active when the neutral ∆G (black line) is more exergonic than both the radical anion ∆G (red line) and radical cation ∆G (blue line). B. Selecting between oxidative and reductive conditions defines the optimal regime to benefit from redox upconversion, since each approach exhibits distinct kinetic profiles.

Acknowledgements

About the Author

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) (CHE2102579). B.K.C. is grateful to her advisor, Professor Igor V. Alabugin, and for support from the ACM SIGHPC Computational and Data Fellowship and the Electrochemical Society (ECS) H. H. Uhlig Fellowship. The computation used the Indiana Jetstream2 at Indiana University through allocation CHE240023 from the ACCESS program, further supported by NSF grants #2138259, #2138286, #2138307, #2137603, and #2138296. © The Electrochemical Society.

DOI:10.1149/2.F09254IF

Beauty K. Chabuka is a graduate student in Professor Igor V. Alabugin’s research group in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Florida State University (FSU).

She completed an AAS in Secondary Education & Business Administration at the College of Southern Idaho in 2013, followed by a BS and MS in Chemistry at Idaho State University (2019). She worked as Clinical Assistant Professor at Idaho State University from 2019 to 2021. Beauty has received FSU Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry Graduate Student Travel

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The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

Awards (2024 and 2025); an NSF ACCESS award (2024); an Inter-American Photochemical Society (I-APS) Winter Conference Graduate Student Best Poster Award (2023); an ACS-Florida Annual Meeting and Exposition (FAME) Student Travel Grant (2023); and an Association for Computing Machinery’s Special Interest Group on High Performance Computing Computer and Data Science Fellowship (2023). She is the author of nine articles with an h-index of 3.

References 1. A. Studer, and D. P. Curran, Nat Chem, 6(9), 765 (2014).

2. N. J. Saettel, and J. Oxgaard, O. Wiest, Eur J Org Chem, 2001(8), 1429 (2001).

3. O. R. Luca, J. L. Gustafson, S. M. Maddox, A. Fenwick et al., Org Chem Front, 2(7), 823 (2015).

4. I. V. Alabugin, P. Eckhardt, K. M. Christopher, and T. Opatz, J Am Chem Soc, 146(40), 27233 (2024).

5. V. A. Balycheva, B. K. Chabuka, L. R. Kuhn, P. G. Shangin et al., J Phys Chem, 128(11), 4581 (2024).

6. M. A. Syroeshkin, F. Kuriakose, E. A. Saverina, V. A. Timofeeva et al., Angew Chem Int Ed Engl, 58(17), 5532 (2019).

7. V. A. Balycheva, A. Ya. Akyeva, E. A. Saverina, P. G. Shangin, et al., Russ Chem Bull, 71(8), 1614 (2022).

8. B. K. Chabuka, and I. V. Alabugin, J Am Chem Soc, 145(35), 19354 (2023).

9. Y. Moriyama, K. Matsuda, N. Tanifuji, S. Irie et al., Org Lett, 7(15), 3315 (2005).

10. M. Irie, T. Fukaminato, K. Matsuda, and S. Kobatake, Chem Rev, 114(24), 12174 (2014).

11. S. Nakamura, S. Yokojima, K. Uchida, T. Tsujioka, et al., J Photochem Photobiol Chem, 200(1), 10 (2008).

ECS EDUCATION

WEBINAR SERIES SHOWCASING DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS AND ECS COMMUNITY MEMBERS

Co-sponsored by ECS and partners at PhysicsWorld.com

Upcoming and past webinars are at

ELECTROCHEM.ORG/WEBINARS

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Too Smart for Our Own Good: AI in the Crosshairs?

by Krishnan Rajeshwar

The Germans coined the word: Gedankenexperiment or a thought experiment to visualize a hypothetical scenario with imagination and reasoning and to arrive at a conclusion without performing an actual (physical) experiment in a “laboratory.”

52 52 The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 The• Electrochemical www.electrochem.org Socie

These thought experiments by very clever people arguably were the genesis of many or all of the concepts we routinely use in our technical world, namely: Schrödinger’s cat, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, wave-particle duality, the list goes on and on.

Given the chatter and current debate on the pros and cons of artificial intelligence (or AI), I figured why not try my hand and do a thought experiment on it as well. After all, how many times had I drawn a “virtual assistant” on the customer service phone line and wished that I could chat with a live person instead?

Here’s how that thought experiment went.

I woke up early in the morning and glanced at my bedside clock. It was flashing: 12.00. We were “off the grid” in a remote locale in Texas and there was nothing miles around but the Sun, Moon, stars, and wind. Clearly, the fuel cell unit had gone on the blink in the night for some unknown reason. (I should have sensed that somehow, but the weather was temperate enough that night for the A/C not to have kicked in anyway.) There was no way I was going to diagnose the house power supply issue yet. Instead, I groggily made my way into the kitchen literally stumbling into objects since it was still rather dark. Fortunately, I could locate a flashlight and my cell phone. The latter was of no use since it had not charged up during the night. All the electrical appliances in the kitchen were off, and we had no natural gas. Why didn’t I have the foresight to keep a portable stove as back up? I now realized to my dismay that I could not even make myself a cup of hot coffee. So, I hoofed it back upstairs, took a most uncomfortably cold shower, changed, and got myself ready to tackle what was ahead of me that fateful day. I opened the kitchen door to the garage and realized I had to manually lift the garage door. That’s when and how the nightmare slowly unfolded…

There was a slight problem with my transportation options. My electric car had been hooked up to the wall outlet and had not been charged at all during the night.

I could not even call an Uber ride; I needed some cash urgently (for buying breakfast, coffee, and such at a fastfood outlet I usually shun!) and so I walked to the bank— an hour’s walk from my house. I had manually closed the garage door with the uneasy thought of leaving it unlocked while I was gone.

The day had hardly begun but I was already flustered and tired. Long story short, bad news at my destination as well…that neighborhood bank was completely devoid of human employees and had long ago gone “robotic.” The ATM there beckoned me like a beacon but astonishingly, my card drew a complete blank. What had happened to my bank account? Did the computer wipe me out of existence? There indeed was an 800 number on the card but how could I make a phone call? I certainly did not see a phone booth! Who could I consult for help?

I had a ton of stuff to take care of at work but no coffee, no breakfast, no transportation, no communication devices. My thoughts inevitably turned back the clock some decades before all the automation and our dependence on technology became more and more insidious. Would the above nightmare scenario have happened in a “non-digital world” back in the good old Woodstock days?

Finally, I jolt myself back to the real world and realize that I was in a reverie after all…whew. My cell phone feels comfortingly snug in my hand and fully charged. I am connected again to the world around me. Life is good; I am all in on AI and its enabling devices, even artificial human voices…RF radiation from cell phones and their carcinogenic potential be damned!

Stay tuned. © The Electrochemical Society. DOI: 10.1149/2.F10254IF

About the Author Krishnan Rajeshwar, Distinguished University Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA).

Education: PhD in solid state chemistry (Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore).

Research Interests: Span a broad spectrum in solid state chemistry, materials chemistry, and energy R&D. Work Experience: After a postdoctoral stint at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, joined the faculty of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UTA.

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org www.electrochem.org

Pubs + Patents: >400 papers in peer-reviewed journals, two monographs, and many chapters. This body of work has been cited ~22,000 times for an h-index of 70.

Honors and Awards: Include the ETD Research Award, Electrodeposition Division Award, Named to Stanford University’s World’s Top 2% Scientists list, ranked #95 in the energy category.

Work with ECS: Editor-in-Chief, ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology, Past president of The Electrochemical Society, Past editor of The Electrochemical Society Interface, ECS Fellow. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4917-7790

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TECH HIGHLIGHTS Impact of Trace Impurities in the Electrolyte on the Electrochemistry of Positive Electrodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries The rising costs of battery materials and geopolitical concerns related to supply chains for critical raw materials have led to increased interest in the recycling of battery materials.

One of the main challenges associated with the use of recovered cathode materials is the leaching of transition metals from the cathode to the electrolyte, which can compromise the electrochemical performance of Li-ion batteries over time. To investigate this issue in more detail, researchers from Technische Universität Braunschweig and the Paul Scherrer Institute examined the influence of trace impurities, namely transition metal ions (Ni²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Co²⁺) together with associated anions, on the electrochemical performance of Ni-rich cathodes (NMC811 and NCA) in Li-ion batteries. A correlation of results from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and indepth electrochemical testing determined that nickel impurities have the most detrimental impact on capacity retention and electrode stability, followed by manganese and cobalt, with specific effects varying by anion type.

This study demonstrates that even trace levels of transition metal impurities can significantly impair the cycling stability and capacity retention of Ni-rich cathodes, underscoring the need for stringent impurity control during recycling.

From: K. Banov, M. Khodeir, D. Baster, et al., J Electrochem Soc, 172, 080515 (2025).

Ab Initio Insights to Metal Passivation: Diffusion and Defect Formation in Amorphous Zirconia and Alumina Metal passivation, which is central to corrosion resistance, is traditionally described by the Point Defect Model (PDM), yet its parameters are often fit to experiments, limiting predictive power. This study addresses that gap by applying density functional theory and ab initio molecular dynamics to directly calculate defect formation energies and ionic diffusivities in amorphous alumina and zirconia—materials that commonly form protective oxide films. The authors generated amorphous structures via melt-quench simulations, and probed multiple defect types to capture the variability of local environments. Results reveal that amorphous zirconia more readily accommodates oxygen vacancies than do crystalline phases, which is consistent with experimentally observed oxygen deficiency in passive layers. In alumina, both aluminum and oxygen vacancies were energetically favorable, while interstitials played a secondary role. Diffusion analysis showed that oxygen-deficient zirconia exhibits markedly higher ionic mobility compared to stoichiometric films, with undercoordinated sites enhancing transport. Importantly, calculated self-diffusion coefficients correlated with experimental oxide film 54

thicknesses, confirming diffusivity as a key descriptor of passivation kinetics. The work advances a first-principles framework that bridges atomistic defect behavior with mesoscale film growth, providing a predictive pathway for understanding and engineering passivation in technologically relevant metals.

From: M. Farnell, J. Cheng, J. Shen, and K. Persson, J Electrochem Soc, 172, 071502 (2025).

Leveraging Flow-Assisted Electrochemistry to Decarbonize Calcium Hydroxide Production in Cement Manufacturing There is a need to explore alternative cement manufacturing methods because the cement industry contributes approximately 8% of global carbon emissions. The calcination of limestone (CaCO3) produces CO2 and is typically achieved at high temperature, generated by fossil fuel combustion. A team comprising researchers from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and Aepnus Technology have reported an alternative process, using electrochemical methods to produce Ca(OH)2 from CaCO3 at room temperature. In a three-channel flow electrolyzer, the cathode generates OH- via the hydrogen evolution reaction in basic media. This OH- crosses into a middle channel across an anion exchange membrane (AEM), where it combines with Ca2+ to form solid Ca(OH)2. The Ca2+ comes from the anode through a cation exchange membrane, via the anodic dissolution of CaCO3 in acidic media. The authors report the bench-scale system achieved ~40% faradaic efficiency at 50 mA/cm2. In this report they studied the membranes and properties of the Ca(OH)2.

AEMs are unstable in the harsh electrolyte, and the study found that a reinforced AEM improved results. The authors emphasize that this system was unoptimized and outline several opportunities for performance gains through further work.

From: S. Chaurasia, S.R. Aravamuthan, D. Luo, et al., J Electrochem Soc, 172, 073506 (2025).

A Nylon 6 Film for Humidity Sensing Based on Moisture Power Generation Unlike the well-known hydropower that generates electricity from flowing water, a newly emerging technology (Zhang et al.

Nature Nanotech, 13, 1109–1119 (2018)) termed hydrovoltaic power harvests energy from static water, including ambient water vapor. Aside from power generation, an interesting application of the technology is self-powered humidity sensing, as exemplified in a recent report by researchers from Jilin University and Shenyang Rise Surface Technologies Co., Ltd., both of China.

The authors built a simple device by first dipcoating the easily available porous nylon 6 film with an aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol and LiCl. They then sandwiched the

film between two asymmetric aluminum sheet electrodes—only one of which was porous.

Upon exposure to moisture, water started being absorbed from the porous electrode side and an ion concentration gradient formed between the two electrodes. The device was able to respond to relative humidity from 20% to 90%, with a maximum open circuit potential of 0.32 V for a few hours. The authors demonstrate applications such as a human breath monitor in a face mask and a finger sweat monitor as an anti-theft device.

From: Y. Wang, X. Zhu, and M. Liu, J Electrochem Soc, 172, 077521 (2025).

Ag/MWCNTs-PVA Composite/n-Si/Ag Exhibits a Novel Combination of High Electrical Conductance and Tunable Capacitance in Magnitude and Sign Continued miniaturization of electronic components has created a need for the development of nanoscale devices, which drives the creation and utilization of nanoscale materials. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) possess excellent electrical, mechanical, and chemical properties. Composites of MWCNTs with polymeric materials enable the creation of flexible electronic devices. A. Ashery from Egypt’s National Research Center has created a composite that has unique characteristics of high electrical conductance and tunable capacitance. He synthesized MWCNTs through PVD and fabricated the composite films using spin coating. Structural analysis using FTIR confirmed MWCNTs-PVA interactions. The author found that the Ag/ MWCNTs-PVA Composite/n-Si/Ag showed an exceptional electrical conductance of 3.5x109 S. The electrical measurements also included capacitance measurements as a function of temperature and frequency.

Through these measurements and further analysis, the author demonstrated dynamic capacitance control and efficient diode performance with this composite, making it suitable for flexible electronics, sensors, and high frequency devices. The author concludes by identifying next steps focused on optimizing filler concentration and scaling the fabrication for industrial applications.

From: A. Ashery, ECS J Solid State Sci Technol, 14, 071001 (2025).

Tech Highlights was prepared by Joshua Gallaway of Northeastern University, David McNulty of University of Limerick, Chao (Gilbert) Liu of Shell, Zenghe Liu of Abbott Diabetes Care, Chock Karuppaiah of Vetri Labs and Ohmium International, and Donald Pile of EnPower, Inc. Each article highlighted here is available free online. Go to the online version of Tech Highlights in each issue of ECS Interface and click on the article summary to take you to the full-text version of the article.

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

Big Advances at the Nano Scale in the Nanocarbons Division

by Jeffrey L. Blackburn and Daniel A. Heller 40 Years of Nanocarbons and Beyond

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orty years ago, the field of nanocarbons was introduced to the world with the discovery of the first fullerene, the buckminsterfullerene (nicknamed the buckyball), a “zero-dimensional (0D)” sphere made entirely of carbon.1 That finding in 1985, by Richard Smalley, Harry Kroto, Robert Curl, and colleagues, was recognized with a Nobel Prize 11 years later, and by then it was becoming clear how many different nanoscale materials and applications could be envisioned, although the realization of many of those applications were far off.

Discoveries of 1D carbon nanotubes in the early 1990s2 and the isolation of 2D single-layer graphene in the early 2000’s3 revealed additional outstanding physical properties across all dimensionalities of pi-conjugated carbon materials, although it has still taken decades of research to observe them at scale and to translate them to industrial use. Following on the successes of graphene, an atomically thin semi-metal, researchers quickly learned that thinning other layered materials down to the atomic scale unlocked optical and electronic properties that differed from bulk properties. These advances were first applied to 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) such as MoS2,4,5 semiconducting materials that had been studied in their bulk forms for over 50 years but had not been isolated as monolayers.

The resulting monolayer TMDCs provided a new class of atomically thin semiconductors with fascinating properties such as high carrier mobilities, strong optical transitions, and unique spin degrees of freedom, all of which have been studied heavily at both a fundamental level and for potential technological innovations.

The development of novel nanomaterials of all dimensionalities continues to this day, and work in recent years has also focused on the fabrication of mixed dimensionality heterostructures with emergent properties and the integration of nanomaterials and their heterostructures into wide-ranging devices and applications. The Nanocarbons (or NANO) Division of The Electrochemical Society (ECS) has been a part of this scientific revolution all along the way.

The division began in the early 1990s, with the first symposium on porphyrins and fullerene science, organized by Karl Kadish, the founding chair of the division. The Fullerenes Group was founded in 1993 and grew into the full ECS division at the turn of the century with the name “Fullerenes, Nanotubes, and Carbon Nanostructures” that was subsequently shortened to the Nanocarbons Division. Despite having “Carbon” in the name, the division isn’t exclusive to carbon.

The division embraces and showcases research that runs the gamut of low-dimensional nanomaterials, including relative newcomers such as Mxenes,6 2D ferromagnetic semiconductors7 and low-dimensional metal-halide perovskites.8

Nanocarbons in The Electrochemical Society The Nanocarbons Division assembles a full program of eight to ten symposia for spring ECS meetings and one core overarching symposium for fall meetings. Spring meetings feature eight annual symposia covering focused topic areas with fundamental and technological relevance: “Carbon Nanostructures for Energy Conversion and Storage”; “Carbon Nanostructures in Medicine and Biology”; “Carbon Nanotubes – from Fundamentals to Devices”; “Fullerenes – Endohedral Fullerenes and Molecular Carbon”; “2D

Layered Materials from Fundamental Science to Applications”; “Light Energy Conversion with Metal Halide Perovskites, Semiconductor and Nanostructures, Inorganic/Organic Hybrids, and Dynamic Exciton”; “Porphyrins, Phthalocyanines, and Supramolecular Assemblies”; and “On-Surface Synthesis of Carbon Nanomaterials.”

Two additional symposia serve as dynamic showcases of cuttingedge nanomaterials research, with a changing focus each year. “Nano Global” highlights nanomaterials research from a particular region of the world, with prior meetings featuring “Nano in Germany,” “Nano in Latin America,” and “Nano in India,” amongst others, and the upcoming 2026 Seattle spring meeting featuring “Nano in Korea.” Each of these meetings attracts a plethora of invited and contributing speakers to shine a spotlight on the innovation, community, and unique perspective of a region’s nanoscience and nanotechnology research. “Nano in Industry” brings together world leaders in academia, national labs, and industry to discuss the latest advances in nanomaterials research that have been, or are likely to be, commercialized. This symposium is held on a rotating basis in spring meetings with proximity to industrial and technology hubs in relevant areas such as the biomedical and semiconductor technologies. The spring 2026 ECS meeting in Seattle will host a “Nano for Industry” symposium.

More than three decades after its inception in The Electrochemical Society, engagement in the Nanocarbons Division remains strong.

Division membership is in the range of 180 members, but the spring meetings attract an impressive 400+ abstracts. The meetings cover a huge range of topics in electrochemical and solid state science, including areas such as advanced nanostructured electrodes for batteries and fuel cells, energy-efficient information processing platforms (quantum, neuromorphic, etc.), biomedical sensing, and advanced optical detectors. Division members and newcomers alike comment that the NANO Division’s symposia and events focus squarely on building community and providing a welcoming and inclusive environment to share the most exciting new developments in their research.

The division gives several awards each year to researchers across all career stages. The endowed Robert Haddon and Rick Smalley awards recognize thought leaders who have made substantial and lasting contributions to the field of nanocarbons and low-dimensional materials. The SES Young Investigator award is endowed by SES Research and recognizes an outstanding nanocarbons researcher under the age of 38. Each spring meeting, the division also recognizes six researchers, typically students and post-doctoral researchers, with Best Poster awards. Awardees are recognized at our annual Nano Division Reception, an event that has emerged as a treasured annual gathering of the community and one that is open to anyone in ECS.

The Emerging Nanomaterial-enabled Technologies Issue of ECS Interface: A Spotlight on Current Research from the Nano Division In this issue of ECS Interface, we highlight some exciting success stories for low-dimensional materials in technologically critical fields.

These are areas where emergent properties and processes within quantum-confined low-dimensional materials (and heterostructures) enable novel applications beyond what can be achieved in bulk materials. (continued on next page)

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(continued from previous page)

The article by YuHuang Wang (University of Maryland) focuses on the chemical functionalization of semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) to engender the nanotubes with tailored quantum defects. These defects facilitate bright emission of photons in the near-infrared (NIR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. This highly desirable spectral region is technologically relevant for two important applications: (1) high-speed and longrange communication through optical fibers, with the most important transmission windows (the so-called telecom windows) ranging from about 1300 to 1600 nm, and (2) fluorescent biological labeling in the so-called NIR II (1000–1700 nm) region of the spectrum that offers enhanced imaging depth and reduced background. These defectmodified SWCNTs offer additional advantages for the field of quantum information processing, since they can emit indistinguishable single photons—requisite properties for emerging quantum platforms.

An ultimate goal of such platforms is to realize the on-demand generation of photons that exhibit quantum entanglement9—a concept that Albert Einstein once characterized as “spooky action at a distance.”10 Dr. Wang’s article provides a compelling snapshot of the exciting (and ongoing) progress that has been made toward chemical control over the quantum emission properties of defect-modified SWCNTs. Such systems represent a vast collaborative playground for chemists, materials scientists, and physicists with important applications envisioned for quantum communication, cryptography, and computing.11 The article by Shreyash Hadke, Vinod Sangwan, and Mark Hersam (Northwestern University) highlights the tremendous progress made in the past decade toward utilizing low-dimensional materials for energy-efficient computing. Detailed analyses, that are now nearly 10 years old, find that nearly 10% of our energy consumption is used for information/communication technologies and predict that this percentage may double (or more) by 2030.12, 13 With the recent explosion of artificial intelligence platforms that require huge amounts of energy to train, such predictions may even woefully underestimate how much energy use (not to mention water use, e.g., for cooling at data centers14) processing and transmitting data will represent in our increasingly information-hungry society.

Conventional computing platforms do not have sufficient energy efficiency or performance to meet this demand indefinitely. As covered in the article by Hersam et al., 1D and 2D nanomaterials such as SWCNTs and monolayer TMDCs possess a myriad of attractive properties for enabling the next generation of computing platforms with improved energy efficiency, density, and speed relative to current technologies. A particularly promising avenue for 1D- and 2D-enabled devices is edge computing, where computing processes are moved from remote (i.e., cloud-based) locations to being colocated with the systems being interpreted, monitored, and controlled.

Edge computing is seen as a necessary enabler for applications such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and autonomous vehicles and systems, where vast amounts of incoming data (in various forms) must be processed in real time in a wide variety of locations and environments. The article describes the substantial advances being made in SWCNT- and TMDC-based devices in both traditional and brain-inspired (neuromorphic)15 computing platforms that can move information processing from the cloud to the edge.

Finally, two articles shine a spotlight on the growing realization of the nanocarbons legacy within the biomedical fields. The electronic and optical properties of carbon nanotubes have enabled exquisite sensitivity to binding events near their surface, which have been harnessed, over time, via improving chemical methods, instrumentation, and computation, to enable detection and elucidation of bioanalytes, biological processes, and diseases. SWCNTs, with their high surface-area-to-volume ratio and tunable surface chemistry, are uniquely suited to detect molecular events at the nanoscale. Their electronic conductivity can be modulated by even the slightest perturbations in their local chemical environment— such as the binding of a protein, a nucleic acid, or a small molecule.

This property makes them exceptional candidates for label-free 56

biosensing, where a biological recognition event directly produces a measurable electrical or optical signal without the need for additional reagents or amplification steps.

Moreover, SWCNTs are finding utility in the field of optical biosensing through their intrinsic NIR fluorescence, which is exceptionally photostable and well-suited for imaging in biological tissues. These fluorescent SWCNTs, when functionalized appropriately, can act as nanoscale reporters of molecular interactions, enabling real-time imaging of cellular environments and disease progression in vivo. The ability to multiplex these sensors— monitoring multiple analytes simultaneously with high spatial and temporal resolution—is particularly appealing for studying dynamic biological systems, such as immune responses or metabolic changes.

The integration of SWCNTs into flexible and miniaturized platforms has propelled the development of wearable and implantable biosensors. Researchers are now demonstrating SWCNT-enabled devices that can continuously monitor glucose, lactate, or cortisol levels in real time, offering tremendous promise for personalized medicine. Additionally, implantable SWCNT biosensors are being explored for monitoring neural activity, cancer biomarkers, and localized drug release, opening doors to both diagnostic and therapeutic innovation.

In this issue, Yahya Rabbani and Ardemis Boghossian discuss how the properties of SWCNTs can be modulated for biosensing applications. SWCNTs can be functionalized with polymers, peptides, DNA, and even engineered proteins, to modulate their optoelectronic properties and to recognize specific targets with high selectivity.

Nicole Iverson and Omer Sadak write about how SWCNTs have resulted in biosensors capable of detecting diverse analytes such as neurotransmitters, proteins, and reactive oxygen species in living systems for research and diagnostic purposes in biomedicine.

Importantly, SWCNT-based biosensors can operate in complex media—such as blood, saliva, or cellular lysates—without significant interference, thanks to their stable structures and intrinsic nearinfrared emission.

Looking forward, approaches integrating SWCNT-based biosensors with artificial intelligence are already starting to bear fruit. “Perception-based” sensors, using arrays of SWCNTs and machine learning algorithms, have shown promise in cancer diagnosis via a blood test. Integration with microfluidic systems, wireless communication modules, and biocompatible packaging that will further accelerate the translation of SWCNT biosensors holds great promise. As these sensors generate vast and complex datasets, data-driven models can enhance signal processing, enable pattern recognition, and refine diagnostics from research labs to clinical and environmental settings. © The Electrochemical Society. DOI:10.1149/2.F12254IF

About the Authors Photo: Werner Slocum, NREL

Blackburn and Heller

Jeffrey L. Blackburn, Senior Scientist and Group Manager, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Education: BS in Chemistry (Wake Forest University) and PhD in Chemistry with Dr. Arthur Nozik (University of Colorado Boulder and National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NREL). Postdoctoral research with Dr. Michael Heben at NREL, focusing on the applications of low-dimensional carbon in hydrogen storage

and photovoltaics Research Interests: He studies emergent properties and dynamic processes in low-dimensional materials for energy conversion and storage, with a focus on the transfer, transport, and transduction of charges, excitons, and spins. His research interests include solar photoconversion, energy-efficient information processing, thermoelectric energy conversion, and (photo)catalytic processes.

Pubs + Patents: >180 publications, 9 US patents Honors & Awards: Fellow of The Electrochemical Society, NREL Distinguished Member of Research Staff

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

Work with ECS: Member since 2008, active in the governance of the ECS Nanocarbons Division since 2014. He currently serves as division chair.

Website: https://research-hub.nrel.gov/en/persons/jeffrey-blackburn https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9237-5891 Daniel A. Heller, Head, Cancer Nanomedicine Laboratory and CoDirector of the Pat and Ian Cook Doctoral Program in Cancer Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Professor, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University Education: BA in History (Rice University); PhD in chemistry with Michael Strano (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign); Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship in the biomedical engineering laboratory of Robert Langer at the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research Interests: Dr. Heller’s work focuses on the development of nanoscale technologies for the treatment, diagnosis, and research of cancer.

Pubs + Patents: >100 peer-reviewed publications and >20 granted or pending patents Honors & Awards: National Institutes of Health Director’s New Innovator Award (2021), 2018 American Cancer Society Research Scholar, 2018 NSF CAREER Award, 2021 American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) Fellow Work with ECS: Member of the Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Subcommittee (ISTS), co-organizer and former lead organizer of the Carbon Nanostructures in Medicine and Biology Symposium, Member at Large and Steering Committee member of the Nanocarbons Division. He has been an ECS member since 2014.

Website: https://www.mskcc.org/research/ski/labs/daniel-heller https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6866-0000

References 1. H. W. Kroto, J. R. Heath, S. C. O’Brien, R. E. Curl, et al., Nature, 318, 162 (1985).

2. S. Iijima, Nature, 354, 56 (1991).

3. K. S. Novoselov, A. K. Geim, S. V. Morozov, D. Jiang, et al., Science, 306, 666 (2024).

4. K. F. Mak, C. Lee, J. Hone, J. Shan, et al., Phys Rev Lett, 105, 136805 (2010).

5. A. Splendiani, L. Sun, Y. Zhang, T. Li, et al., Nano Lett, 10, 1271 (2010).

6. A. VahidMohammadi, J. Rosen, and Y. Gogotsi, Science, 372, eabf1581 (2021).

7. M. E. Ziebel, M. L. Feuer, J. Cox, X. Zhu, et al., Nano Lett, 24, 4319 (2024).

8. G. Long, R. Sabatini, M. I. Saidaminov, G. Lakhwani, A. Rasmita, et al., Nat Rev Mater, 5, 423 (2020).

9. J. Wang, S. Paesani, Y. Ding, R. Santagati, et al., Science, 360, 285 (2018).

10. A. Einstein, M. Born, and H. Born, H. The Born-Einstein Letters: Correspondence Between Albert Einstein and Max and Hedwig Born from 1916 to 1955, with Commentaries by Max Born, Macmillan (1971).

11. E. Pelucchi, G. Fagas, I. Aharonovich, D. Englund, et al., Nat Rev Phys, 4, 194 (2022).

12. N. Jones, Nature, 561, 163 (2018).

13. A. S. G. Andrae and T. Edler, Challenges, 6, 117 (2015).

14. D. Mytton, npj Clean Water, 4, 11 (2021).

15. A. Mehonic and A. J. Kenyon, Nature, 604, 255 (2022).

Personal & Professional Growth Webinars for online education Workshops for targeting your career growth Honors & Awards for recognizing the amazing Career Center for job seekers & employers

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ECS TOYOTA YOUNG INVESTIGATOR FELLOWSHIP

(continued from previous page)

Submissions now accepted from Europe as well as Canada, Mexico, and US

Are you an emerging professional pursuing research in batteries, fuel cells, hydrogen, CO2 capture, or other future sustainability technologies?

Submit your application to join an award class that has received more than $1.65 million in funding since 2015!

To learn more and apply, visit

www.electrochem.org/toyota-fellowship Application deadline: April 30, 2026 58

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

Low-Dimensional Nanoelectronic Materials for Energy-Efficient Edge Computing

by Shreyash S. Hadke, Vinod K. Sangwan, and Mark C. Hersam

D

ata-intensive applications such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) highlight the need for new computing hardware that performs computation closer to data sources.1, 2 Current cloud-based approaches are hindered by bandwidth and latency limitations, which are exacerbated when learning and adaptation are required in continuously changing environments.2 Edge computing refers to the relocation of computational tasks, such as data filtering and classification, from the cloud to distributed data collection nodes in applications such as robotics, autonomous driving, augmented reality, industrial automation, and healthcare monitoring. Recent experimental demonstrations highlight the benefits of edge computing.

For example, relocating face recognition workloads from the cloud to edge nodes reduced latency from 900 ms to 169 ms, while cloudletbased systems improved wearable cognitive assistance response times by 200 ms.3 In addition to improved network performance, local data processing improves data privacy and security.4, 5 In this manner, edge computing is central to next-generation real-time IoT and AI systems.6 Hardware for edge computing must operate within the resource constraints of distributed nodes, necessitating a small footprint and low power consumption.7 Since traditional von Neumann computing architectures consume excessive energy for data movement from memory to the microprocessor, edge computing requires alternative approaches that enable in-memory computing.8-10 Importantly, in-memory approaches still need to be supported by peripheral digital circuits based on low-power field-effect transistors (FETs). Toward these ends, emerging low-dimensional materials offer solutions for both in-memory computing and low-power logic, thus providing comprehensive solutions for energy-efficient dataintensive applications.

Low-Dimensional Nanomaterials for Energy-Efficient Edge Computing Conventional bulk semiconductors face scaling limitations due to short-channel effects and interface scattering.11 The International

Roadmap for Devices and Systems (IRDS) forecasts that the scaling of Si metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) will stop at a gate length of 12 nm and supply voltage of 0.6 V. Consequently, new material classes are of high interest to address the inherent limitations of bulk semiconductors. In this regard, lowdimensional nanomaterials offer a promising pathway to sustain device miniaturization and energy efficiency. In particular, one-dimensional (1D) semiconducting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors (e.g., monolayer MoS2) provide atomically thin semiconducting channels with superlative electrostatic control.11, 12 For example, CNT FETs have demonstrated ballistic transport and lower power consumption than silicon MOSFETs, with system-level demonstrations showing > 1 trillion operations per second per Watt (TOPS/W) even at the 180 nm node.13, 14 Recently, IRDS projected 3D integration as a promising path for increased transistor density.12 The dangling-bond-free surfaces of 1D CNTs and 2D materials relax the requirements for epitaxial matching, making these materials ideal for van der Waals (vdW) heterojunctions and vertical integration.12, 14 Vertically stacked 2D transistors and memristors have already reduced latency and footprint for AI inference tasks.15 Furthermore, these low-dimensional nanomaterials show biorealistic functionalities for emerging neuromorphic paradigms.16, 17 For instance, percolating networks of 1D nanowires possess the temporal dynamics to realize reservoir computing, 2D insulators enable memristive behavior at the atomic scale, and vdW moiré systems show adaptive synaptic plasticity.18-20 Here, we highlight 1D and 2D nanomaterials for low-power digital and brain-inspired computing (Fig. 1a-f). Aligned 1D semiconducting CNT transistors rely on exceptional charge transport for low-power digital circuits (Fig. 1a), while recent wafer-scale growth has enabled high-performance 2D transistors (Fig. 1c).

We also discuss 1D-2D mixed-dimensional vdW heterojunctions, where weak screening enables exceptional electrostatic tunability for vertical transistors and Gaussian heterojunction transistors (Fig. 1e). Beyond digital electronics, additional gains in energy efficiency (continued on next page)

Fig. 1. (a, b) Schematics of aligned arrays of 1D carbon nanotubes (CNT) used in transistors and a random network of 1D nanowires used in reservoir computing, respectively. (c, d) Schematics of an atomically thin 2D monolayer channel and a 2D moiré superlattice, respectively. (e, f) Schematics of a mixeddimensional 1D-2D van der Waals (vdW) heterojunction and a crossbar array using aligned 1D electrode lines and 2D channels, respectively.

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Hadke et al.

(continued from previous page)

can be achieved by harnessing neuromorphic (i.e., brain-inspired) computing principles. For example, the propensity of 1D nanowires to form random networks with memristive intersections is leveraged to realize reservoir computing (Fig. 1b).18 In addition, vdW moiré systems obtained by stacking twisted 2D materials result in unique ratcheting effects and biorealistic input-adaptive responses (Fig. 1d).20 Finally, we propose a new research direction to scale crossbar arrays of analog memory by integrating 1D and 2D nanomaterials (Fig. 1f).

Overall, we make the case that aggressive device scaling coupled with algorithmic scaling (i.e., reduced number of computation steps) enabled by low-dimensional nanomaterials can accelerate the realization of ultra-low-power systems for edge AI.

Aligned 1D Semiconducting Carbon Nanotube Transistors Among post-silicon candidates, CNT FETs have emerged as one of the most promising platforms for energy-efficient digital circuits.21 A key enabler is the recent progress in CNT purification and waferscale alignment (Fig. 2a),22, 23 leading to semiconducting arrays with 100–200 tubes/μm with semiconducting purities exceeding 99.9999%.24, 25 These CNT FETs exhibit high performance even at sub-10-nm gate lengths, with on/off ratios ≈ 105 and on-currents > 2 mA/μm, realizing sub-3-V operation at a clock frequency > 1 GHz.25, 26 Complementary CNT FETs have also been achieved with balanced n-type and p-type characteristics (Fig. 2a), resulting in CMOS integration with an energy-delay product that outperforms silicon.22, 26 These demonstrations at the device level have also been translated into integrated computing systems. Two specific examples include a CNT-based computer and a 16-bit RISC-V microprocessor with > 14,000 transistors, and domain-specific accelerators such as a CNT-based tensor processing unit based on 3,000 transistors.14, 27 Specifically, in the context of edge-computing applications, the CNT-based tensor processing unit performed convolutional neural network inference at 88% accuracy while consuming only 295 μW, with system-level simulations projecting > 1 TOPS/W even at the 180 nm node. Beyond digital logic, aligned CNT transistors have also been used for radio-frequency operation exceeding 90 GHz for wireless edge communication.28 In addition, recent demonstrations of current supersaturation via negative differential resistance (NDR) and ultrahigh intrinsic gain highlight the continuing evolution of novel CNT-based device concepts.29 Together, the combination of molecular-scale channel dimensions and exceptional charge carrier transport characteristics makes CNT FETs a leading candidate for edge computing.

2D Semiconductor Transistors Two-dimensional semiconductors, such as monolayer MoS2, WSe2, and InSe, have emerged as promising candidates for postsilicon nanoelectronics due to their atomic-scale thickness, which provides superlative electrostatic control, suppresses short-channel effects, and minimizes carrier scattering from dangling-bond-free surfaces.11 For example, MoS2 transistors can efficiently switch with 1-nm-wide CNT gate electrodes.30 Moreover, 2D InSe FETs have shown near-ballistic transport with record transconductance values (≈ 6 mS/μm), intrinsic delays of ≈ 0.3 ps, and energy-delay products that are an order of magnitude lower than predicted silicon limits.31 While initial demonstrations of 2D transistors used micromechanically exfoliated flakes, wafer-scale growth has recently emerged.32 As shown in Fig. 2b, material quality and uniformity have reached the level where integrated circuits can be produced and evaluated. For instance, a 32-bit RISC-V microprocessor (RV32-WUJI) has been demonstrated using 5,900 MoS2 transistors, and a one-instruction-set computer has been realized using wafer-scale complementary MoS2/ WSe2 logic circuits operating at below picowatt power consumption.32, 33 However, these 2D transistors currently have limited operating frequencies (often at the kilohertz level), thus highlighting the need for further material and integration improvements.32 Finally, 2D materials offer optical bandgap tuning, strong light-matter interactions, and low-temperature heterogeneous integration, making them ideal for monolithic 3D integration of sensors, memory, and logic layers for edge AI.

1D-2D Mixed-Dimensional Transistors The atomically thin nature of 2D materials and the high aspect ratios of 1D materials enable dual-gated 1D-2D mixed-dimensional heterostructures. For example, vertical FETs built from CNT/MoS2/ CNT stacks have demonstrated atomic-level scaling with a vertical channel length of ≈ 0.65 nm from monolayer MoS2, where crosspoint CNT contacts minimize the junction area to the diameter of the CNT.34-36 In addition to scaling, 1D vdW contacts also minimize Fermi-level pinning for ultralow contact resistance. The superlative electrostatic control of low-dimensional materials further facilitates multi-gate designs. In one such implementation, a gate-tunable selfaligned MoS2/CNT vdW heterojunction produced Gaussian transfer characteristics (Fig. 2c) that can generate biorealistic nonlinear voltage responses for spiking neural networks.37, 38 The gate tunability of the resulting transfer characteristics has also been leveraged to obtain tunable Gaussian and sigmoid functions for support vector machine classification with 100-fold fewer devices than silicon CMOS for edge healthcare monitoring, such as personalized arrhythmia detection.37

Fig. 2. (a) Wafer-scale complementary transistors using aligned 1D carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (left). The output characteristics on the right show balanced p-type and n-type charge transport characteristics (right). (b) Transfer curves for wafer-scale 2D transistors (inset: optical image of wafer-scale monolayers) based on n-type monolayer MoS2 (left) and p-type monolayer WSe2 (right). Scale bar = 25 mm. (c) Schematic (top) and transfer characteristics (bottom) of a mixed-dimensional CNT-MoS2 Gaussian heterojunction transistor. (a) adapted with permission from Ref 23 and Ref 27; copyright Springer Nature 2013, 2019, respectively. (b, c) adapted with permission from Ref. 32, 37; copyright Springer Nature 2025, 2023, respectively.

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1D Nanowire Networks for Edge Computing The high aspect ratios of 1D nanomaterials present opportunities for unique percolating networks with emergent electronic properties.

For example, self-organized 1D nanowire networks can serve as a hardware platform for physical computing, relying on the intrinsic dynamics of dense nanowires interconnected through memristive junctions (Fig. 3a).18, 39-41 The random nature of these memristive junctions shows emergent nonlinearities, fading memory, and stochastic switching, which project time-dependent inputs into a high-dimensional state space, where training can be performed at the output layer for classification, regression, and prediction in edge AI (Fig. 3b).18 Experimental demonstrations include physical reservoir computing for speech recognition, waveform classification, and chaotic time-series prediction. Similar to biological systems, these nanowire networks exhibit both short-term and long-term memory, with repeated stimulation consolidating specific conductive pathways, directly linking physical structure to information storage.39, 41 Moreover, the stochastic nature of memristive switching due to junction variability and random telegraph noise can be exploited for probabilistic inference.40 These results show that percolating networks of high-aspect-ratio 1D nanomaterials can achieve neuromorphic primitives for edge AI.

2D Moiré Synaptic Transistors as Neuromorphic Devices Moiré superlattices formed by twisting or stacking 2D materials with controlled lattice mismatch have recently emerged as platforms to study new quantum and correlated phenomena with utility in neuromorphic applications. This functionality arises from the assembly of 2D materials in moiré superlattices designed for neuromorphic function (Fig. 3c). In particular, the periodic potential landscapes of moiré superlattices host arrays of local potential minima (Fig. 3d) that can be harnessed for analog weight storage.20 A breakthrough demonstration based on a bilayer graphene (BLG) and a hexagonal boron nitride (BN) heterostructure realized a roomtemperature moiré synaptic transistor with programming energy down to 20 pW. These dual-gated devices show novel ratcheting effects,

where electrons are asymmetrically injected and extracted from the moiré heterostructure. These devices not only exhibit biorealistic synaptic responses but also mimic the Bienenstock-Cooper-Munro rule of the visual cortex, as demonstrated by input-adaptive learning.20 Furthermore, strained moiré superlattices based on twisted double BLG have shown robust hysteresis under the application of a cyclic vertical displacement field, which can be controlled by adjusting the sweep range, resulting in a second-order synaptic device.42 Both the sign and the magnitude of these synaptic states can be reconfigured, highlighting the tunability afforded by moiré superlattices.42

1D–2D Mixed-Dimensional Crossbar Arrays Vector-matrix multiplication forms the computational backbone of modern AI systems since these operations consume the most time and energy during training and inference of deep neural networks.43, 44 Memristive crossbar arrays based on rapid and multi-state nonvolatile memory have emerged as promising hardware platforms to accelerate matrix multiplication.44 Here, synaptic weights are represented by the conductance states of the memristive devices, and input signals are applied as voltages along word lines.45 The resulting output currents naturally implement matrix multiplications based on Ohm’s and Kirchhoff’s laws. Scaling memristive crossbar arrays beyond current technology can further enhance performance. Here, we propose a design where 1D materials, such as metallic CNTs, can be used as word and bit lines, and vertical 2D memristors can be used as analog memory elements. As shown in Fig. 3e, a selector-free design may be adopted for a crossbar array, where the conductance states can be set by holding the relevant bit and word lines at V/2 and -V/2, respectively, where the value of V can be determined using the current-voltage curve (Fig. 3f).45 In this manner, highly scaled crossbars can leverage aligned 1D CNT assembly and the atomically thin dimensions of 2D materials for further efficiencies in future edge AI designs.

Conclusions The rapid deployment of AI agents in IoT, healthcare, robotics, and consumer electronics, combined with the stalled scaling and limited energy efficiency of silicon CMOS computing architectures, (continued on next page)

Fig. 3. (a) Scanning electron micrograph of a random network of Ag nanowires (left) and a schematic (right) showing a memristive element at the intersection of two nanowires. (b) Schematic of the reservoir computing algorithm implemented in the Ag nanowire network. (c) Schematic showing a moiré synaptic transistor using bilayer graphene (BLG) and hexagonal boron nitride (BN). (d) Schematic showing immobile and free electrons in BLG that produce a ratcheting effect. (e, f) Crossbar schematic and memristive curves from a crosspoint using 1D lines and 2D memristors, respectively. Adapted with permission from (a, b) Ref. 18, (c, d) Ref 20, (e, f) Ref 45; copyright Springer Nature 2022, 2023, 2019, respectively.

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have placed unsustainable demands on electricity and water use in data centers. These problems are exacerbated for edge computing applications that require on-chip learning in evolving environments.43 Recent research in 1D and 2D nanomaterials exemplifies co-design approaches to discover and optimize new materials, devices, circuit architectures, and algorithms. These low-dimensional nanomaterials have shown promise for the realization of high-performance digital electronics and bioinspired approaches for energy-efficient edge AI. This work is fueled by a growing library of low-dimensional nanoelectronic materials, 3D integration, and vdW heterojunctions, resulting in simplified and reconfigurable neuromorphic circuits.

Future progress will require even greater control over the growth and placement of low-dimensional nanomaterials in addition to the development of biorealistic computing primitives that leverage the intrinsic properties of these materials.

Acknowledgements The authors acknowledge support from the National Science Foundation EFRI BRAID Program (Award Number NSF EFMA2317974) and the National Science Foundation Materials Research Science and Engineering Center at Northwestern University (Award Number NSF DMR-2308691). The authors also acknowledge the DOE BIA Microelectronics Program, which is funded by the US Department of Energy Office of Science under contract no. DEAC02-06CH11357. © The Electrochemical Society. DOI:10.1149/2.F13254IF

About the Authors Shreyash S. Hadke, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University Education: PhD in Materials Science and Engineering (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore) Research Interests: Dr. Hadke’s research focuses on materials for nanoelectronics, braininspired computing, and renewable energy

technologies Honors & Awards: Interdisciplinary Research Excellence Award from Nanyang Technological University

Vinod K. Sangwan, Research Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University Education: PhD in physics (University of Maryland, College Park) Research Interests: Dr. Sangwan’s research focuses on nanoelectronics, optoelectronics, neuromorphic computing, and quantum information science.

Honors & Awards: IEEE Chicago Section Distinguished Senior R&D Award (2021); Member of APS, ACS, AVS, MRS, IEEE (senior), SPIE, and AAAS Mark C. Hersam, Walter P. Murphy Professor and Chair of Materials Science and Engineering and Director of the Materials Research Center, Northwestern University Education: PhD in electrical engineering (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Research Interests: Dr. Hersam’s research interests include nanoelectronic materials,

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additive manufacturing, scanning probe microscopy, renewable energy, neuromorphic computing, and quantum information science.

Honors & Awards: Include the MRS Mid-Career Researcher Award, AVS Medard Welch Award, MacArthur Fellowship, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, National Academy of Inventors, and National Academy of Engineering. Fellow of ECS, MRS, ACS, AVS, APS, AAAS, SPIE, and IEEE, and Executive Editor of ACS Nano.

References 1. W. Yu, F. Liang, X. He, W. G. Hatcher, et al., IEEE Access, 6, 6900 (2018).

2. S. Deng, H. Zhao, W. Fang, J. Yin,et al., IEEE Internet of Things J, 7, 7457 (2020).

3. W. Shi, J. Cao, Q. Zhang, Y. Li, et al., IEEE Internet of Things J, 3, 637 (2016).

4. H. Hua, Y. Li, T. Wang, N. Dong, et al., ACM Comput Surv, 55, 1 (2023).

5. O. Krestinskaya, A. P. James, and L. O. Chua, IEEE Trans Neural Networks Learn Syst, 31, 4 (2020).

6. X. Xu, Y. Ding, S. X. Hu, M. Niemier, et al., Nat Electron, 1, 216 (2018).

7. F. Jebali, A. Majumdar, C. Turck, K. E. Harabi, et al., Nat Commun, 15, 741 (2024).

8. C.-X. Xue, Y.-C. Chiu, T.-W. Liu, T.-Y. Huang, et al., Nat Electron, 4, 81 (2020).

9. J.-M. Hung, C.-X. Xue, H.-Y. Kao, Y.-H. Huang, et al., Nat Electron, 4, 921 (2021).

10. W.-H. Chen, C. Dou, K.-X. Li, W.-Y. Lin, et al., Nat Electron, 2, 420 (2019).

11. S. Zeng, C. Liu, and P. Zhou, Nat Rev Electr Eng, 1, 335 (2024).

12. K. S. Kim, J. Kwon, H. Ryu, C. Kim, et al., Nat Nanotechnol, 19, 895 (2024).

13. Z. Zhang, X. Liang, S. Wang, K. Yao, et al., Nano Letters, 7, 3603 (2007).

14. J. Si, P. Zhang, C. Zhao, D. Lin, et al., Nat Electron, 7, 684 (2024).

15. J. H. Kang, H. Shin, K. S. Kim, M. K. Song, et al., Nat Mater, 22, 1470 (2023).

16. V. K. Sangwan, S. E. Liu, A. R. Trivedi, and M. C. Hersam, Matter, 5, 4133 (2022).

17. V. K. Sangwan, and M. C. Hersam, Nat Nanotechnol, 15, 517 (2020).

18. G. Milano, G. Pedretti, K. Montano, S. Ricci, et al., Nat Mater, 21, 195 (2022).

19. R. Ge, X. Wu, M. Kim, J. Shi, et al., Nano Letters, 18, 434 (2018).

20. X. Yan, Z. Zheng, V. K. Sangwan, J. H. Qian, et al., Nature, 624, 551 (2023).

21. A. D. Franklin,M. C. Hersam, and H.-S. P. Wong, Science, 378, 726 (2022).

22. Y. Lin, Y. Cao, S. Ding, P. Zhang, et al., Nat Electron, 6, 506 (2023).

23. M. M. Shulaker, G. Hills, N. Patil, H. Wei, et al., Nature, 501, 526 (2013).

24. C. Liu, Y. Cao, B. Wang, Z. Zhang, et al., ACS Nano, 16, 21482 (2022).

25. L. Liu, J. Han, L. Xu, J. Zhou, J.; et al., Science, 368, 850 (2020).

26. Y. Lin, S. Liang, L. Xu, L. Liu, et al., Adv Funct Mater, 32, 2104539 (2022).

27. G. Hills, C. Lau, A. Wright, S. Fuller, et al., Nature, 572, 595 (2019).

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29. G. Long, Y. Wang, T. Bai, W. Li, et al., Nat Commun, 16, 3390 (2025).

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30. S. B. Desai, S. R. Madhvapathy, A. B. Sachid, J. P. Llinas, et al., Science, 354, 99 (2016).

31. J. Jiang, L. Xu, C. Qiu, and L. M. Peng, Nature, 616, 470 (2023).

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Defects That Shine: The Rise of Organic Color Centers in Carbon Nanotubes A Chemist’s Approach to Quantum Light at Room Temperature

by YuHuang Wang

D

efects are usually considered flaws in materials—but what if a tiny disruption could unlock the door to the quantum future? That’s the promise of organic color centers (OCCs), also known as quantum defects, in carbon nanotubes.1-4 Introduced as chemical defects, OCCs transform these nanostructures into powerful quantum platforms that trap excitons and convert them into quantum light—one photon at a time. These nanoscale emitters work at room temperature, shine in the near-infrared (including telecommunications) bands, and can be tailored with organic chemistry. Sitting at the intersection of chemistry, physics, and engineering, OCCs open doors to quantum communication,5 sensing,6-9 and bioimaging10,11—and light the way toward a bright quantum future.

What Are Organic Color Centers?

At the atomic level, OCCs arise when organic groups bond covalently to a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT), converting sp2 carbons to sp3. This subtle change reshapes the local electronic structure, creating a localized trap where an exciton—a bound electron-hole pair—can recombine to emit a photon (Fig. 1). The result is a quantum light source that is brighter, tunable, and, at the single-defect level, shows the hallmark of photon antibunching— evidence that photons are being released one at a time. In this way, OCCs turn what would ordinarily be an imperfection into a site of quantum function.

Fig. 1. Turning defects into light. OCCs are defects in nanotubes that capture excitons and release them as single photons.

The SWCNT hosts for OCCs are one-dimensional semiconductors with exceptionally stable excitons due to confinement at the nanoscale. In pristine nanotubes, most excitons fall into dark states that do not emit light. OCCs break symmetry locally, creating new bright states from which photons are emitted efficiently.

Chemistry as a Dial for Quantum Light Unlike most solid-state emitters, OCCs are chemically tunable.12,13 Attaching different organic groups changes the emission color, brightness, and stability (Fig. 2). Methods include diazonium coupling,1 cycloaddition reactions,14 and processes that can be triggered optically,15,16 chemically,12,17 or mechanically.18 Even subtle molecular changes, such as replacing a fluorine with a hydroxyl group, can shift emission by tens of meV and alter stability. This chemical tunability makes OCCs modular building blocks for quantum materials, designed much like molecules in organic synthesis.

For chemists, OCCs are an invitation to shape the quantum future not only as observers but also as designers. (continued on next page)

Fig. 2. Chemistry as a dial for color. Different chemical attachments produce distinct emission colors, showing chemistry’s control over quantum light.

Here, the emission from the OCC is labeled . Figure adapted from ref. 12.

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Excitons, Defects, and Light

Programming Defects with DNA Beyond chemistry, OCCs can also be patterned using molecular templates.19 DNA strands with reactive sites, for instance, guide where OCCs form along a nanotube, creating ordered chains of defects (Fig. 3). Atomic force microscopy confirms this placement, demonstrating nanoscale control in defect engineering.

Single-Photon Sources OCCs emit single photons in an important telecommunications band (~1550 nm) which is directly compatible with fiber optics.

Photon correlation experiments confirm single-photon purity,20 and interferometry experiments show they can produce indistinguishable photons, even at room temperature21 (Fig. 4). These properties make OCCs promising building blocks for quantum communication.

Unlike color centers in diamond and other solid-state quantum emitters, OCCs are solution-processable and tunable by chemistry.

This opens a scalable route to integrated quantum emitters in photonic circuits and chips.

Quantum Sensing and Bioimaging

When light excites a nanotube, it creates an exciton—a bound electron-and-hole pair—that can travel through the lattice. In SWCNTs, excitons are unusually stable thanks to their one-dimensional structure. Many excitons in pristine nanotubes occupy “dark” states, which suppress light emission. OCCs break this symmetry, trapping excitons and enabling bright defect luminescence.

Crucially, a single OCC emits photons one at a time—a quantum hallmark that makes them promising for quantum technologies. Because excitons are frozen in place at the defect, OCCs are also sensitive nanoscale probes of their local environment.

Because OCC emission is sensitive to its environment, these defects act as nanoscale sensors. Local interactions with protons, ions, or charges shift their spectra or cause blinking, enabling single-particle sensing. Combined with DNA, OCCs form nanosensor arrays whose optical “fingerprints” can be read by machine learning to detect diseases such as ovarian cancer9 (Fig. 5).

OCCs emit in the shortwave infrared, a range where tissues are transparent, making them excellent candidates for deep-tissue imaging. Unlike traditional fluorescent dyes, OCCs are photostable, bright, and can be targeted through molecular design—creating possibilities for diagnostics and real-time biomolecule tracking.

Toward Quantum Devices Looking ahead, OCCs could be integrated into quantum devices.

As nanoscale quantum light sources, they could serve as nodes in quantum networks, coupled to electronic or photonic circuits.22,23 Their small size, chemical versatility, and room-temperature operation make them attractive for hybrid quantum architectures and scalable quantum hardware, where multiple OCCs could be entangled, read out optically, or manipulated through external fields.

Fig. 3. Writing defects with DNA. DNA sequences can program the placement of OCCs along a nanotube, forming chains with predictable spacing. Figures adapted from ref. 19.

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Fig. 4. Single-photon emission at room temperature. OCCs emit single photons in the telecom band and can produce indistinguishable photons, fulfilling key requirements for quantum communication. (A) A representative OCC shows a narrow zero-phonon emission line. (B) Photon correlation measurements confirm high-purity single-photon emission at 1550 nm. (C) Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) interferometry measurements of an OCC coupled to a fiber microcavity demonstrate photon indistinguishability, with visibility v = 0.65 ± 0.24 at room temperature. A and B are replotted based on the data in ref. 20, and C is adapted from ref. 21.

Fig. 5. Reading disease with nanosensors. (A) OCC-DNA sensors generate distinct optical fingerprints when exposed to blood serum, enabling machine learning–based disease detection. (B) Representative heat maps show responses of six distinct OCC-DNA conjugates across human serum samples. The resulting spectral fingerprints enable classification of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) with 87% sensitivity and 98% specificity, outperforming current clinical standards. Figure B adapted from ref. 9. (continued on next page) The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

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The Road Ahead For OCCs to reach their full potential, challenges remain: • Brightness and efficiency Increasing quantum yield, suppressing blinking, and improving photostability remain critical. Promising strategies include engineering more rigid defect structures, designing protective local environments, and coupling emitters to optical cavities21 or plasmonic resonators5 to boost emission rates.

• Indistinguishability Indistinguishability—crucial for quantum communication— requires photons to approach Fourier-transform-limited emission, with narrow linewidths, long coherence times, and minimal dephasing or spectral noise. Recent work has shown that OCCs can achieve high indistinguishability,21 although environmental factors such as local strain, dielectric noise, and phonon coupling continue to limit performance.

Understanding and mitigating these effects remain active frontiers for both theory and experiment.

• Deterministic placement Current synthesis methods introduce OCCs stochastically, but scalable quantum devices will demand atomically precise control.24,25 Ideally, chemists and engineers will achieve site selectivity down to a single carbon atom, enabling arrays of OCCs with predictable placement and uniform properties.

• Structural diversity The design space for OCCs is vast: nanotubes come in many chiralities,26 and the number of possible molecular attachments is virtually infinite.2,13 Exploring this space systematically will require new discovery tools. Data-driven approaches—including machine learning and high-throughput synthesis—promise to accelerate progress by identifying promising combinations of nanotubes and functional groups.

By combining pre-synthesized nanotube semiconductors26,27 with atomically engineered defects,2 OCCs embody a hybrid strategy for quantum design. This approach transforms carbon nanostructures into versatile quantum platforms, laying the foundation for scalable quantum technologies of the future.

A Glance into the Quantum Future OCCs turn imperfections into opportunities. Accessible, tunable, and versatile, they open a new gateway to quantum materials.

Building on chemical defect engineering, these quantum defects set the stage for a broader vision—where chemistry, physics, and engineering converge to create new playgrounds for discovery and help define the future of quantum science (Fig. 6).

For decades, quantum technologies have been dominated by physics and engineering, rooted in superconductors, atom traps, and solid-state crystals. With OCCs, chemistry now steps fully into the quantum arena. By designing the defect environment, chemists can directly influence properties once thought immutable, such as quantum coherence, emission wavelength, and photon statistics.

The field is young, and many questions remain. But the progress over the past few years—from single-defect spectroscopy and spectral tuning to defect-induced sensing and room-temperature single-photon emission—has laid a strong foundation for rapid growth. With a vast design space ahead, OCCs are poised to help shape quantum science.

The party has only just begun.

Fig. 6. A glance into the quantum future. OCCs merge chemistry, physics, and engineering to enable scalable quantum light sources, sensors, and devices.

Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (R01EB033651), and by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences (DESC0019112). © The Electrochemical Society. DOI:10.1149/2.F14254IF

About the Author YuHuang Wang, Professor of Chemistry, University of Maryland, College Park Education: BS in Chemistry (Xiamen University); MS (Emory University); PhD in Chemistry (Rice University) under Nobel Laureate Richard E. Smalley; postdoctoral research with Chad A. Mirkin at Northwestern University Research Interests: Dr. Wang’s research group studies sp3 quantum defects (also known as “organic color centers” or “quantum defects”) to control the coupling of electrons, excitons, phonons, and spin at atomic defects, and develops new instrumentation and platform technologies for applications in energy, biomedicine, and quantum science Pubs + Patents: He has authored more than 150 manuscripts and is an inventor on 25 patents and applications. His work has been featured on 20 journal covers and highlighted in over 170 outlets, including Nature, Science, Scientific American, Washington Post, New York Times, NBC, BBC, The Times, and others Honors & Awards: 2019 Kirwan Faculty Research and Scholarship Prize—one of the University of Maryland’s highest academic honors; 2023 Life Sciences Invention of the Year Award; NBC4 News AAPI Working for 4 the Community Award (2019), Washingtonian Magazine’s Guest List (2019); NSF CAREER award; elected Fellow of the American Physical Society Work with ECS: ECS member since 2014, he serves on the Nanocarbon Division’s Executive Committee and, since 2024, as Lead Organizer of the Division’s B03 Symposium.

Website: https://www2.chem.umd.edu/groups/wang/dr-wang/ https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5664-1849

Acknowledgements The author gratefully acknowledges support from the National Science Foundation (CHE-2506103, CHE-2204202). This work was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health, National 68

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5. X. He, H. Htoon, S. K. Doorn, W. H. P. Pernice, et al., Nat Mater, 17, 663 (2018).

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8. S. Settele, C. A. Schrage, S. Jung, E. Michel, et al., Nat Commun, 15, 706 (2024).

9. M. Kim, C. Chen, P. Wang, J. J. Mulvey, et al., Nat Biomed Eng, 6, 267 (2022).

10. A. K. Mandal, X. Wu, J. S. Ferreira, M. Kim, et al., Sci Rep, 10, 5286 (2020).

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Advancements in the Surface Functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes for Optoelectronic Modulation and Sensing Applications

by Yahya Rabbani and Ardemis A. Boghossian Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) demonstrate tunable optoelectronic properties that enable diverse applications in biosensing. These properties are often tailored by altering the functionalization of the SWCNT surface. This work provides an overview of established and emerging approaches for modifying the chemistry of SWCNTs for applications in optical sensors. We review covalent and non-covalent approaches based on chemical modification, small molecule functionalization, surfactant and lipid solubilization, polymer wrapping, and biomolecule conjugation to modulate optical properties, especially the intrinsic, near-infrared photoluminescence (fluorescence) of SWCNTs. Finally, we discuss emerging approaches based on machine learning for designing functionalization strategies. These advancements in surface functionalization provide an avenue not only for tailoring SWCNTs with precision for specific applications, but also for elucidating the underlying mechanisms that govern their optoelectronic properties.

S

ingle-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are nanocarbons that comprise a tube of sp3 carbon atoms.

Conceptualized as single-layer rolled tubes of individual 2D graphene sheets, SWCNTs convey mechanical, optical, and electronic properties that span beyond those of their metallic 2D counterparts. SWCNTs can absorb light throughout the visible range, from 200 nm to 200 μm,1 with conductivities that vary from metallic to semi-conducting. The peak absorption and conductivity of an individual SWCNT depends on the arrangement of the carbon atoms along the tube’s axis and periphery.

This arrangement varies based on the direction that the graphene sheet is rolled relative to the tube’s central axis, which defines the SWCNT species or chiralities.2 The semi-conducting chiralities emit near-infrared excitonic photoluminescence, or fluorescence, that is both photostable and highly sensitive to the local environment of the nanotube. The different semi-conducting chiralities exhibit sharp emission bands between ~850 and 1400 nm that can be substantially modulated by functionalization and interactions with solvents and biomolecular solutes.

Advancements in SWCNT functionalization have enabled the isolation and subsequent optoelectronic characterization of individual SWCNTs. The isolation of SWCNTs through surface functionalization led to the initial attribution of absorbance and fluorescence spectral features to specific chiralities.3 These advancements have corroborated theoretical predictions on the band structure and corresponding optoelectronic properties of pristine SWCNTs. Interestingly, functionalization methods have different effects on SWCNT optoelectronic properties, such as their near-infrared fluorescence.4 These effects, which go beyond theoretical predictions that are based on pristine and defect-free SWCNTs in vacuum, are attributed to differences in the surface chemistry, including surface defects, coverage, charge, pH, and dielectric constant, that may alter the exciton dynamics as well as the band structure of the SWCNT itself.5-7 In addition to the optoelectronic properties of isolated SWCNTs, functionalization affects the interactions of SWCNTs with the local environment. The surface functionalization therefore modulates the specificity of these interactions and any optoelectronic changes that may occur in the presence of analytes or interferents.

The diversity and tunability of these properties are therefore critical in enabling optical sensing applications.

This work provides an overview of functionalization approaches with an outlook on related advancements in optical sensing. It reviews both covalent and non-covalent approaches, as well as conjugations that rely on synthetic and biological small molecules and polymers. These combinatorial approaches for surface functionalization are summarized in Fig. 1. The review concludes with recent computational developments for designing SWCNT functionalizations with predicted effects on sensing performance.

Covalent and Non-covalent Approaches Initial successes in synthesizing relatively pure SWCNTs8–10 have spurred efforts to precisely control their surface chemistry. Since SWCNTs are insoluble in most solvents, including water, modulating surface chemistry is central to enabling characterization and applications, which often require colloidal suspension. Early studies on covalent functionalization relied on reacting the dangling bonds on the SWCNT ends11 as well as targeting the sidewalls with harsh methods, including fluorination and electrochemical oxidation.12–14 The diversity of covalent sidewall functionalizations has expanded over the years to include additional chlorination, carboxylic acid, and carbonyl chemistries,15 although the distinction between sidewall and end-specific functionalizations was often not explicit in the early literature.12,14 Despite the relative efficacy of these functionalizations, the covalent breaking of the sp2 bonds disrupts the carbon lattice, often resulting in the perturbation of optoelectronic properties, including abrogation of fluorescence. These chemistries were consequently leveraged to provide functional handles for subsequent conjugations for applications that include chirality separation, composite engineering, drug delivery, electrochemical sensing, and electrode engineering.16–20 Applications in optical sensing, on the other hand, have historically relied on non-covalent functionalization to circumvent the diminution of fluorescence from covalent strategies.4 SWCNTs have been non-covalently modified with surfactants, DNA, lipids, synthetic

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Fig. 1. Overview of SWCNT functionalization approaches for optical sensing. Fluorescent SWCNTs may be functionalized using covalent or non-covalent approaches (blue) to immobilize conjugates (green). Examples of non-covalent and covalent approaches, as well as different classes of conjugates, are shown on the left-most and right-most nodes, respectively.

polymers, proteins, and peptides to enable colloidal suspension.4,21 Hydrophobic and/or pi-pi stacking interactions of the dispersants with the SWCNT surface help to individually suspend the SWCNTs, and the strength of these interactions is critical in establishing the efficacy of the suspension. In the case of peptides and proteins, the efficacy can be tuned by altering the composition of the residues, with aromatic residues favoring solubilization.22,23 Similarly, DNA shows sequence-specific solubilization,24–27 though studies have not shown direct relationships between DNA affinity and fluorescence effects.28 Recent advancements in covalent functionalization have enabled chemistries that preserve and even enhance SWCNT fluorescence29 (see the article in this issue by YuHuang Wang). The preservation of the SWCNT fluorescence and the introduction of new emission bands via covalent functionalization6,30 have opened the door to new applications and capabilities in optical sensing. These adducts, which are referred to as “sp3 defects,” “quantum defects,” “quantum wells,” “luminescent defects,” or “organic color centers (OCCs),” yield new fluorescence bands that can be modulated, both in terms of peak intensity and of wavelength position, depending on the identity of the functional handle. The SWCNTs can be directly linked to synthetic or biological conjugates via the covalent functional handle.31,32 Also, non-covalent functionalization can be conducted on SWCNTs that have been modified with covalent handles.33 In the former case, the interactions of the conjugates with the analyte may have distinct effects on the fluorescence emission bands arising from the covalent sites compared to the bands that arise from pristine SWCNTs. In the latter case, the applications rely on the covalent handle for their fluorescence effects, and not merely as scaffolds for immobilization, as in previous studies that relied on non-fluorescent covalent

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approaches.33 The advancements of fluorescence-enhancing covalent chemistries have thus brought diversity to the fluorescence properties and the optical sensing mechanisms of SWCNTs.

Synthetic and Biological Conjugates In addition to the functionalization approach, differences in the specific types of conjugates play a critical role in modulating the optoelectronic properties of SWCNTs. Examples of these conjugates and their conjugation chemistries are shown in Fig. 2. The noncovalent functionalization of SWCNTs with surfactant, lipid, DNA, polymers, proteins, peptides, and DNA each have distinct effects on SWCNT fluorescence.34–37 Early studies on optical SWCNT sensing reported fluorescence responses to pH and glucose from non-covalently functionalized surfactant- and protein-suspended SWCNTs, respectively.38,39 The type of conjugate has a significant effect on the efficacy of the solubilization and quantum yield of the SWCNTs, with surfactants showing the greatest overall efficacy and the highest overall quantum yields.4,40 The type of functionalization selected therefore depends on the sensor application. For example, surfactant-based conjugates are often selected for applications that require high quantum yields or surface coverages that may be rationally controlled by adjusting surfactant concentration.41 However, surfactant-based sensors often require the maintenance of a controlled surfactant concentration and suffer from toxicity effects that may limit their use for in vivo applications.42 Applications that require specificity toward a particular chirality of an analyte or that target an analyte that interacts with a known protein that readily solubilizes SWCNTs may rely on protein-based conjugates.39,43,44 The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

Fig. 2. Schematic of SWCNT functionalization with conjugates. Fluorescent SWCNTs are functionalized with diverse conjugates either covalently or noncovalently. Top images show representative covalent handles (blue) and non-covalent conjugates (green) on SWCNTs. Examples of alternative covalent handles and conjugates are shown below in blue and green, respectively. Representative peptide (1DJF) and protein (1GAL) image files were generated from the protein databank (PDB). SWCNT image file was generated with Tube ASP (Chiral index: (6,5), C bond length (Angstroms): 1.42, Level of elliptical deformation: 0, Number of unit cells: 1) and double-stranded DNA image file was generated from the Supercomputing Facility for Bioinformatics & Computational Biology at IIT Delhi using the (AT)15 sequence. All image files were visualized using Chimera 1.19 software. Drawn distances, angles, and relative sizes of the conjugates and functionalizations on the nanotubes are not to scale. The depictions of the covalent handles are based on ref. 31.

Biomolecular functionalization of SWCNTs, including DNA and peptide wrappings, confer distinct advantages on nanotube suspensions. However, unlike surfactants and proteins, which may be rationally engineered to control surface coverage or analyte specificity, respectively, synthetic and biological polymers typically have significant effects on SWCNT fluorescence that are difficult to predict. Consequently, current work has developed computational models to guide sequence design.27,45 Because sensor properties of SWCNTs vary significantly with the chemical identity and ordering of their monomers, (bio)polymers offer a vast and tunable combinatorial sequence space for engineering sensors with optimal performances.

Synthetic polymers and peptides have been designed through empirical screening approaches.49–51 In the case of DNA, which benefits from increased synthesis throughput, tunability of monomer mutations, and pi-pi base stacking for the solubilization of SWCNTs, high-throughput evolutionary techniques based on iterative screening and selection techniques, such as directed evolution47,48 and systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX),46 have been developed to guide sequence design. In addition to the DNA sequence, the immobilization procedure has also been shown to alter SWCNT fluorescence; sequences non-covalently conjugated through sonication, dialysis, or methanol-assisted surfactant exchange have been shown to adapt different surface conformations depending on the immobilization method.52 While few studies have directly

investigated how these variations affect optical sensing,53 differences in surface coverage from the immobilization procedures have been leveraged in previous studies for chirality separation.52

Design-based Functionalization Using Machine learning Machine learning approaches have recently been developed to navigate the vast combinatorial space for controlling SWCNT fluorescence through functionalization. These approaches are useful when the screening throughput is especially limited relative to the size of the sequence space that needs to be screened. Thus far, machine learning has been largely used to identify DNA sequences for non-covalent functionalization. Models have moved beyond binary classification to regression tasks that predict fluorescence shifts and intensity changes. Applications for these functionalizations include SWCNT separation54 in addition to optical sensing.55,56 This approach has enabled DNA–SWCNTs to detect and classify analytes across scales, ranging from small metabolites such as serotonin57 and glucose56 to larger biomolecular targets and disease biomarkers.58,59 While no studies to date have reported using machine learning to design DNA sequences for covalently functionalized SWCNTs, generative machine learning models present a compelling

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opportunity to systematically investigate the tunable emission sites enabled by quantum defect chemistries. Opportunities for machine learning–based design of functionalizations continue to grow with the experimental advancements in SWCNT functionalization, underscoring the need for integrated pipelines that couple automated synthesis, high-throughput readouts, and interpretable machine learning models.

Conclusions and Outlook In conclusion, recent advancements have led to unprecedented diversity in the functionalization of SWCNTs. This diversity encompasses not only a variety of chemical approaches—which include covalent, non-covalent, and combinatorial chemistries—but also diversity in the conjugates on the SWCNT surface. Considering the vast array of combinatorial functionalizations and the unique effect of each combination on SWCNT optoelectronic properties, these advancements leave a limitless space for tuning SWCNT properties. These advancements are amplified with machine learning, which has accelerated the ability to precisely tune these materials for diverse applications in optical sensing. © The Electrochemical Society. DOI:10.1149/2.F15254IF

About the Authors Yahya Rabbani, Independent Researcher, Minnesota, US Education: BSc (University of Tehran) and MSc (Iran University of Science and Technology) in Chemical Engineering, where he specialized in computational modeling, process optimization, and nanomaterial design. PhD in Chemical Engineering (University of Tehran), focusing on data-driven modeling of nanomaterials for bioenergy and environmental applications.

Conducted exchange research at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in the Laboratory of NanoBiotechnology (LNB) before joining EPFL as a Postdoctoral Researcher under the supervision of Prof. Ardemis A. Boghossian.

Research Interests: Dr. Rabbani’s research integrates nanobiotechnology, optical sensing, and artificial intelligence to develop next-generation AI-driven nanobio-optical sensors for health monitoring and diagnostics.

Ardemis A. Boghossian, Independent Researcher, Cully, Switzerland Education: BSE (University of Michigan) and PhD (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in Chemical Engineering under the supervision of Michael S. Strano before pursuing postdoctoral research at the California Institute of Technology in the laboratory of Frances H. Arnold.

Research Interests: Dr. Boghossian’s laboratory specializes in technologies that lie at the interface of bioengineering and nanomaterials science, focusing on applications in optical sensing and bioenergy.

Work Experience: She began her independent career as an Assistant Professor at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland, where she founded the Laboratory of NanoBiotechnology (LNB).

Work with ECS: Vice Chair, Nanocarbons Division; Faculty advisor, ECS Switzerland Student Chapter; 2022 Nanocarbons SES Young Investigator Award; 2016 Roger Taylor Award

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Recent Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Sensors as Optical Transducers: Breakthroughs in the Medical Field

by Nicole M. Iverson and Omer Sadak

C

arbon nanotubes (CNTs) have emerged as versatile nanomaterials with unique electrical, mechanical, and optical properties that enable a wide range of applications, including in the biomedical field. Among the various carbon nanomaterials, single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are particularly attractive for sensor design due to their intrinsic near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence, high surface area, and amenability to chemical functionalization. These properties allow for sensitive, real-time biomolecule detection and noninvasive imaging in complex physiological settings. Recent advances have leveraged SWCNTs for real-time molecular imaging, disease diagnostics, drug monitoring, wearable sensors, and AI-assisted diagnostics. SWCNTs can be used for a wide range of biomedical applications, including fluorescence modulation resulting from molecular changes and super-resolution imaging of the extracellular space in live brain tissue.1 Here, we highlight some of the recent breakthroughs in SWCNT sensor technology in the medical domain (Fig. 1).

Introduction The ability to detect and monitor biomolecular changes in real time is essential for advancing personalized medicine, early disease diagnostics, and therapeutic monitoring. Traditional methods such as

immunoassays, PET, or MRI provide either high sensitivity or spatial resolution, but are rarely able to provide both. Even more difficult is the ability to provide real-time monitoring for patients outside of the hospital setting. Nanoscale sensors, particularly those based on carbon nanomaterials, hold the promise of bridging the current gap.

SWCNTs offer a unique combination of properties for biosensing since (1) their bandgap fluorescence lies in the NIR-I and NIRII windows, which have increased tissue penetration depth and decreased scattering compared to visible light; (2) their surfaces can be engineered for molecular recognition via covalent or non-covalent functionalization; and (3) their high aspect ratios provide abundant binding sites for analytes. These features make SWCNT ideal candidates for many biomedical applications, including improved drug development, diagnostics, and long-term disease monitoring.

Molecular Sensing in Living Systems Functional SWCNT sensors were first placed within a living mouse through both intravenous and subcutaneous implantation in 2013. Since then, researchers have expanded on the use of SWCNT molecular sensors to include other analytes of interest and larger animals.2-4 (continued on next page)

Fig. 1. SWCNT sensors have been used in a wide variety of in vitro and in vivo applications in recent years. A) A distinct intracellular NO gradient was shown for the first time through the use of internalized SWCNT sensors, disproving the previously held belief that NO concentration is consistent throughout a cell.5 B) Through the use of surface immobilized SWCNT sensors, the location and time span of dopamine release was determined for neural cells, showing that the highest concentrations of dopamine are not necessarily released from a cell’s protrusions as was previously believed.8 C) SWCNT sensor functionalized fibers have been shown to detect neurotransmitters in brain slices.10 D) Liquid core hydrogels have been used to encapsulate SWCNT sensors, allowing for real-time in vivo detection.23 E) SWCNT sensors for ovarian cancer that were implanted within the peritoneal cavity of a mouse are easily detected post-placement.28 Figures are reprinted with permission from Nano Letters, PNAS, Langmuir, and Science Advances.

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(continued from previous page)

SWCNT sensors have also been used in vitro to look at intra- and extra-cellular molecular concentrations of various analytes, with a focus on the detection and analysis of inflammatory molecules, neurotransmitters, and proteins.

The detection of reactive species such as nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in biological systems is challenging due to their low physiological concentrations, short lifespans, and dynamic signaling roles. Traditional detection methods, including electrochemical probes and colorimetric assays (e.g., Griess assay), suffer from poor spatial resolution, lack real-time monitoring, and often rely on indirect measurements, but SWCNT sensors such as (AT)₁₅ or (AAAT)₇-wrapped SWCNTs exhibit selective fluorescence responses to NO, while (GT)15 has been shown to detect both NO and H2O2.

NO and H2O2 can be detected in vitro through both intracellular and extracellular SWCNTs and have also been detected in vivo for plants and animals. Internalized SWCNT sensors were able to demonstrate that melanoma cells had distinct intracellular NO concentration gradients, as opposed to the previously believed hypothesis that, due to NO’s fast diffusion, its concentration is uniform throughout the cell.5 To quantify extracellular NO with SWCNT sensors, it is essential that they are kept outside of the cell, and one way in which this is accomplished is through attachment to a surface. Attachment via 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) or avidin-biotin interactions has been shown to cause long-term SWCNT attachment without altering the sensing capabilities, leading to real-time extracellular analyte detection.6-8 An (AT)₁₅-wrapped SWCNT platform, with the sensor attached to a glass slide through an avidin-biotin interaction, was shown to achieve a detection limit of 0.1 µM and a linear range from 0.1 to 10 µM NO, allowing for quantification of physiologically relevant NO concentrations.9 Neurotransmitters represent another class of molecules that are difficult to quantify in vitro and in vivo. Along with the short time for detection, neurotransmitters also require detection within a difficult location. Despite these issues, neurotransmitter quantification is in high demand due to its importance in medical research, with possible benefits ranging from understanding, diagnosing, and treating mental health to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Serotonin and dopamine are two important neurotransmitters that have been analyzed by SWCNT sensors.8, 10-12 Dopamine dynamics have been reported in both in vitro and ex vivo experiments. In vitro analysis has shown the specific location and time span of dopamine released from neural cells, leading to the discovery that the highest concentrations of dopamine are not released from the tips of cellular protrusions, as was predominantly believed before these studies.8 In brain slices, researchers have shown localized regions of high concentrations of dopamine with sub-second time resolution and areas of approximately 2 μm.13 Proteins are an important class of molecules that can impact many areas of health, ranging from creating the tissues that comprise the body to aiding in the production of small molecules such as hormones and antibodies. SWCNT sensors have been used to detect proteins in multiple ways, including use of naturally occurring protein binding partners, such as an antibody or specific DNA sequence, and synthetic polymers that create a corona around the SWCNT, both of which interact with proteins to change the SWCNT’s fluorescence intensity and/or wavelength.14-17 Protein detection and quantification can be used to monitor many conditions and diseases, one of the most prevalent being cancer.

In cancer research, the identification and monitoring of biomarkers is still a major challenge, and to improve patient outcomes, early diagnosis and real-time monitoring of cancer progression are critical.

Techniques like ELISA, PCR, and imaging technologies have been used traditionally, but they are often invasive, costly, or have limited temporal resolution. Recently, it has been shown that SWCNT sensors can perform label-free, NIR fluorescence detection of cancer biomarkers with high spatial and temporal precision.

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In 2018 a SWCNT sensor that was passivated with bovine serum albumin was shown to detect the metastatic prostate cancer biomarker urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) in complex human blood matrices.18 More recently, a DNA-SWCNT photoluminescent sensor array was developed for the detection of gynecologic cancer biomarkers (HE4, CA-125, YKL-40) in laboratory samples and patient uterine lavage.19 This sensing system used a distinctly new method of analysis by looking at fluorescence shifts from 132 DNASWCNT combinations, utilizing machine learning for diagnosis when a single factor alone was unable to differentiate healthy from sick patients. These models demonstrated high accuracy, with F1-scores of around 0.95 in synthetic samples and near-perfect classification in patient fluids (100% for HE4 and CA-125, 91% for YKL-40).

Delivery and Integration into Biomedical Systems SWCNT-based optical sensors can be employed via various traditional methods, such as drop-casting, simple solution-based suspension, or basic substrate coatings. The applicability of SWCNT sensors in the biomedical field, however, has been substantially broadened by recent advances that include intravenous (IV) administration, hydrogel placement/encapsulation, core-shell nanofibers, and functional solid substrates.

Acute sensing of biological conditions can be performed with SWCNT sensors. IV injection of SWCNTs is an appealing in vivo sensing option due to the easy, less invasive delivery mechanism.20 While SWCNT-functionalized fibers are more invasive than IV injections, they provide a more stable and tunable concentration of sensors in the region of interest.10 Both of these techniques could be used to quickly diagnose patients or to examine the progression of a treatment that has been implemented, creating an invaluable tool for medical professionals. One downside of these methods is that they currently do not allow for long-term monitoring since IVdelivered SWCNTs can be cleared from tissues of interest, and the functionalized fiber is not fully implantable, requiring transdermal access. Encapsulation or incorporation of SWCNTs within either surface-localizable or fully implantable materials would allow for long-term retention of the sensor while still utilizing the specificity and optical properties for which SWCNTs are known.

Hydrogels are one option for improved SWCNT stability due to their high levels of biocompatibility, high water content, and tunable porosity and mechanical properties. SWCNTs can be mixed throughout, or encapsulated within, hydrogels and have shown long-term retention and response to analytes in both small and large animal studies.21-23 Implantation of cross-linked hydrogels is more invasive than IV injections, but recent studies of SWCNTs mixed into injectable hydrogels have shown promise in decreasing the invasiveness of this type of sensing platform.24 Similarly, SWCNTs have been integrated into core-shell nanofibers for real-time monitoring of the healing process on the surface of the body.25 These smart bandages monitor H2O2, a hallmark of impaired healing, to provide real-time information about the state of a wound.

With the optimization and commercialization of these systems, SWCNT sensors have the ability to revolutionize medicine in the coming years.

Biocompatibility and Safety Although biopolymer wrapping and PEGylation20 improve in vivo tolerance, long-term studies are needed to assess immune responses, accumulation, and clearance pathways for SWCNTs, especially for repeated administration or chronic implantation.

SWCNT sensors were first shown in 2013 to be non-inflammatory in mice after IV injection and up to 300 days of subcutaneous placement.20 Since then, SWCNT sensors have been implanted in sheep and C. elegans (roundworms), and in eels, sharks, and other marine animals, showing no signs of inflammation across a wide range of species.2-4

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A huge hurdle for SWCNT sensors to overcome before widespread clinical use is the addition of all carbon nanotubes to the SIN (Substitute it Now) list in 2019.26 Over 40 researchers came together to protest this addition, pointing out that the information used to add an entire class of nanoparticles to this list is actually attributable to a narrow subset of preparations and/or nanoparticle exposure routes.27 Despite the addition to the SIN list, SWCNTs have continued to be used in research, but commercialization issues could be faced as scientific discoveries are brought to market.

Future Perspectives and Conclusion SWCNT sensors have quickly progressed from proof-of-concept to complex systems that can identify a variety of biomolecules, monitor diseases, and provide in vivo real-time imaging. Their unique NIR fluorescence, tunable surface chemistry, and exceptional photostability separate them from conventional optical probes, providing significant advantages in tissue penetration, long-term tracking, and multiplexed sensing. Recent advances, such as controlled quantum defects, machine learning–integrated sensory arrays, and hydrogel-based implantable systems, have expanded the scope of clinical translation.

Despite these developments, several challenges must be overcome before SWCNT sensors are widely applied in biomedical applications.

Safety and regulatory issues remain a significant hurdle, particularly because carbon nanotubes are classified on the SIN list, which could prevent their commercialization despite increasing proof of their biocompatibility. Longer-term research is still required to completely understand biodistribution, clearance pathways, and possible immune responses across different patient populations. Moving beyond laboratory research will require technical advancements such as improving chirality-pure synthesis, increasing signal-to-noise ratios in complex biological environments, and developing standardized methods for large-scale manufacturing.

Combining SWCNT sensors with wearable or implantable devices, wireless readouts, and AI analysis could transform personalized medicine by allowing for continuous monitoring of molecular signals.

These sensors can provide a versatile platform for early detection of diseases, guiding real-time treatment decisions, and boosting patient care, as long as technological, safety, and regulatory challenges are carefully managed. © The Electrochemical Society. DOI:10.1149/2.F16254IF

About the Authors Nicole M. Iverson, Associate Professor, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Education: BS in Biomedical Engineering (University of Minnesota); MS and PhD in Biomedical Engineering (Rutgers University) Work Experience: Dr. Iverson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL). She joined UNL as an Assistant Professor in 2015 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2022. Before joining UNL, she worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology under the guidance of Michael Strano, Gerald Wogan, and John Essigmann.

Research Interests: Iverson’s research focuses on the development and use of carbon nanotube sensors. She is the first person to place SWCNT sensors in a live animal and is the only person who has successfully detected SWCNT sensors in a large animal model.

Iverson’s research lab is making strides toward bringing carbon nanotube sensors into the medical field.

Awards: Women of Courage, Character and Commitment Award and Parents Association Certificate of Excellence Award from the UNL

Pubs+Patents: Author/co-author of 30+ journal papers, 3 US patents, and h-index of 22 Work with ECS: NANO Division member at large, Community Inclusion committee member Website: https://cms.unl.edu/engineering/iverson-lab https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5166-1410 Omer Sadak, Assistant Professor, Clemson University Education: BS in Chemistry (Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University); MS and PhD in Materials Science (University of Wisconsin–Madison) Work Experience: Dr. Sadak is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences at Clemson University. Before joining Clemson, he worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Research Interests: His research focuses on inkjet printing of 2D materials and nanomaterials for multifunctional sensors and smart packaging, with applications in food safety, healthcare, and environmental monitoring.

Awards: Received a Postdoctoral Service Award from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Pubs + Patents: Author/co-author of 25+ journal papers, 3 book chapters, one US patent, and h-index of 18 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6717-9672

References 1. C. Paviolo, et al., Methods, 174, 91 (2020).

2. E. Hofferber, et al., Nanomed. Nanotechnol Biol Med, 40 102489 (2022).

3. A. Hendler-Neumark, V. Wulf, and G. Bisker, Mater Today Bio, 12, 100175 (2021).

4. M. A. Lee, et al., ACS Sensors, 4(1), 32 (2019).

5. Z. W. Ulissi, et al., Nano Lett, 14(8), 4887 (2014).

6. J. A. Stapleton, et al., ACS Appl Nano Mater, 4(1), 33 (2021).

7. M. P. Landry, et al., Nat Nanotechnol, 12(4), 368 (2017).

8. S. Kruss, et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci, 114(8), 1789 (2017.).

9. J. Meier, et al., Nanomaterials, 11(1), 243 (2021).

10. M. E. Klinger, et al., Langmuir, 41(15), 9654 (2025).

11. P. Kelich, et al., J Chem Inf Model, 64(10), 3992 (2024).

12. S. Kruss, et al., J Am Chem Soc, 2014. 136(2) 713 (2014).

13. A. G. Beyene, et al., Sci Adv, 5(7), eaaw3108 (2019).

14. J. H. Ahn et al., Nano Lett, 11(7), 2743 (2011).

15. B. C. Satishkumar et al., Nat Nanotechnol, 2(9), 560 (2007).

16. G. Bisker et al., Nat Commun, 7(1), 10241 2016).

17. G. Bisker, et al., ACS Sen, 3(2), 367 (2018).

18. R. M. Williams, C. Lee, and D.A. Heller, ACS Sen, 3(9), 1838 (2018).

19. Yaari, Z., et al., Sci Adv, 7(47), eabj0852 (2021).

20. N. M. Iverson, et al., Nat Nanotechnol, 8(11), 873 (2013).

21. E. Hofferber, et al., Methods Appl Fluoresc, 9(2), 025005 (2021).

22. M. Card, R. Alejandro, and D. Roxbury, Acs Appl Mater Interfaces, 15(1), 1772 (2023).

23. O. Sadak, et al., Emergent Mater, 8(2), 1111 (2025).

24. Z. Cohen, et al., Adv Opt Mater, 12(17), 2303324, (2024).

25. M. M. Safaee, M. Gravely, and D. Roxbury, Adv Funct Mater, 31(13), 2006254 (2021).

26. S. F. Hansen, and A. Lennquist, Nat Nanotechnol, 15(1), 3 (2020).

27. D. A. Heller, D.A., et al., Nat Nanotechnol, 15(3), 164 (2020).

28. R. M. Williams, et al., Sci Adv, 4(4), eaaq1090 (2018).

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SECTION NEWS

2025 ECS Section Election Results The results are in for the ECS Mid-America, Canada, National Capital, and Texas Section 2025 summer and fall officer elections! The new officers’ terms of office are for two years or until their successors have been qualified.

Thank you to all the ECS members who supported their regional community by voting and to the new officers for serving their sections, and congratulations to our new ECS section officers!

ECS Mid-America Section

ECS National Capital Section

Executive Committee Chair: Ahmed Farghaly, Argonne National Laboratory Vice Chair: Siamak Nejati, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Secretary: Robert Warburton, Case Western Reserve University Treasurer: Burcu Gurkan, Case Western Reserve University

Executive Committee Chair: Alexander Zestos, American University Vice Chair: Steven Policastro, US Naval Research Laboratory Secretary: Yayuan Liu, Johns Hopkins University Treasurer: Raymond Santucci, US Naval Research Laboratory

Members at Large • Ronak Ali, University of Kentucky • Sogol Asaei, Case Western Reserve University • Jessica Jones, Argonne National Laboratory • Thang Nguyen, Argonne National Laboratory • Kyobin Park, Argonne National Laboratory

Member at Large • Paul Albertus, University of Maryland

ECS Canada Section Executive Committee Chair: Christian Kuss, University of Manitoba Vice Chair, Membership: Sanela Martic, Trent University Vice Chair, Programs: Zhifeng Ding, Western University Secretary/Treasurer: Joshua Byers, Université du Québec à Montréal

ECS Texas Section Executive Committee Chair: Yan Yao, University of Houston Vice Chair: Hang Ren, University of Texas at Austin Secretary: Shrihari (Shri) Sankarasubramanian, University of Texas at San Antonio Treasurer: Nicholas S. Grundish, EnergyX, Inc. Members at Large • Sreekanth Pannala, SABIC • Christopher Rhodes, Texas State University • Guihua Yu, University of Texas at Austin

Members at Large • Arman Bonakdarpour, University of British Columbia • Brian MacLean, St. Francis Xavier University • Liliana Trevani, Ontario Tech University • David Wilkinson, University of British Columbia • Hogan Yu, Simon Fraser University Councilors • Heather Andreas, Dalhousie University • Brad Easton, Ontario Tech University

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SECTION NEWS Section Leadership Connect with Local Scientists and Engineers Sections introduce and support activities in electrochemistry and solid state science within specific regions and bring technical news and activities to those not able to attend ECS meetings. Sections participate in overall ECS affairs, work to increase ECS membership, and help create awareness for science. Getting involved with a section

Section Name

Section Chair

Arizona Section

Candace K. Chan

Brazil Section

Raphael Nagao

Canada Section

Steen B. Schougaard

Chile Section

José H. Zagal

China Section

Open

Detroit Section

Tobias Glossmann

Europe Section

Jan Macák

Georgia Section

Faisal Alamgir

India Section

Sinthai Ilangovan

Israel Section

Eran Edri

Japan Section

Yasushi Idemoto

Korea Section

Won-Sub Yoon

Mexico Section

Norberto Casillas Santana

Mid-America Section

Alexander Zestos

National Capital Section

Chungsheng Wang

New England Section

Sanjeev Mukerjee

Pacific Northwest Section

April Li

Pittsburgh Section

Open

San Francisco Section

Xiong Peng

Singapore Section

Zhichuan J. Xu

Taiwan Section

Chi-Chang Hu

Texas Section

Yan Yao

Thailand Section

Soorathep Kheawhom

Twin Cities Section

Lifeng Dong

is an excellent networking opportunity for those new to the field or advanced in their careers!

For more information on your region’s section, go to https://www. electrochem.org/sections. For more information on joining, contact ECS Section & Chapter Engagement Specialist Maggie Hohenadel.

Learn more about ECS sections at www.electrochem.org/sections.

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AWARDS PROGRAM

Awards, Fellowships, Grants The ECS Honors & Awards Program recognizes outstanding technical achievements in electrochemistry, solid state science, and technology, and acknowledges exceptional service to the Society. Award opportunities are provided in the categories of Society Awards, Division Awards, Section Awards, and Student Awards.

Visit www.electrochem.org/awards for more information.

Society Awards

Division Awards

Charles W. Tobias Early-Career Award (est. 2003): Recognizes outstanding scientific and/or engineering work in fundamental or applied electrochemistry or solid state science and technology by a young scientist or engineer; the award consists of a framed certificate; $5,000*; ECS Life Membership; complimentary meeting registration; and travel support.

New! Nomination period: October 31, 2025 – January 31, 2026

Battery Division Early Career Award (est. 2020): Recognizes and supports the development of talented future leaders in the field and encourages excellence among battery and fuel cell postdoctoral researchers through the presenting of a framed scroll; $2,000; and complimentary meeting registration.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026

ECS Toyota Young Investigator Fellowship (est. 2015): Established in partnership with the Toyota Research Institute of North America to encourage young professionals and scholars to pursue research into batteries, fuel cells and hydrogen, and future sustainable technologies. Fellows receive a restricted $50,000 grant to conduct their proposed research within one year and complimentary ECS membership. Their research is presented at a Society meeting and published in an ECS journal.

New! Materials accepted: February 2026 – April 30, 2026 Edward Goodrich Acheson Award (est. 1928): Acknowledges distinguished contributions to the advancement of ECS’s objects, purposes, or activities, and consists of a gold medal; plaque with a bronze medal replica; $10,000; ECS Life Membership, and complimentary meeting registration.

New! Nomination period: October 31, 2025 – January 31, 2026 Fellow of The Electrochemical Society (est. 1989): Recognizes advanced individual technological contributions to electrochemical and solid state science and technology, and active membership and involvement in ECS’s affairs. Consists of a framed certificate and lapel pin.

New! Nomination period: October 31, 2025 – January 31, 2026 Leadership Circle Award (est. 2002): Honor and thank our electrochemistry and solid state science partners. ECS grants the awards to institutional partners when they reach a milestone level; awardees receive commemorative plaques and ECS website and ECS Interface magazine recognition.

Nominations not accepted

Battery Division Postdoctoral Associate Research Award Sponsored by MTI Corporation and the Jiang Family Foundation (est. 2016): Encourages excellence among postdoctoral researchers in battery and fuel cell science with the prize of a framed scroll; KJ GROUP $2,000; and up to $1,000 in travel reimbursement.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026

I

Battery Division Research Award (est. 1958): Honors excellence in battery and fuel cell research, encourages publication with ECS, and recognizes outstanding contributions to the science of primary and secondary cells, batteries, and fuel cells. Winners receive a framed certificate and $2,000.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026 Battery Division Technology Award (est. 1993): Encourages the development of battery and fuel cell technology and recognizes significant achievements in this area with the presentation of a scroll; $2,000; and ECS Battery Division membership.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026 Corrosion Division Early Career Award (est. 2024): Recognizes corrosion science and technology early career researchers’ and engineers’ contributions with a framed certificate; $1,000; complimentary meeting registration; and possibly travel expenses.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026 Corrosion Division H. H. Uhlig Award (est. 1973): Acknowledges excellence in corrosion research and outstanding technical contributions to the field of corrosion science and technology with the presentation of a scroll; $1,500; and discretionary ECS meeting travel expenses.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026 (continued on next page)

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AWARDS AWARDS PROGRAM Corrosion Division Rusty Award for Mid-Career Excellence (est. 2021): Recognizes corrosion science and technology midcareer achievements and contributions with the award of a framed certificate; $1,000; complimentary meeting registration; and possibly travel expenses.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026

Section Awards Canada Section Electrochemical Award (est. 1981): Recognizes significant contributions to the advancement of electrochemistry in Canada with a gold medal.

New! Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026

Electrodeposition Division Early-Career Investigator Award (est.

2015): Acknowledges an outstanding early career electrochemical deposition science and technology researcher with a framed certificate; $1,000; and complimentary meeting registration.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026

Europe Section Alessandro Volta Medal (est. 1998): Honors excellence in electrochemistry and solid state science and technology research with a silver medal and $2,000.

New! Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026

Electrodeposition Division Research Award (est. 1979): Rewards outstanding recent electrodeposition achievements or research contributions (as demonstrated by quality papers published in the Journal of The Electrochemical Society or other ECS publications) with a framed certificate and $2,000.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026

San Francisco Section Award (est. 2021): Recognizes excellence in electrochemical science and technology and/or solid state science and technology by an individual or team from California or the southwestern US; acknowledges service to ECS; and advances and encourages electrochemistry and solid state science and technology as a profession through the award of an engraved plaque and $2,000.

New! Nomination period: October 15, 2025, – January 15, 2026

Energy Technology Division Walter van Schalkwijk Award for Sustainable Technology (est. 2021): Honors research scientists, academicians, and entrepreneurs making innovative and transformative contributions to sustainable energy technologies, with the award of a framed certificate and $1,000.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026 High-Temperature Energy, Materials, & Processes Division Outstanding Achievement Award (est. 1984): Excellence in hightemperature energy, materials, and processes research and outstanding technical contributions are acknowledged with a scroll; $1,000; up to $1,000 in travel expenses; and complimentary meeting registration.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026 Luminescence and Display Materials Division Outstanding Achievement Award (est. 2002): Encourages excellence in luminescence and display materials research and outstanding technical contributions with the award of a scroll; $1,000; and discretionary travel reimbursement.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026 Physical and Analytical Electrochemistry Division David C. Grahame Award (est. 1981): Encourages excellence in physical electrochemistry research and stimulates publication of high quality research papers in the Journal of The Electrochemical Society with the award of a framed certificate and $1,500.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026 Sensor Division Early Career Award (est. 2021): Recognizes promising early-career engineers’ and scientists’ contributions to sensors, encouraging recipients to continue careers in the field and remain active in the ECS Sensor Division, by awarding a framed certificate; $1,000; complimentary meeting registration; and a division business meeting luncheon ticket.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026 Sensor Division Outstanding Achievement Award (est. 1989): Encourages excellence in sensors by acknowledging outstanding service to the sensor community and achievement in research and/ or technical contributions. Awardees receive a framed certificate; $1,500; complimentary meeting registration; and a division business meeting luncheon ticket.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026

Student Awards Battery Division Student Research Award (est. 1979): Encourages promising young engineers and scientists studying electrochemical power sources to initiate or to continue careers in the field by rewarding them with a framed certificate; $1,000; complimentary meeting registration; and up to $1,000 in travel reimbursement.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026 Biannual Meeting Travel Grants ranging from complimentary meeting registration to luncheon/reception tickets, travel expenses, and more, are offered by many ECS divisions and sections to undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and young professionals and faculty presenting ECS biannual meeting papers. The divisions and sections maintain their own application requirements.

249th ECS Meeting Travel Grant application period: December 5, 2025 – March 2, 2026 Canada Section Student Award (est. 1987): Encourages promising young electrochemical power source engineers and scientists to initiate or to continue careers in the field, through presentation of an award certificate and $1,500.

New! Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026 Corrosion Division Morris Cohen Graduate Student Award (est.

1991): Recognizes and rewards outstanding corrosion science and/or engineering graduate research with a framed certificate; $1,000; and up to $1,000 in travel expenses to attend a designated ECS meeting.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025, – January 15, 2026 Colin Garfield Fink Fellowship: Provides postdoctoral scientists/ researchers with $5,000 to pursue research in a field of interest to the Society during the months of June through September. Fellows publish a summary report in ECS Interface.

Materials deadline: January 15, 2026

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AWARDS PROGRAM (continued from previous page)

ECS General Student Poster Session Awards (est. 1993): Foster and promote graduate and undergraduate work in electrochemical and solid state science and technology and stimulate active student interest and participation in ECS by recognizing excellence in research of general interest to the Society. Posters accepted for presentation are eligible for awards of $1,500 (1st place); $1,000 (2nd place); and $500 (3rd place). Award eligibility is based on abstracts being submitted and accepted into the Z01 General Student Poster Session; upload of a digital poster; and the author’s physical presence during in-person judging.

Materials due by the relevant ECS Meeting abstract deadline ECS Summer Fellowships (est. 1928): Assist students pursuing research in June through August in a field of interest to ECS through the Edward G. Weston Fellowship, Joseph W. Richards Fellowship, F. M. Becket Fellowship, and H. H. Uhlig Fellowship $5,000 awards.

Fellows publish a summary report in ECS Interface.

Materials deadline: January 15, 2026 Korea Section Student Award (est. 2005): Acknowledges a Korean university PhD student’s academic accomplishment in any area of science or engineering in which electrochemical and/or solid state science and technology is the central consideration. The award is $500.

New! Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026

Georgia Section Outstanding Student Achievement Award (est.

2011): Recognizes students enrolled in a university within the Georgia Section region for academic accomplishments in any area of science or engineering in which electrochemical and/or solid state science and technology is the central consideration. The award is $500.

New! Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026 Pacific Northwest Section Electrochemistry Student Award Sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific (est. 2021): Inspires promising young engineers and scientists in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho pursuing electrochemical engineering and applied electrochemistry PhDs to stay in the field through recognition in the form of a $1,000 prize.

New! Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026 San Francisco Section Daniel Cubicciotti Student Award (est.

1994): Assists deserving students in Northern California pursuing careers in the physical sciences or engineering with $2,000 and a plaque. Up to two honorable mentions also receive a framed certificate and $500.

New! Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026 Sensor Division Student Research Award (est. 2021): Recognizes promising graduate students conducting outstanding sensor research with the award of a framed certificate; $500; complimentary meeting registration; and a division business luncheon ticket.

Nomination period: October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026 *Award amounts are in US dollars.

e Society m o S o t s e Chang eriods!

P n o i t a n i Award Nom • Nominations March 15 through June 15 (approved in the fall) • Nominations October 31 through January 31 (approved in the spring)

Know someone making a big impact?

Plan accordingly to submit your nomination within the new window!

www.electrochem.org/society-awards

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AWARDS AWARDS PROGRAM

ECS FELLOWS 2026 Call for Nominations Deadline: January 31, 2026

LEARN MORE

2026 PARTNER OPPORTUNITIES GUIDE sponsorship@electrochem.org

May 24–28, 2026 Seattle, WA, US

Seattle Convention Center

250th ECS Meeting

EC S

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249th ECS Meeting NG

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October 25–29, 2026 Calgary, Canada BMO Centre

Position your brand as a leader in global impact and invest in the ECS community!

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

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NEW MEMBERS ECS is proud to announce the new members for July, August, and September 2025.

Members are listed alphabetically by family/last name.

w

Members

A

Ali Abbar, Jadiriya, Baghdad, Iraq Philipp Adelhelm, Berlin, BE, Germany Esther Alarcon-Llado, Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands Leela Arava, Detroit, MI, US

B

L. Bahmad, Rabat-Chellah, Rabat-Sale-Kenitra, Morocco Sweta Balchandani, Lemont, IL, US Arun Banotra, Jammu, JK, India Tatyana Bendikov, Rehovot, Central District, Israel Gerard Bree, Coventry, West Midlands, UK

C

Ian Campbell, Ann Arbor, MI, US Erin Cheever, Phoenixville, PA, US Philip Coatsworth, London, England, UK Sabrine Cypher, Devens, MA, US

D

Ghulam Dastgeer, Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, ROK Hilary Davis, Raleigh, NC, US Jim De Yoreo, Richland, WA, US

E

Arthur Edwards, Albuquerque, NM, US Takeharu Endo, Hagagun, Tochigi, Japan Albert Engstfeld, Ulm, BW, Germany Friedrich Esch, Garching, BY, Germany

F

Marwa Farag, Atlanta, GA, US Rashid Farahati, Wooster, OH, US Rosa María Félix-Navarro, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico Mark Feng, Pasco, WA, US Yuquan Feng, Nanyang, Henan, China Andreas Fischer, Castro Valley, CA, US Tamas Fodi, Szeged, Southern Great Plain, Hungary Julio Fredin Ortiz, Rockville, MD, US Akihiko Fukunaga, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan

G

Eric Gabriel, Boise, ID, US Matt Garcia, Santa Barbara, CA, US Ricardo Garcia, Madrid, MAD, Spain Christopher Goldenstein, West Lafayette, IN, US Arunkumar Gollahalli Venkataronappa, Albany, NY, US Georg Gramse, Linz, Oberösterreich, Austria Ann Greenaway, Golden, CO, US Agata Greszta, Leicester, England, UK Zhan-Sheng Guo, Shanghai, Shanghai, China Vinay Gupta, Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE

H

Insley Haciski, Woonsocket, RI, US Donghoon Han, Buchoen, Gyeonggi-do, ROK Erik Hanson, Saline, MI, US Leah Haywiser, East Providence, RI, US Louis Hector Jr., Shelby Township, MI, US Shabnam Hematian, Blacksburg, VA, US Chen Hu, Singapore, West Region, Singapore Linda Hung, Oak Park, IL, US Bryan Hunter, Evanston, IL, US Hanim Hussin, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

I

Tatsuya Ishikawa, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, Japan

J

Rijo Jacob Robin, Chicago, IL, US Marta Jarczewska, Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland Hyung Mo Jeong, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, ROK Kwang Seob Jeong, Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, ROK Paul John, Schenectady, NY, US Satya Eswari Jujjavarapu, Raipur, CT, India

K

Anushkannan Kalavathy, Neelambur, TN, India Tanja Kallio, Aalto, Greater Helsinki, Finland Sakiko Kawanishi, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan Tanya Kerr, Kingston, West Indies, Jamaica Dowan Kim, Columbus, OH, US Mee-Ree Kim, Daejeon, Chungcheongnam-do, ROK Ryoji Kishi, Soka, Saitama, Japan Christopher Kley, Berlin, BE, Germany Thomas Knisley, Detroit, MI, US Andrey Korolev, Germantown, WI, US Manish Kumar Kothakonda, San Jose, CA, US Mukesh Kumar, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan

L

Yi-Chen Lan, Lemont, IL, US Byungju Lee, Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, ROK Ian Lee, Painesville, OH, US Kyu Tae Lee, Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, ROK Tao Li, Newark, DE, US Xinlin Li, Downers Grove, IL, US Taeho Lim, Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, ROK Sulio Linic, Ann Arbor, MI, US Yi Hsing Liu, Tainan, Tainan, Taiwan Carmen Lopez, Teddington, Middlesex, UK Bingan Lu, Changsha Shi, Hunan, China Sean Luopa, Plymouth, MN, US

M

Pavel Mardilovich, Boulder, CO, US Drew Martino, Somerville, NJ, US Daniel Mayes, Columbia, MD, US Jeff Mirza, Evanston, IL, US Nobuya Miyoshi, Kokubunji, Tokyo, Japan

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N

Takahiro Nagata, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan Yoshiaki Nakamura, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan

O

Luis Carlos Ordoñez, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico Raito Osada, Haga Gun, Tochigi, Japan Michele Ostraat, Albuquerque, NM, US

P

Cheolwoo Park, Menlo Park, CA, US MoonJeong Park, Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, ROK Youngtae Park, Lakewood, CO, US Simin Peng, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China Joseph Perez, Norwalk, CA, US Mika Pettersson, Jyväskylä, Central Finland, Finland Christoph Pohl, Berlin, BE, Germany Piotr Polczynski, Los Alamos, NM, US Ian Povey, Cork, Munster, Ireland Sarah Powers, Romeoville, IL, US

R

Shreesha Rao, Fremont, CA, US Hong Ren, Reading, England, UK Daniel Rettenwander, Trondheim, Trondelag, Norway

S

Srikrishna Sagar, Lakewood, CO, US Peter Scott, Pittsburgh, PA, US Gonzalo Seisdedos, Los Alamos, NM, US Yujun Shi, Calgary, AB, Canada Bharat Shrimant, Boca Raton, FL, US Chan Shu, Ann Arbor, MI, US Seoung-Bum Son, Lemont, IL, US Jianxun Song, Zhengzhou, Henan, China Tyler Sours, Palo Alto, CA, US Brian Spindler, Blaine, MN, US Al Sterling, Chicago, IL, US B. Sudhakar Reddy, Kadapa, AP, India

T

Noriyuki Tamura, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan Kwan Tan, Singapore, Singapore, Singapore Neha Thakur, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan Nancy Twu, Henderson, NV, US

U

Kenichi Uemura, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan Milesh Ugemuge, Warora, MH, India Masao Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Kanto, Japan

V

Thomas Vaid, Ann Arbor, MI, US Andrii Varenikov, Holland, MI, US Ritesh Verma, Dehradun, UT, India

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

NEW MEMBERS W

Daiwei Wang, Dallas, TX, US Dong Wang, Beijing, Beijing, China Toshiki Watanabe, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan Paul Williams, Fair Play, SC, US Maochun Wu, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

X

Jin Xie, Shanghai, Shanghai, China

Y

Masato Yamashita, Suita, Osaka, Japan Kunran Yang, Skokie, IL, US A. N. Yerpude, Brahmapuri, MH, India BungUk Yoo, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, ROK Zhou Yu, Tuscaloosa, AL, US

Z

Anne Zhang, Troy, MI, US Henan Zhang, Aston, PA, US Peng Zhang, Halifax, NS, Canada Xin Zhang, College Park, MD, US Shuai Zhao, Milpitas, CA, US Bhushan Zope, San Jose, CA, US Shengli Zou, Orlando, FL, US

Student Members

A

Varsha A., Sekkalakottai, TN, India Mohanad Abdullah, Knoxville, TN, US Abharana Abharana Nagendra, Evanston, IL, US Ignace Agbadan, Baton Rouge, LA, US Farhana Nasrin Akter, Rapid City, SD, US Chidiogo Akunne, Tallahassee, FL, US Mohammad Amaan, Ann Arbor, MI, US Colin Ancalmo, Pittsburgh, PA, US Mariella Anderson, Catonsville, MD, US Spencer Ang, Amherst, NY, US Dechen Angmo, Delhi, DL, India Kavyasree Anjanarambath, Westmont, IL, US Shri Krishnan Anjapuli, Athens, OH, US Julius Ankamafio, Athens, OH, US Fatima Anwar, Cincinnati, OH, US Sergio Arango, Lubbock, TX, US Pedro Arias-Villarroel, Szeged, Southern Great Plain, Hungary Nimra Arif, Narowal, Punjab, Pakistan Irem Armakan, Atasehir, Istanbul, Turkey Vika Arzumanyan, Providence, RI, US Tracy Asamoah, Chicago, IL, US Joshua Atencio Psille, Münster, NW, Germany Narges Atrak, Calgary, AB, Canada Esin Aydemir, West Lafayette, IN, US Mudashiru Azeez, Stillwater, OK, US Kingsley Azuka, Lubbock, TX, US

B

Dharani Chakravarthy B, Karaikudi, TN, India Jinwook Baek, West Lafayette, IN, US Sania Bagherzadeh Mostaghimi, Calgary, AB, Canada Lahav Bagrish, Jerusalem, Israel Scott Barrett, Katy, TX, US Maedeh Barzmehri, London, ON, Canada

Aejaz Bashir, Delhi, DL, India Shadi Bazazordeh, Ghent, Ghent, Belgium Atis Bertrand, Besançon, BFC, France Aamir Bhat, Anantnag, JK, India Leith Bouacida, München, BY, Germany Abiela Bradley, Champaign, IL, US Anna Brandl, East Lansing, MI, US Elizabeth Brandwein, Kew Gardens, NY, US Dana Brown, Toronto, ON, Canada

C

Nadia Candler, Ann Arbor, MI, US Giada Caniglia, Ulm, BW, Germany Qing Cao, Notre Dame, IN, US Delio Casadei, Milano, Lombardia, Italy Yu Yao Chan, Taichung, Central Taiwan, Taiwan Sooyon Chang, West Lafayette, IN, US Wai Hong Cheang, Hsinchu City, Hsinchu County, Taiwan Ching-Yu Chen, Champaign, IL, US Kedang Chen, New Haven, CT, US Wenzheng Chen, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China Jeffrey Cheung, Toronto, ON, Canada Yi-Hsuan Chiang, Hsinchu, Hsinchu County, Taiwan Nitesh Choudhary, Roorkee, UT, India Kai-Xiang Chuang, Hsinchu, Hsinchu County, Taiwan Fazlı Civan, Ankara, Ankara, Turkey Callum Connor, Christiansburg, VA, US Laura Catalina Cruz Estrada, Orlando, Florida, US

D

Pedro Henrique da Rosa Braun, München, BY, Germany Venkata Daggupati, Lombard, IL, US Pradeep Dammala, Brussels, Brussels, Belgium Karen Dan, Crownpoint, NM, US Ann Daniel, Karaikudi, TN, India Richard Darko, Tema, Greater Accra Region, Ghana Maximilian Degirmenci, München, BY, Germany Lewin Deville, Garching, BY, Germany Hrishav Dey, West Lafayette, IN, US Anamika Dixit, Austin, TX, US Esther Doku, Chicago, IL, US Jason Dong, New Haven, CT, US Fabiola Dontsi Tonleu, Münster, NW, Germany Marco Duesdieker, Munich, BY, Germany Curtis Duffee, McKinney, TX, US

E

Sofía Edgar, Cambridge, MA, US Enina Egiebor, Houston, TX, US Karla Escobar, Chicago, IL, US Rosa Espinosa-Marzal, Urbana, IL, US Jacqui Everitt, Liverpool, North West, UK

F

Sina Fazlifard, Chicago, IL, US Fatemeh Fazlikhani, London, ON, Canada Lexany Fonseca, Romeoville, IL, US Martino Fortunati, Milano, Lombardia, Italy Isaac Fritz, West Lafayette, IN, US

G

Nagalakshmi G., Dindigul, TN, India Waruni Gangodawilage, Melbourne, VIC, Australia Deepthi Geevarghese, London, ON, Canada Danielle Getz, Evanston, IL, US Nirmala Ghimire, Christchurch, Canterbury, NZ Colton Ginter, Chicago, IL, US Ashish Gogia, Lafayette, IN, US Pratahdeep Gogoi, Buffalo, NY, US Reginaldo Gomes, Chicago, IL, US Emily Gordon, East Lansing, MI, US Ashrumochan Gouda, Buffalo, NY, US Kincaid Graff, Boise, ID, US Sarah Grunsfeld, Golden, CO, US Chaoxuan Gu, Providence, RI, US Daniel Guo, Berkeley, CA, US Nikita Gupta, Chicago, IL, US Praduman Gupta, Kolkata, WB, India Mohana Gutta, Louisville, KY, US

H

Hannah Hagen, West Chester, OH, US Emma Hale, Cottonwood Heights, UT, US Zhiyuan Han, Chicago, IL, US Alexandra Hankins, Calgary, AB, Canada Emily Hansen, Colorado Springs, CO, US Fuead Hasan, Charlotte, NC, US Maryam Hassannia, Calgary, AB, Canada Matthew Hayes, Chicago, IL, US Ciara Henry, Chicago, IL, US Seunga Heo, Chicago, IL, US Megan Hill, West Lafayette, IN, US Tyler Hiltermann, Calgary, AB, Canada John Hoskins, Evanston, IL, US Md Mosaddek Hossen, Ames, IA, US Theodore Houser, Chicago, IL, US Jiacheng Hu, Boise, ID, US Yang Hu, Woodbridge, CT, US Claire Huang, Jacksonville, FL, US Junming Huang, South Bend, IN, US Timothy Hudak, State College, PA, US Mohamed Hashir Hussein, Raleigh, NC, US

I

Surajo Idris, Kano, Kano, Nigeria Philip Ignatoff, Gainesville, FL, US Muhammad Saqlain Iqbal, Bari, Apulia, Italy

J

Md Faiyaz Jamil, Columbus, OH, US Ji Hee Jang, Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, ROK Nydhruva Jannabhatla, Buffalo, NY, US Anwin John, Lafayette, IN, US Arun Johnson, Cambridge, MA, US Luke Johnson, Lemont, IL, US

K

Scott Kaiser, Chicago, IL, US Vignesh V. Kala, Urbana, IL, US Nayanika Kalita, Buffalo, NY, US Awa Kalu, Morgantown, WV, US Jihyeon Kang, Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, ROK Dylan Karr, Saint Louis, MO, US Shivam Kashyap, Delhi, DL, India Mark Kazour, Chicago, IL, US (continued on next page)

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NEW MEMBERS (continued from previous page) Pranjali Khajanji, Pleasanton, CA, US Bitgaram Kim, Chicago, IL, US Changdae Kim, West Lafayette, IN, US Jukbin Kim, Madison, WI, US Minyoung Kim, Lafayette, IN, US Nayun Kim, Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, ROK Seongmin Kim, Daejeon, Chungcheongnam-do, ROK Sumi Kim, Daejeon, Chungcheongnam-do, ROK Parker Kiriakakos, London, ON, Canada Ruvini Kirihettiliyanage, Calgary, AB, Canada Mendel Kostka, Ulm, BW, Germany Jason Kress, Avinger, TX, US Miju Ku, Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, ROK Francis Kubi, Chicago, IL, US Jimin Kwon, Yuseong-gu, Chungcheongnam-do, ROK Sunhyeong Kwon, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, ROK

L

Parash Lama, Athens, OH, US Sebastian Langer, Garching, BY, Germany Nadira Parvin Lata, Chicago, IL, US Dawon Lee, Naperville, IL, US Jinsuk Lee, Incheon, Gyeonggi-do, ROK George Li, Chicago, IL, US Hongchu Li, Cleveland, OH, US Junhan Li, Washington, DC, US Xiaoru Li, Chicago, IL, US Zhengjie Li, New Haven, CT, US Jinsu Lim, Daejon City, Chungcheongnam-do, ROK Giselle Lin, Calgary, AB, Canada Nanqi Lin, Chicago, IL, US Zhaokai Lin, Ann Arbor, MI, US Lara Link, Munich, BY, Germany Chang Liu, Baltimore, MD, US Jiadong Liu, Chicago, IL, US Shufeng Liu, New Haven, CT, US Yu Liu, Wuhan, Hubei, China Yuncong Liu, Chicago, IL, US Christoph Löcherer, Hannover, NI, Germany Katharina Loske, Gainesville, FL, US Lillian Lower, Raleigh, NC, US Amanda Lozoya, College Station, TX, US Lisa Lu, San Mateo, CA, US

M

Yueh-Tzu Ma, Hsinchu City, NW Taiwan, Taiwan Monalisha Mahapatra, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan Jasan Robey Mangalindan, College Station, TX, US Mohan Manjunathaswamy, Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, UAE Jazmine Aiya Marquez, College Station, TX, US Christopher Martin, Arvada, CO, US Tristan Maxson, Tuscaloosa, AL, US Dola Mazumder, Manhattan, KS, US Prasita Mazumder, Kolkata, WB, India Connor McCleery, New Haven, CT, US Jessie McDonald, London, ON, Canada Ariel Mendoza, Cleveland, OH, US Aditya Menon, Chicago, IL, US Cesar Metlich, College Station, TX, US Hossein Mirzaee, Golden, CO, US

Wyatt Mitchell, Okemos, MI, US Shivam Mittal, Roorkee, UT, India Zackary Mitzel, Berkeley, CA, US Rohan Mody, Rancho Cucamonga, CA, US Anneke Moeller, Madison, WI, US Mahtab Mohsenirad, London, ON, Canada Joyanta Mondal, Golden, CO, US Ayush Morchhale, Columbus, OH, US Timothy Morgan, Huntsville, AL, US Zinnat Morsada, Potsdam, NY, US Reza Moshrefi, London, ON, Canada Alex Mosley, Providence, RI, US Fredrick Mufoyongo, Louisville, KY, US Sagar Munjal, Delhi, DL, India

N

Nandan Nag, Norfolk, VA, US Luis Navarro-Tovar, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK Yousof Nayfeh, Saint Louis, MO, US Thao Nguyen, La Jolla, CA, US Tung Nguyen, Ann Arbor, MI, US Kaavya Nimmakayala, Minneapolis, MN, US Ali Nosrati, Milwaukee, WI, US

O

Madaline Oakes, Shaker Heights, OH, US Yeongjun Oh, West Lafayette, IN, US Kelechi Okere, Potsdam, NY, US Francis Okoye, Lubbock, TX, US Marisa Organiscak, Salt Lake City, UT, US Raul Ortiz Ibarra, Tomball, TX, US

P

Jason Packard, Woodstock, IL, US Madison Palardy, Columbus, OH, US Durvesh Eknath Parab, West Lafayette, IN, US Jonghun Park, Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, ROK Emilie Paul, Munich, BY, Germany Febin Paul, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK Stephanie Pecaut, Evanston, IL, US Luca Perlini, Milano, Lombardia, Italy Duy Phan, Oshawa, ON, Canada Luke Philips, New York, NY, US Markus Pietsch, Garching Bei-München, BY, Germany John Pinti, Clarence, NY, US Igor Poklek, Wrocław, Dolnośląskie, Poland Allison Portaro, Louisville, KY, US Mansi Sanjay Porwal, Chicago, IL, US Sayli Pradhan, Mumbai, MH, India Aditi Prasad, Urbana, IL, US Samuel Preyer, Mannheim, BW, Germany Gregory Pustorino, Boston, MA, US

Q

Zheng Qian, New Haven, CT, US

R

Mustafizur Rahman, Goalpara, AS, India Robin Ranjan, Chengalpattu, TN, India Muhammad Haseeb Rasool, Indianapolis, IN, US Alexander Reidell, Columbia, SC, US Yuankai Ren, London, England, UK Natalia Ricci, Bracebridge, ON, Canada Micah Robinson, Urbana, IL, US Alberto Rocha, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil

88

Franz Roehrer, Munich, BY, Germany Ludovica Roselli, Ulm, BW, Germany Joshua Russell, Boise, ID, US

S

Abirami S., Karaikudi, TN, India Renisha Esther S., Trichy, TN, India Jeremiah Sablak, Pittsburgh, PA, US George Said, Chicago, IL, US Trevor Sando, Lakewood, CO, US Nishtha Saxena, London, ON, Canada Matthew Schiavone, Evanston, IL, US Florence Sedzi, Athens, OH, US, Kin Lung See Tho, Chicago, IL, US Gunasekaran Selvaraj, Karaikudi, TN, India Amitav Sen, Rolla, MO, US Junhyeok Seo, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, ROK Sridhar Sethuram Markandaraj, Austin, TX, US Jordan Setta, Nogent sur Oise, Hauts-de-France, France Griffyn Sgro, Salt Lake City, UT, US Anlin Shaju, Hsinchu City, Hsinchu County, Taiwan Liliia Shanina, Chicago, IL, US David Shapiro, Toronto, ON, Canada Madhav Sharma, Delhi, DL, India Anqi Shi, London, ON, Canada Xinxin Shi, South Bend, IN, US Austin Shotwell, Lakewood, CO, US Lakshmi Surag Singavarapu, Columbus, OH, US Jasper Singh, London, England, UK Shivam Singh, Chicago, IL, US Suprobhat Singha Roy, Karaikudi, TN, India Indranil Sinha, Wilkinsburg, PA, US Audrey Smith, Providence, RI, US Lawrence Smith, Spring, TX, US Rachel Snider, Amherst, NY, US Yogesh Sonia, Jaipur, RJ, India Jon-Edward Stokes, Chicago, IL, US Caleb Stone, Columbus, OH, US Liudmila Strelnikova, London, ON, Canada Haoqing Su, New Haven, CT, US

T

Sedzro Tamakloe, Columbus, OH, US Austen Tan, Chicago, IL, US Zhenghuan Tang, Dublin, OH, US André Tayamen, Philadelphia, PA, US Debash Teklie, Baltimore, MD, US Varunkumar Thippanna, Athens, GA, US Sri Vaishnavi Thummalapalli, Athens, GA, US Treyce Tiemann, Bryan, TX, US Mustafa Tigrak, Atasehir, Istanbul, Turkey Rilyn Todd, New Haven, CT, US Giorgio Tomaino, Milano, Lombardia, Italy Serena Tombolesi, Castel San Pietro Terme, Emilia-Romagna, Italy Mayra Sareth Tovar Oliva, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK Nhu Tran, Calgary, AB, Canada Nadia Trojanowska, Wrocław, Dolnośląskie, Poland Yi-Hsuan Tsai, Hsinchu, Hsinchu County, Taiwan

U

Sandesh Uttarwar, Louisville, KY, US

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

NEW MEMBERS V

Udani Wijethunga, Amherst, NY, US Duanyang Wu, New Haven, CT, US Guangyao Wu, Ann Arbor, MI, US Yuchen Wu, Ann Arbor, MI, US

Ananth V., Cuddalore, TN, India Pari Vachhani, Round Rock, TX, US Raoul Vaz, Guelph, ON, Canada Sejal Vispute, Ellicott City, MD, US Dylan Vitt, Ann Arbor, MI, US Prisca Viviani, Milano, Lombardia, Italy Anton Voronkin, Charleroi, Hainaut, Belgium Anh Khoa Vu, San Jose, CA, US

Wendy Yu, Richland, WA, US Bin Yun, New Haven, CT, US Bashir Adegbemiga Yusuf, Wilson, WA, Australia

X

Z

Fangjie Xiang, New Haven, CT, US Dapeng Xu, San Diego, CA, US Kaylin Xu, Madison, WI, US

Y

W

Jitendra Kumar Yadav, Jodhpur, RJ, India Arjun Yennemadi, Cambridge, MA, US Junghyun Yoon, Cambridge, MA, US Kunpeng Yu, New Haven, CT, US

Ke-Hsin Wang, Chicago, IL, US Yong Wang, Singapore, Singapore, Singapore Thomas Watts, Austin, TX, US

New Members by Country

Hexi Zhang, Chicago, IL, US Yuchen Zhang, Chicago, IL, US Ziqi Zhang, Brooklyn, NY, US Ethan Zheng, Cambridge, MA, US Yuanlong Zheng, Chicago, IL, US You Zhou, Notre Dame, IN, US Ziyao Zhu, Notre Dame, IN, US Lizbeth Zurita, Provo, UT, US

Look who joined ECS in the Third Quarter of 2025 AUSTRALIA........................................ 2 AUSTRIA............................................ 1 BELGIUM........................................... 3 BRAZIL............................................... 1 CANADA........................................... 26 CHINA............................................... 10 FINLAND............................................ 2 FRANCE............................................. 2 GERMANY....................................... 22 GHANA............................................... 1 HUNGARY.......................................... 2 INDIA................................................ 31 IRAQ................................................... 1 IRELAND............................................ 1 ISRAEL............................................... 2 ITALY.................................................. 7 JAMAICA............................................ 1

JAPAN.............................................. 17 MALAYSIA.......................................... 1 MEXICO............................................. 2 MOROCCO........................................ 1 NETHERLANDS................................. 1 NEW ZEALAND.................................. 1 NIGERIA............................................. 1 NORWAY............................................ 1 PAKISTAN.......................................... 1 POLAND............................................. 3 REPUBLIC OF SOUTH KOREA....... 22 SINGAPORE...................................... 3 SPAIN................................................. 1 TAIWAN.............................................. 8 TURKEY............................................. 3 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES................ 2 UNITED KINGDOM...........................11 UNITED STATES............................ 287

AUSTRALIA

FINLAND

IRAQ

MALAYSIA

NORWAY

TAIWAN

AUSTRIA

FRANCE

IRELAND

MEXICO

PAKISTAN

TURKEY

BELGIUM

GERMANY

ISRAEL

MOROCCO

POLAND

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

BRAZIL

GHANA

ITALY

NETHERLANDS

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH KOREA

UNITED KINGDOM

CANADA

HUNGARY

JAMAICA

NEW ZEALAND

SINGAPORE

UNITED STATES

CHINA

INDIA

JAPAN

NIGERIA

SPAIN

Advertisers Index BioLogic............................................................................ 6 EL-CELL GmbH............................................................ 27 Gamry Instruments........................................................... 4 IOP Publishing....................................... inside front cover

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

Pine Research Instrumentation ........................................ 2 Scribner LLC..................................................................... 1 Wiley............................................................................... 64

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STUDENT NEWS 2025 Outstanding Student Chapter Award and Student Chapters of Excellence Congratulations to the ECS Case Western Reserve University Student Chapter, the 2025 Outstanding Student Chapter. The 2025 Student Chapters of Excellence are Lewis University and University of Washington.

ECS is proud to support the ECS Student Chapters’ journeys to scientific knowledge via community, connection, and career building.

2025 ECS Outstanding Student Chapter

The ECS Case Western Reserve University Student Chapter, founded in 2005, received the 2025 Outstanding Student Chapter award for its dedication and commitment to advancing electrochemical and solid state science and engineering education.

The chapter’s membership includes postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates, creating community across all levels of the student body. In the past year, the chapter held a monthly lecture series with invited speakers, providing students with opportunities to learn about current electrochemical and solid state science research on campus and beyond. The chapter hosted career panels and workshops, helping students gain advantages in the job market by improving their interview skills and boosting their confidence.

Chapter members have published several articles in ECS-related journals, with nearly 30 in total published since 2020. Chapter members are also active at ECS biannual and satellite conferences, along with regional conferences and events.

As the 2025 ECS Outstanding Student Chapter, the ECS Case Western Reserve University Student Chapter receives an additional US $1,000 in funding; a recognition plaque; and acknowledgement in the ECS Interface winter issue.

2025 ECS Chapters of Excellence

The ECS Lewis University Student Chapter, founded in 2015, and the ECS University of Washington Student Chapter, founded in 2016, are the 2025 Chapters of Excellence.

This year, these chapters maintained active memberships, hosted workshops, and promoted awareness of electrochemistry in their chapters and university communities. In recognition of these achievements and their continuing commitment to ECS's mission, these chapters receive a certificate of recognition and acknowledgement in the ECS Interface winter issue.

ECS Outstanding Student Chapter Award

The Outstanding Student Chapter Award was established in 2012 to recognize distinguished ECS Student Chapters that demonstrate active participation in the Society’s technical activities; establish community and outreach activities in the areas of electrochemical and solid state science and engineering education; and create and maintain a robust membership base.

Applications for the 2026 ECS Outstanding Student Chapter award are due by April 15, 2026! b)

Student Chapter Award Subcommittee A special thank you to the outstanding ECS Student Chapter Award Subcommittee for reviewing applications and determining award recipients from among the many excellent ECS Student Chapters.

• E. Jennings Taylor, Individual Membership Committee Chair, Faraday Strategies LLC • Kent J. X. Zheng, University of Texas at Austin

• Mohammed Hussain Abdul Jabbar, Nissan Group of North America • Jedidian Adjei, Texas Tech University • Damilola A. Daramola, Northeastern University

ECS Charters Two New Student Chapters in Fall 2025 The ECS Board of Directors chartered two new student chapters on October 16, 2025, at the 248th ECS Meeting. The two new chapters are Brown University (Providence, Rhode Island) and Khalifa University (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates). With these new additions, the Society now hosts 163 chapters in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Northern and Southern Africa, and North and South America!

ECS Student Chapter membership provides many benefits, among them: • Engaging with students and peers • Organizing technical meeting programs and scholarly activities • Collaborating with members to present posters at ECS biannual meetings • Networking with 8,000+ international ECS members • Accessing career resources • Adding impressive extracurricular activities to CVs • Funding for chapter activities • Partnering with local ECS sections on activities and technical programs • Receiving recognition on the ECS website and in ECS’s member magazine, Interface For more information about student chapters visit the ECS Student Center and Student Chapter Directory.

Interested in establishing an ECS Student Chapter at your academic institution? Review the guidelines for starting a chapter and submit a new student chapter application today!

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The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

STUDENT NEWS ECS Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla Student Chapter During its second year, the chapter organized a series of academic events aimed at fostering interest in electrochemistry among undergraduate students. Among the chapter’s most significant initiatives was the organization of a 3D Printing Course Workshop using FreeCAD software. This activity provided participants with a solid integration of theoretical principles and practical training for the design and manufacturing of components used in the chemical sciences.

The workshop encouraged students to explore interdisciplinary methodologies to design and print various configurations according to their interests. This initiative reaffirmed the chapter’s Executive Board’s goal to prepare members with practical skills that contribute to their academic formation and professional development.

The Primer Congreso Intercapítulos ECS Mexico: BUAP–UdeG took place September 1–2, 2025, at the Facultad de Ciencias Químicas of the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP). The

event brought together the university’s student chapter and the Guadalajara chapter. It featured oral presentations by distinguished researchers in electrochemistry, and a student infographic contest, “Applications of Electrochemistry.” The congress attracted an audience of more than 200 in-person and virtual participants. The congress established itself as a platform for the diffusion of research, exchange of ideas, and consolidation of academic and professional networks in the electrochemical sciences at both the regional and the national levels.

The chapter continues to promote interest in electrochemistry through regular outreach activities on social media and within the university community. Upcoming events include the second edition of the Seminario de Actualización en Electroquímica and the release of new podcast episodes. These efforts will undoubtedly yield meaningful results.

The chapter’s Executive Board gathers at the 3D Printing Course Workshop closing ceremony. The event provided an introductory exploration into multidisciplinary study in the field of electrochemistry.

Photo: Jorge Jonathan Lima

Dr. Ignacio González Martínez delivers a talk at the Primer Congreso Intercapítulos ECS México: BUAP - UdeG. Photo: Margarita Montiel

ECS Central Electrochemical Research Institute Student Chapter In September 2025, the chapter launched its first Scholar Lecture Series. This new initiative provides students and young researchers with regular opportunities to interact with experts, exchange ideas, and gain exposure to advanced techniques and international scientific developments. The first event featured a talk by Dr. Amuthan Dekshinamoorthy, Project Associate-II, CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI), “Electrochemical

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (EC-STM).” The session also hosted Ms. Ardra S. Darsan, Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR) PhD Scholar, CSIR-CECRI, who presented “Reflections on the 247th ECS Meeting” about her experiences at the meeting in Canada. These sessions introduced participants to specialized research tools and encouraged them to appreciate the (continued on next page)

Dr. K. Ramesha, Director, CSIR-CECRI, addresses students.

All Photos: M. Sathish

Ardra S. Darsan reflects on her experiences at the 247th ECS Meeting.

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STUDENT NEWS (continued from previous page)

importance of global scientific engagement. The event drew about 120 participants and received positive feedback for its informative content and interactive discussions.

The Scholar Lecture Series is envisioned as a continuing platform to nurture scientific curiosity, broaden research perspectives, and

strengthen the academic culture within the student community. Dr. K. Ramesha, Director, CSIR-CECRI, expressed his appreciation of the chapter’s efforts in arranging such events. Ms. Ann Mariya Daniel, Vice President, welcomed the gathering, and Mr. Bhera Ram, Secretary, proposed a vote of thanks. Following the inaugural event’s success, the chapter plans to sponsor regular lectures, creating a vibrant forum for knowledge sharing and professional growth.

Group photograph of the Scholar Lecture Series speakers and participants.

ECS Clarkson University Student Chapter The chapter organized an Electrochemistry Trivia Game in April.

The event was attended by chapter members; a chapter advisor, Professor Elizabeth Podlaha-Murphy; and Dr. Ian McCrum, from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. The game engaged students by posing thought-provoking and interactive questions covering key concepts, recent advances, and real-world applications in the field of electrochemistry. Participants competed individually and in teams to correctly answer questions and earn points, fostering both learning and a spirit of friendly competition.

The event, which created an energetic and collaborative atmosphere, was followed by a refreshments session that included networking and informal discussions among students and faculty.

Two graduate school chapter members won travel grants for the 247th ECS Meeting in Montréal, Canada. Murali Ramu presented “Towards a Rational Understanding of Structure-Dependent Efficiency of Organic Corrosion Inhibitors for Cu CMP.” Ravitej Venkataswamy’s talk was titled “Sustainability Assessment and Optimization of Cerium Dioxide Nanoparticles Synthesis for Enhanced Chemical Mechanical Planarization Performance.” A total of seven Clarkson University students, including four chapter members, showcased their research posters and presented oral talks at the meeting and several other members spoke at the 248th ECS Meeting in Chicago, IL. This year, the chapter initiated e-board nominations and elections.

Electrochemistry, electrochemical engineering, and materials science chapter members and new students were invited to nominate

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The ECS Clarkson University Student Chapter newly elected officers are (top row, left to right): President Sheraz Bashir, Vice President Kelechi Okere, Treasurer Murali Ramu, Secretary Charmi Jani; (bottom row, left and right): Social Media Coordinator Rubaita Younus, Councilor Zinnat Mursada, Councilors Ramya Muralidaran and Ravitej Venkataswamy.

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STUDENT NEWS themselves or fellow members for key positions, then a new e-board was elected to reinstate the chapter and advance its mission to foster a deeper understanding of, and promote, electrochemical and solid state science and technology. In the year ahead, the newly elected officers will lead efforts to organize events, coordinate outreach activities, and strengthen engagement with the broader electrochemistry community.

The new newly elected officers are President Sheraz Bashir, Vice President Kelechi Okere, Treasurer Murali Ramu, Secretary Charmi Jani, Social Media Coordinator Rubaita Younus, and Councilors Zinnat Mursada, Ramya Muralidaran, and Ravitej Venkataswamy. The chapter is planning an Electrochemistry Webinar Series featuring invited experts from academia and industry participating either online or in person. The aim is to share knowledge, showcase research and innovation, foster networking and collaboration, and provide industry and career insights in the fields of electrochemical engineering and solid state science. In addition, the chapter will support in-house graduate students with mock

candidacy presentations to help them prepare for exams. Student social and networking events to build connections and strengthen the electrochemistry community are in the works.

Attendees at the April Electrochemistry Trivia Game.

ECS National Tsing Hua University Student Chapter On September 6, 2025, the chapter successfully organized the 2025 Q+Q Conference – Fall at Delta 401, National Tsing Hua University (NTHU). The Quantum Dots & Life-Enviro Materials Lab hosted the event under the supervision of chapter faculty advisor Prof. HsuehShih Chen.

Prof. Chen delivered opening remarks, emphasizing the role of student-led activities in advancing collaborative research and professional development in the ECS community. The symposium featured six oral presentations and eight posters covering topics ranging from colloidal quantum dot synthesis and optoelectronic device applications to novel quantum-dot-enabled sensing platforms.

NTHU Department of Materials Science and Engineering PhD students presented three invited talks highlighting advances in quantum dot technologies: • Yu-Sian Lin: “Advanced Display Technology: Demonstration of a 0.085-inch Ultra-Small Micro QLED Panel” • Kapil Patidar: “Surface Passivation Enables High-Efficient PbS Quantum-Dot Solar Cells” • Tyng-Woei Jang: “Enhancing the Color Conversion Efficiency of Quantum Dot/Polymer Films through Improved Dispersion of TiO2 Scattering Particles via SiO2 Encapsulation” (continued on next page)

Prof. Hsueh-Shih Chen delivers the 2025 Q+Q Conference – Fall opening remarks.

All Photos: ECS National Tsing Hua University Student Chapter

Invited speaker Tyng-Woei Jang lectures on quantum dot/polymer color conversion films at the 2025 Q+Q Conference – Fall.

2025 Q+Q Conference – Fall Best Poster Awards went to MS students Nai-Chun Chung and Jian-Jun Fang.

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The conference concluded with an award ceremony. NTHU PhD candidate Yu-Sian Lin and MS student Hsuan-Yu received the Best Oral Presentation Awards. Best Poster Awards went to MS students Nai-Chun Chung and Jian-Jun Fang.

The 2025 Q+Q Conference – Fall brought together graduate students and researchers to share their latest findings, exchange ideas, and strengthen the NTHU ECS community. The chapter looks forward to expanding future conferences with broader participation from ECS student members across Taiwan and internationally.

ECS Ohio University Student Chapter The year started off strongly, with the chapter joining other student organizations to advertise for new members at the Ohio University (OU) 2025 Involvement Fair on August 24.

Since the chapter relaunched in January 2024, it has experienced significant growth. Eight new members attended the first chapter

meeting of the semester on August 28, bringing total membership to 29! Attendees learned about ECS, upcoming student chapter plans, and how to get involved.

On September 15, guest speakers Drs. Maria Inman, Timothy Hall, and Katherine Lee from Faraday Technology presented a seminar on their research titled “Pulsed Electrochemical Technology Development: from the Bench to Pilot-Scale.” An informative Q&A followed, with Dr. Inman answering student questions about the company and about performing research in industry.

From left to right: Guest speakers Drs. Timothy Hall, Katherine Lee, and Maria Inman from Faraday Technology present a seminar on their research.

Photo: Abigail Paul

The ECS Ohio University Student Chapter holds its first meeting of the semester on August 28.

Photo: Abigail Paul

Participants gather following the Faraday Technology seminar, “Pulsed Electrochemical Technology Development: from the Bench to Pilot-Scale.”

Photo: John Staser

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STUDENT NEWS ECS Purdue University Student Chapter In fall 2024, the chapter hosted its signature ECS Callout event, designed to introduce students to the world of electrochemistry and build early connections around energy storage and conversion research. The spring semester Women in Sustainability, a networking platform for graduate students, faculty, and professionals in sustainable energy, connected students who shared research journeys and explored careers. Prof. Rebecca Ciez opened the event with a keynote talk emphasizing electrochemistry’s role in decarbonization. Speakers included Dr. Sivaranjani Seetharaman discussing data-driven decision-making for renewable grids, and Dr. Valentina Negri presenting life cycle assessment and the Purdue Campus Sustainability Self-Study (CaSS). A lively panel discussion highlighting the importance of diverse voices and collaboration in sustainable energy concluded the event.

The chapter, in collaboration with the Center for Advances in Resilient Energy Storage (CARES), hosted Career Paths in Transportation with Sarah Cardinali (Manager, Technical Assistance for Clean Transportation Group, Center for Integrated Mobility Sciences, National Renewable Energy Laboratory) as

The fall 2024 ECS Callout event introduces Purdue students to electrochemistry, building early connections around energy storage and conversion research.

Photo: Pretty Mitra

Sarah Cardinali (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) is the featured speaker at the Career Paths in Transportation seminar.

Photo by Pretty Mitra

featured speaker. Her extensive career spanning multiple automotive and energy sectors captivated the audience of graduate students. She shared her journey leading task forces on transportation deployment and technical systems for alternative fuels across federal agencies, a role that demands technical expertise and big-picture vision.

The chapter organized outreach initiatives to promote electrochemical science and sustainability across campus, including participating in poster sessions hosted by the Purdue Institute for a Sustainable Future (Purdue ISF). This engagement fostered a strong collaboration with ISF, leading to the involvement of their research scientists in chapter activities. Members connected with prospective Purdue undergraduates, introducing them to the chapter’s mission and initiatives. The chapter is eagerly seeking graduate and undergraduate students who are passionate about scientific outreach in the realm of energy storage and conversion.

The chapter extends its sincere appreciation to ECS for offering a valuable platform to showcase their endeavors to a wide-ranging audience. They are immensely grateful to Prof. Partha P. Mukherjee, Lead Faculty Advisor, for his invaluable time and unwavering guidance.

The 2024 ECS Purdue University Student Chapter’s Women in Sustainability event was organized by (left to right:) 2024 chapter President Sourim Banerjee; Communications Director & Vice President Pretty Mitra; Dr. Valentina Negri, Research Scientist, Institute for a Sustainable Future; Dr. Sivaranjani Seetharaman, Assistant Professor, Edwardson School of Industrial Engineering; Faculty Advisor Prof. Rebecca Ciez; Treasurer & Vice President Pooja Ranganathan; current chapter President Anu Alujjage; and Faculty Advisor Aditya Singla.

Photo: Ranadip Saha

From left to right: Treasurer & Vice President Pooja Ranganathan and Secretary & Vice President Pretty Mitra staff the chapter table at the Purdue ECS Connect: Undergraduate Outreach event.

Photo: Pretty Mitra

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STUDENT NEWS ECS Texas A&M University Student Chapter The chapter is proud to further ECS’s mission by engaging the university and broader communities in advancing theory, encouraging research, and providing opportunities for collaboration. This year, chapter members participated in internal and external outreach and academia and industry experiences, and made many connections.

On September 20, 2025, the chapter hosted the 2025 ECS Texas Section Symposium at Texas A&M. More than 100 people from across Texas registered for the event! The symposium hosted 34 posters and five invited lectures displaying the full range of ECS topics covered by Texas research, with topics ranging from energy storage to biological applications of electrolyzers. Most of the symposium was dedicated to invited talks, featuring Dr. Ruocun Wang, University of North Texas; Dr. Dylan Boucher, Baylor University; Dr. Abdoulaye Djire, Texas A&M University; Dr. Vijay Mhetar, Notark Corporation; and Dr. Haotian Wang, Rice University. The speakers exemplified ECS’s ideals through their presentations. Attendees shared research, exchanged ideas, and explored new directions in electrochemical and solid state sciences at meals between talks and the end-of-the-day poster session. The chapter thanks the ECS Texas Section and Gamry

2025 ECS Texas Section Symposium attendees listen to research presentations.

All Photos: Autumn Kudlack

Students participating in the ECS Texas A&M Chapter Lab Games recreate a graph of X-ray diffraction of electrodes in the Excel Exam competition.

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Instruments, Pine Research, and the Texas A&M Good Bull Fund which sponsored the event, and everyone who assisted and attended.

The chapter collaborated with three other student organizations to host the first-ever Texas A&M University Lab Games. More than 50 attendees formed teams of five to participate in seven different events (“sports”) related to laboratory and research skills. Team performance was scored and ranked at each event with the possibility of winning first, second, and third place prizes. The team with the most points at the end of the event won Lab Games.

The Texas A&M Energy Research Society organized the first event, Grid Monopoly, where teams bid against other teams to buy enough energy to meet their given demand. The event taught students about supplying an energy grid with reliable conventional fuels and variable renewable energy. The Graduate Student Association of Chemistry organized two events: Blind Pour, where teams poured a randomly chosen amount of water into an unmarked container, and Serial Dilution, where teams were tasked with increasing the pH of vinegar to seven with sodium hydroxide. In the Pipette Toss, run by the Chemical Engineering Graduate Student Association, students had to quickly and accurately shoot pipette tips from micropipettes into boxes. The chapter managed two games. In the Battery Relay, teams ran to collect representative pieces of a battery and were judged by how fast they could correctly assemble the pieces. Students were given an Excel sheet with electrochemical data in the Excel Exam and told to reproduce a given graph in three minutes. The final event of the day was Pictionary. Each student organization chose four words related to their fields, giving competitors the chance to put their laboratory skills and research knowledge to the test against other teams. Participants had a blast, and new, incoming graduate students got to meet with current students!

In August, chapter members visited Arbin Instruments, a leader in battery analysis technology only twenty minutes from campus.

Students learned what occurs in an electrochemical factory and research center, saw all the equipment and set up, and heard about producing Arbin equipment, how the equipment works, and what it might be like to have a career at the corporation. The members thank the Arbin team for the informative visit.

From left to right: Juan Cisneros, Support Engineer at Arbin Instruments, with ECS Texas A&M chapter members Autumn Kudlack, Kazi Araf Sayeed, Dhananjay Swamy, Laura Hoagland, and Wynn Miholits at the chapter’s visit to Arbin Instruments.

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STUDENT NEWS ECS Toronto Metropolitan University Student Chapter The newly established chapter, founded in October 2024 by Chemical Engineering grad students, is committed to fostering interest in electrochemistry across undergraduate and graduate students. The chapter’s officers are Chair Fazele Karimian Bahnamiri, Vice Chair Seyed Mohammad Ali Manzourolajdad, Secretary Masoud Khalili, and Treasurer Mahdis Zareie. Dr. ChungHyuk Lee and Dr. Hadis Zarrin from the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Department of Chemical Engineering are the faculty advisors.

In its first year, the chapter organized workshops and seminars covering topics from graduate research pathways to liquidalkaline water electrolyzers and CO2 electroreduction. Dr. Behnam Nourmohammadi Khiarak, University of Toronto, presented “CO2 Electroreduction on the Road to Industrialization: Challenges and Opportunities” in September 2025. His talk highlighted opportunities and barriers facing CO2 conversion technologies and inspired participants to reflect on the broader impact of their work. In August, Dr. Aslan Kosakian, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, shared his research on liquid-alkaline water electrolyzers, sparking discussion

of key findings, technological challenges, and opportunities. Also in August, TMU Assistant Professors Hadis Zarrin and Chunghyuk Lee offered a joint session on research mentorship and pathways for graduate students, emphasizing how senior researchers balance novelty with feasibility while guiding academic growth.

The chapter broadened its collaborative network, joining the inaugural workshop hosted by UTM’s RecyClean Group in August.

In the fall, the chapter hosted workshops for senior undergraduate engineering students, introducing them to diverse fields of electrochemistry, including batteries, supercapacitors, electrolyzers, fuel cells, water treatment, precious group metal (PGM) recovery, and CO2 electrolysis. An internal poster session in electrochemistry is planned with Prof. Aimy Bazylak, University of Toronto, and chapter advisors Dr. Lee and Dr. Zarrin serving as judges.

Through these initiatives, the chapter is building a vibrant community and opening new doors for students to explore the exciting world of electrochemistry.

Dr. Aslan Kosakian (sixth from the left), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, presents his current research on liquid-alkaline water electrolyzers during a chapter seminar.

Photo: Seyed Mohammad Ali Manzourolajdad

The chapter hosts a joint session with Toronto Metropolitan University Assistant Professors Hadis Zarrin and ChungHyuk Lee, who shared mentorship experiences and advice on navigating graduate research pathways.

Photo: Seyed Mohammad Ali Manzourolajdad

ECS University of Calgary Student Chapter The chapter has been active since 2011 with a pause during COVID. In June 2025, the chapter was re-established under a new committee with a renewed focus on student engagement in electrochemistry, creating opportunities for students to connect through networking events, industry tours, and workshops, and helping passionate students find research positions, secure internships, and build connections with industry.

To kick off the re-establishment, the new committee hosted its first event in July 2025 with 12 students touring Summit Nanotech, a Calgary-based company developing lithium extraction technologies from brine. Summit Nanotech aims to create a more sustainable and efficient process by optimizing both the system and the sorbent while reducing costs. Students learned about the company’s goals and achievements before exploring the labs to see the research in action.

This event highlighted exciting local innovation and gave students the opportunity to broaden their perspectives on how research and technology development occur outside academia.

In September 2025, the chapter organized CHEM Connect, a networking event designed to highlight student research and provide opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to explore (continued on next page)

The ECS Calgary Student Chapter Executive Committee attended the September CHEM Connect event. From left to right, front row: Treasurer Hannah Cameron, Faculty Advisor Dr. Viola Birss, Event Coordinator Linh Ly, and Secretary Sydnee Dronsfield; back row: Co-Treasurer Chelsea Ladouceur, Chair Adam Bass, and Vice Chair Hisham Elaqapa.

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internships, connect with industry, and learn more about ongoing research in the University of Calgary Chemistry Department. The event welcomed more than 150 undergraduate and graduate students, faculty members, and external presenters from private companies, creating an engaging environment that was positively received by all attendees.

A series of activities is planned to support technical and professional growth through workshops on advanced materials

The ECS Calgary Student Chapter tours Summit Nanotech.

Photo: Linh Ly

characterization and electrochemical techniques, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, selected area electron diffraction, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, with a focus on when to use these methods and best practices for data processing and analysis. Students will take part in an industry tour of Nova Chemicals and in an industry-focused networking event aimed at connecting them with representatives from Calgary-based companies.

The chapter’s CHEM Connect networking event included a poster session.

ECS University of Guelph Student Chapter The chapter successfully hosted the third annual ECS Guelph Young Researcher Symposium on August 7, in collaboration with the Electrochemical Technology Centre (ETC). The event welcomed more than 60 students and researchers, fostering a vibrant exchange of ideas and scientific dialog.

Prof. Stacey Scott, Interim Dean of the College of Computational, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences, delivered opening remarks.

Keynote lectures were given by University of Guelph (U of G) professors Jacek Lipkowski, Leanne D. Chen, and Erica Pensini, and Cipher Neutron Inc. President & CEO Gurjant Randhawa.

Karinna Yu, U of G Industry Liaison Business Development Officer, delivered an invited lecture. These presentations sparked lively discussion among speakers and attendees.

The inaugural Jacek Lipkowski Award was presented at the symposium by U of G Provost & Vice-President (Academic) Dr. Bill Rosehart and Emeritus Professor Dr. Jacek Lipkowski. In recognition of their exceptional research in electrochemistry, materials science, and surface science, PhD student Negar Sabouhanian and Postdoctoral Fellow Jingwen Zhou each received CAN $500, a certificate, and an invitation to deliver an award lecture at the symposium.

The symposium provided an excellent platform for young researchers to showcase their work. Students and postdoctoral fellows from U of G, the National Research Council – Mississauga, and University of Manitoba delivered 24 flash talks (five-minute presentations followed by two-minute Q&A sessions). Prof. Ryan Clemmer, Judging Panel Chair, presented Young Researcher Awards

Symposium flash-talk judges join with award winners.

U of G Provost & Vice-President (Academic) Dr. Bill Rosehart (first from the left) with U of G Emeritus Professor Dr. Jacek Lipkowski (third from the left) presented the inaugural Jacek Lipkowski Awards to Jingwen Zhou (second from the left) and Negar Sabouhanian (fourth from the left) at the third annual ECS Guelph Young Researcher Symposium.

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STUDENT NEWS to Brendan Paget (1st Prize); Dylan McFarLane-Urbszat and Nicholas Van Heijst (2nd Prize); and Jonathan Quintal, Mengzhen Lyu, Ruzhen Xu, and Joshua van der Zalm (3rd Prize). Prof.

Aicheng Chen, ETC Director and chapter Faculty Advisor, delivered concluding remarks.

The chapter extends heartfelt thanks to the symposium speakers for their insightful presentations, attendees for their enthusiastic participation, U of G for providing the venue and catering support, ECS for financial sponsorship, and ETC faculty members for their ongoing guidance and support.

Participants gather for the third annual ECS Guelph Young Researcher Symposium.

ECS University of Michigan Student Chapter Over the summer, the chapter fostered academic growth, facilitated meaningful discussion, and cultivated a strong community of electrochemists by hosting an electrochemistry seminar at the University of Michigan (U-M) Department of Chemistry.

Chapter Faculty Advisor Dr. Stephen Maldonado hosted the “Electrochemical Tools for Disentangling the Real-Time Chemistry of Metal Nanoparticle Growth” seminar presented by Prof. Michelle Personick, Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia. She shared her group’s efforts to develop an integrated approach to using in situ electrochemical measurements to design, benchmark, and troubleshoot syntheses of shaped metal nanoparticles.

The chapter hosted monthly seminars in the fall. Dr. Chi-Hao Chang, The Dow Chemical Company, highlighted the use of siliconebased materials for enhancing battery fire-protection in his seminar, “Solutions for Battery Cell/Module/Pack Safety Improvements.” Dr. Chang then met with U-M students over a networking Lunch and Learn session.

Collaboration between the chapter and the ECS Detroit Section was further strengthened when U-M electrochemists attended

and presented at the section’s ICPLAS: Transformative Plasma Technology to Reduce Manufacturing Costs and Improve Battery Performance meeting.

The chapter celebrates its new leadership team: • President Tung Nguyen • Vice President Won Joon Suk • Secretary Harshada Suryawanshi • Treasurer Julian Lopez • External Relations Chair Dylan Vitt • Social Media Chair Fernando Villavicencio • Logistics Chair Douglas Heine • Communications Chair Casey Huettman • Senior Advisors Chris Woodley and Rachel Silcox The executive team plans to host more events before the end of the 2025–2026 academic year, including seminars, facility tours, and networking sessions for electrochemists at U-M.

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STUDENT NEWS Graduating ECS Members Every year we celebrate the accomplishments of our community’s graduates. The list below announces ECS members who graduated from January 1 through December 31, 2025.* Please join us in congratulating them on their academic success—and best wishes for their next career steps!

Paul Abi Yusuke Adachi Anu Adamson Mehran Afra Ruhani Ahluwalia Hassam Ahmad Toprak Aktas Ibrar Alam Simon Albers Ahmad Alkhalaileh Joseah Amai Muhammad Ans Grace Aquah Kavin Arunasalam Edwin Ivan Avella Fernandez Ridwan Ayinla Mohamed Ahmed Baba Isabel Baca Abdullah Bahdad Franz Bannert Jose Barrera Rosa Barrera-Quiroz Sarmistha Baruah Ifra Bashir Favour Bawa Seifeddine Bdey Mustapha Bello Hossein Bemana Mridula Bhadra Bhuvsmita Bhargava Aamir Bhat Sutapa Bhattacharya Arati Biswakarma Mariia Bofanova Welathantrige Thilini Boteju Thomas Boulmier Emmanuel Bourret Fernanda Brito dos Santos Zofia Brylowska Jesica C Luan Camargo Maria Astrid Campos Mata Luca Camuti Caitlyn Cannan Delio Casadei Yoolim Cha Eric Chadwick Patatri Chakraborty Hung-Ying Chang Debanjali Chatterjee Jie Chen Yixuan Chen Do Sol Cheong Jiho Choi Rohit Choudhury Moshfiq-Us-Saleheen Chowdhury Yu-Wei Chuang Khajidkhand Chuluunbandi

Matthew Coats Stephen Cockmon Thomas Colburn Gioele Conforto Joshua Cruddos Katheryn Cruz Giulia Cuatto Shuyu Cui Yash Dadeech Emrah Demirkal Timothée Derkenne Arielle DeShazier David Diaz Connor Dionne Steve DiSpirito Tim Dörenkamp Jadyn Dominguez Laura Donk Yu Dou Debayon Dutta Ko Ebina Joel Edjokola Jonathan Ehring Joan Ejeta Saly El Srouji Ahmed Elsayed Mohammadali Emadi Christian Emeodi Parinaz Eskandari Marijosé Esparragoza Alexander Eul Jacqui Everitt Kehinde Fagbohungbe Amirhossein Farzi Hannah Fejzic Giovanni Ferro Nausir Firas Aina Fitó-Parera Gus Floerchinger Claire Floras Richie Fong Arthur Fordham Lucia Fortado Bouho Franck Mathieu Freville Brandon Frost Nicholas Furth Rachel Gaines Rémi Gaultier Thomas George Tullio Geraci Ebrahim Ghadirzadeh Chad Gilbert Thomas Gill Leon Glaeser Gregor Glanz Dalton Glasco Pratahdeep Gogoi Reginaldo Gomes

Luisa Larissa Arnaldo Gomes Francesco Grassi Yifan Gu Dharanivasan Gunasekaran Priyanka Gupta Nikita Gupta Eugene Gyasi Agyemang Annabelle Hadley Oliver Hagger Nathan Hajek Sebastian Hallenbeck Shomaz Ul Haq Michael Harrigan Fuead Hasan Mohammad Hasibul Hasan André Hebenbrock Kate Hermiller Jesse Hinricher Richard Hoft Sungwook Hong Avery Hooks Ariful Hoque G M Mehedi Hossain Md Farhan Hossain Alec Howard Elliot Howell Jia-You Hsieh Kedi Hu Yang Hu Yu-Hui Huang Chih-Hsuan Hung Atif Hussain Chang-Wan Hyeon Surajo Idris Giulia Ioselli Muhammad Saqlain Iqbal Jumpei Ishikawa Yuga Ito Subhadra Jamkar Zofia Jeleniewska Peilu Jiang Jizhou Jiang Diana Jiménez Bjørt Joensen Dhruvakumar K Bhaskar Kakoty Valentina Kallina Rin Kamino Naisargi Kanabar Manthankumar Shaileshbhai Kapopara Peshal Karki Nawaraj Karki Tomoki Katsuyama Amanpreet Kaur Lukas Kelk Asad Khalil Adil Khan Arsalan Khan

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Zayaan Khan Md Arifur Rahman Khan Ali Khan Bilal Khan Sadhak Khanna Hiramoni Khatun Jae-Ho Kim Wonhyeong Kim Min-Su Kim Kyungmin Kim Mihyun Kim Daehyun Kim Sang Ji Kim Yuri Kim HyoYoung Kim Fumiya Kimura Naoki Kishi Lukas Klass Jochen Klein Seda Köksal Yegin Markus Kordel Andrew Krasley Felix Kullmann Aniket Kumar Sachithra Kumarampulakkil Yamini Kumaran Nishchitha Kushalappa Hala Kutkut Jianwei Lai Nils Lamouche Nathaniel Larm Karl Larson Maryam Latif Evan Lazaro Christopher LeBarron In-Su Lee Megan Lee Dalia Leon Jian-Sian Li Shih-Guo Li Zixuan Li Daniel Liao Hannes Liepold Younghwan Lim Zhaokai Lin Chih-Yi Lin Yen-Jui Lin Adrian Lindner Federico Lissandrello Yu Liu Eric Liu Jacob Lombardo Eder Lomeli Raul Lopez Edgar Lopez Arreola Elena Lopez Pazos Emma Lord William Lowery Jiayao Lu Evaldas Lugauskas

Axel Lundkvist Airi Maekawa Abir Mahmud Aamir Malik Christopher Mallia Aleksandra Malon Raul Marquez Yeray Márquez Adan Martinez Rino Masui Kenta Matsumoto Nicholas Matteucci Elizabeth McDonnell Liam McMullin Jillian McNaught Hugo Medina López Peter Mejia Samantha Mendez Aloyna Mendonce Dean Miller John Miller Jungki Min Charles Moderie Nora Izzati Binti Mohd Razip Bahar Molavi Soumyadip Mondal Sarai Monzon Wataru Moteki Konrad Münch Sagar Munjal Kelly Murphy Claire Murphy Anoop Naikkath Kota Nakahara Mayu Negishi Karla Negrete Thao Nguyen Tuan Nguyen Nikola Nikolic Eryka Nóbrega Uma Nudurupati Aidarbek Nuftolla Ivone Nugraha Thomas Nyhues Kyeong-Seok Oh Christian Ohlwaerter Mihir Ojha Mostafa Omran Philipp Oppek Niklas Oppel Setareh Orangpour Hirotaka Oya Ananthakrishnan P Naveen P Ravichandar P Amanda Pacholczak Madison Palardy Ananya Panda Abhishek Panghal

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STUDENT NEWS

Sanish Paramadam Harsharaj Parmar Sooraj Patel Kinjal Patel Anand Patel David Pe Brittany PelletierVilleneuve Thu Phan Moritz Ploner Dallen Plummer Cristina Pomilio Jackson Pope Mansi Sanjay Porwal Pitambar Poudel Regina Qelibari Alexander Quinn Laura Quinones-Gomez Arooba Rahat Nisarga Rajagopal Jayanth Ramamurthy Mahmoud Reda Austin Reese Bushra Rehman Andrew Reinhard Leonhard Reinschlüssel Agnese Reitano Katelyn Ripley-Kenyon Austin Rockaitis Gala Rodriguez Samantha Roenigk Mirjam Rogler

Pablo Rojas Arcos Anaira Román Santiago Clara Rubio Simon Rufer Rohit Rungta Cindy Rusly Joshua Russell Koike Ryuto Mohammad Sabeti Mohammad Sadiq Jarosław Sadowski Laur Salvan Thukshan Samarakoon Justin Sanchez-Almirola Martial Santorelli Subhajit Sarkar Takashi Sato Survanshu Saxena Anja Schouten Florian Schwarz Joanne Searle Jarom Sederholm Tess Seip Arianna Serrano Bhamiti Sharma Nino Shatirishvili Ming Jie Shie Ting-You Shih Jaehyung Shim Evan Smith Joynab Mohammed Solaiman

Youhyun Son Sheril Soni Patricia Isabel Soriano Taras Sozanskyj Harsh Srivastav Muskan Srivastava Felipe Staciaki Ilias Stamatelos Haoqing Su Meghana Sudarshan Sara Sumbal Kerry Sun Akihiro Suzuki Sadiya Tahsin Hunter Teel Cade Tharrington Kira Thurman Aleksandra Tober Daniel Torres Kaouther Touidjine Elena Toups Mayra Sareth Tovar Oliva Christopher Tremblay Kyle Troche Dong-Lun Tsai Ting-Jang Tsai Yusuke Tsuchiko Wei Ting Tu Ko-Fan Tu Hannah Tubridy Bedreddin Boran Turan Victor Turpaud

Kenneth Tuul Irfan Ullah Federico Ursino Sandesh Uttarwar Parisa Vahdatkhah Rinish Reddy Vaidyula İnci Varol Ravitej Venkataswamy Francesco Verducci Monissh Vijayakumar Marina Vlara Alex Von Gunten Tony Vuu Dilmi Waidyaratne David Waligo Sibo Wang Yi-Jun Wang Jonah Wang Meijing Wang Christina Wark Brian Washington Dominik Weintz Christopher Wett Zakar White Julia White Nathan Wichert Leon Wickert Leonard Winkelmann Yuchen Wu Cheng Xun Wu Shuai Wu Dawei Xi

Ying Xia Dawei Xia Yiying Xiao Mingfeng Xu Yuri Yamamoto Ping-Yu Yang Sara Yaseen Ho Yi-Jui Deniz Yildiz Maria Yousuf Seungju Yu Fan Yu Xintong Yuan Devanshi Zala Christoforos Zamparas Zuzanna Zarach Yuxuan Zhang Hanrui Zhang Shaoning Zhang Hexi Zhang Runtian Zheng Shiyuan Zhou Aleksandra Ziemińska Matej Zlatar Eniko Zsoldos Faiza Zulfiqar *Graduation information as of October 1, 2025.

Members must list their graduation date in their ECS My Account to be included in the list.

START AN ECS STUDENT CHAPTER Qualify for free annual ECS student memberships Join more than 160 ECS Student Chapters worldwide Build recognition for your school’s work and YOURS

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

CHECK OUT THE DETAILS

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CALL FOR PAPERS

ABOUT THE 250th ECS MEETING – 250th MEETING CELEBRATION Join us in Calgary, Canada, October 25–29, 2026, for the 250th ECS Meeting—a historic celebration of science, innovation, and community. For 250 meetings, ECS has united researchers, engineers, and leaders from around the world to exchange ideas that transform technology and improve lives. This milestone gathering honors the Society’s legacy of discovery while igniting new collaborations that will define the next era of electrochemical and solid state science.

Featuring world-class presentations, panels, poster sessions, and exhibits, the 250th ECS Meeting celebrates the power of the ECS community to connect, inspire, and create the next century of cleanenergy, sustainable-technology, and materials breakthroughs.

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION To be considered for an oral or poster presentation, submit an original abstract via the ECS website at https://ecs.confex.com/ ecs/250/cfp.cgi no later than March 27, 2026. Faxed, emailed, and/or late abstracts are not accepted. In the abstract, explicitly state the work’s objectives, new results, and conclusions or significance.

Symposium organizers evaluate abstracts for content and relevance to the symposium topic, then schedule accepted submissions as either oral or poster presentations.

LETTERS OF INVITATION In June 2026, accepted abstracts’ presenting authors receive emailed Letters of Invitation with the date, time, and location of their presentations. Symposium organizers determine how/when posters and oral presentations are scheduled, regardless of presenters’ requests. These letters do not imply any financial responsibility on the part of ECS. If an official Letter of Invitation is required, email abstracts@electrochem.org.

ORAL AND POSTER PRESENTATIONS Oral and poster presentations must be in English.

Oral presentations • LCD projectors and laptops are provided in each session room.

• Presenters MUST bring their presentations on USB flash drives for use on the session room’s laptop.

• Requests for additional equipment must be emailed to meetings@electrochem.org at least one month before the meeting for appropriate arrangements to be made, subject to availability, at the author’s expense.

Poster presentations • Print posters in A0 format (84.1cm x 118.9cm or 33.1in x 46.8in).

• Label posters with the abstract number and day of presentation as shown in the Online Program.

Z01—General Student Poster Competition • Participants must: o Submit abstracts to the Z01—General Student Poster Session. Late poster submissions are not considered. o Upload digital poster files by the emailed deadline. o Be present during the in-person judging session.

• Prize categories are (award amounts in USD): 1st Place ($1,500 award), 2nd Place ($1,000 award), and 3rd Place ($500 award).

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

REGISTRATION All participants—including authors and invited speakers— must pay the appropriate registration fees. Find updated registration information on the ECS website. The discounted early registration deadline is September 28, 2026.

HOTEL RESERVATIONS The most up-to-date information on hotel availability and blocks of rooms with special rates is on the ECS website. The hotel block is open until September 28, 2026, or it sells out.

BIANNUAL MEETING TRAVEL GRANTS Some ECS divisions and sections offer biannual meeting travel grants to support students, postdoctoral researchers, and young professionals attending ECS biannual meetings. Applications open March 27, 2026 and are due by July 6, 2026. Contact travelgrant@ electrochem.org for more information.

SYMPOSIA FUNDING ASSISTANCE Symposium organizers may administer limited additional financial assistance. For more information, contact the symposium’s organizers.

MEETING PUBLICATIONS • ECS Meeting Abstracts – All accepted and successfully presented meeting abstracts are published in the ECS Digital Library, copyrighted by ECS, and become ECS’s property upon presentation. Abstracts are published approximately 90 to 120 days after the meeting ends.

• ECS Journals – Authors presenting papers at ECS Meetings are encouraged to submit to the Journal of The Electrochemical Society, ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology, ECS Advances, and ECS Sensors Plus. See author instructions.

EXHIBIT HALL The 250th ECS Meeting is the premier destination for showcasing products and services to a global audience. Exhibitors at ECS connect with key decision-makers, maximize visibility, boost brand credibility, and launch and promote new products. Space is limited; contact sponsorship@electrochem.org to learn more.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Develop collaborative partnerships and potential business leads by sponsoring events at ECS meetings. Event sponsorship boosts worldwide visibility and aligns companies with advancing electrochemical and solid state science. Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, supporting future innovators, or connecting with thought leaders, ECS sponsorships are a unique, powerful way to meet sales goals. Explore the possibilities—contact sponsorship@electrochem.org.

QUESTIONS & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The Electrochemical Society 65 South Main Street, Pennington, NJ 08534-2839, USA Tel: 1.609.737.1902; fax: 1.609.737.2743 meetings@electrochem.org www.electrochem.org

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250th ECS MEETING SYMPOSIUM TOPICS AND DEADLINES A—Batteries and Energy Storage A01—Innovative Materials and System Designs for Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage A02—Battery Safety and Failure Modes 5 A03—Next Generation Aqueous Batteries: Electrodes, Electrolytes, and Interphases 2 A04—Electrode/Electrolyte Interfaces in Solid State Batteries: Theory, Experiments, Materials, and Cell Design A05—Organic Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage A06—AI-Driven Battery Materials Design and Manufacturing A07—Advances in Lithium Circularity: From Mining Extraction to End Use B—Carbon Nanostructures and Devices B01—Carbon Nanostructures: From Fundamental Studies to Applications and Devices C—Corrosion Science and Technology C01—Corrosion General Poster Session C02—Critical Factors in Localized Corrosion 12 C03—Atmospheric and Marine Corrosion 4 C04—Advanced Computational Methods for Corrosion D—Dielectric Science and Materials D01—Semiconductors, Dielectrics, and Metals for Nanoelectronics 22 D02—Plasma and Thermal Processes for Materials Modification, Synthesis, and Processing 7 D03—Water-Energy Nexus Research Relating to Electrochemical Sciences E—Electrochemical/Electroless Deposition E01—Electrochemical Deposition for Enhanced Materials and Energy Applications E02—Electrodeposition Processes for Magnetic and Microelectronic Materials and Devices: In Memory of Lubomyr Romankiw E03—High-Throughput and Combinatorial Electrodeposition for Accelerated Material Discovery F—Electrochemical Engineering F01—Advances in Industrial Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Engineering F02—Modeling Electrochemical Systems for Transportation Applications 4 F03—MXenes in Electrochemical Systems F04—Electrochemical Conversion of Polymers F05—Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Engineering for Food Production G—Electronic Materials and Processing G01—Atomic Layer Deposition & Etching Applications 22 G02—19th International Symposium on Semiconductor Cleaning Science and Technology (SCST 19) G03—Semiconductor Wafer Bonding: Science, Technology, and Applications 18 G04—SiGe, Ge, and Related Compounds: Materials, Processing, and Devices 12 G05—Sustainability in Semiconductors H—Electronic and Photonic Devices and Systems H01—State-of-the-Art Program on Compound Semiconductors 69 (SOTAPOCS-69) H02—Low-Dimensional Nanoscale Electronic and Photonic Devices 19 H03—Thin-Film Transistors 18 (TFT 18) H04—Gallium Nitride and Silicon Carbide Power Technologies 16 H05—Electronic, Thermal, and Electrochemical Properties of Metal– Organic Frameworks (MOFs) 4: Technology, Applications, and Emerging Devices

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I—Fuel Cells, Electrolyzers, and Energy Conversion I01—Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells and Water Electrolyzers 26 (PEFC&WE 26) I02—Photovoltaics for the 21st Century 22: New Materials and Processes I03—High-Temperature Corrosion and Materials Chemistry 17 I04—Solid State Ionic Devices 16 I05—Photocatalysts, Photoelectrochemical Cells, and Solar Fuels 16 I06—Broadband Electrical Spectroscopy I07—Neutron and X-ray Scattering for Studies of Electrochemical Energy Systems J—Luminescence and Display Materials, Devices, and Processing J01—Frontiers of Luminescence: Toward Sustainable Development and New Technologies K—Organic and Bioelectrochemistry K01—Small Molecule Mechanistic Electrochemistry K02—Synthetic Biology Approaches to Solve Electrochemical Problems L—Physical and Analytical Electrochemistry, Electrocatalysis, and Photoelectrochemistry L01—Physical and Analytical Electrochemistry, Electrocatalysis, and Photoelectrochemistry General Session L02—Molten Salts and Ionic Liquid 25 (MSIL-25) L03—Computational Electrochemistry 11 L04—Fundamentals of Carbon Dioxide Reduction 4 L05—Invited Perspectives and Tutorials in Physical and Analytical Electrochemistry 2 L06—New Horizons in Spectroelectrochemistry and Photoelectrochemistry2 L07—Fast-Scan Voltammetry L08—Electric- and Magnetic-Field-Induced Electrocatalysis and Electrochemistry L09—Physical Chemistry of Electrolytes and Electrified Interfaces M—Sensors M01—Recent Advances in Sensors Systems – General Session M02—Point-of-Care Sensors and Wearable Devices in Conjunction with Celebrating Fellows, Awardees, and Chairs of the Sensor Division Z—General Z01—General Student Poster Session Z02—Celebrating Electrochemical and Solid State Science Innovations: Commercialization of Electrochemical Processes and Products Z03—Intersection of Poly-/Per-Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Electrochemistry: Separation, Destruction, Sensing, Recycling, and Alternatives

Important Dates and Deadlines Abstract submission opens.............................................. November 2025 Abstract submission deadline..........................................March 27, 2026 Notification to presenting authors of abstract acceptance or rejection........................................June 8, 2026 Technical Program published online.....................................June 8, 2026 Registration opens.....................................................................June 2026 Biannual meeting travel grant application deadline...............July 6, 2026 Sponsor and exhibitor deadline (for inclusion in printed materials).................................August 14, 2026 Biannual meeting travel grant approval notification.......August 31, 2026 Hotel and early meeting registration deadline.......... September 28, 2026

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2025 • www.electrochem.org

2026 INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS BENEFACTOR PARTNERS

PATRON PARTNERS

BioLogic, Knoxville, TN, US Duracell US Operations, Inc., Bethel, CT, US Gamry Instruments, Warminster, PA, US PalmSens BV, Houten, Netherlands Pine Research Instrumentation, Durham, NC, US Scribner, LLC, Southern Pines, NC, US

easyXAFS, LLC, Renton, WA, US Energizer Battery, Westlake, OH, US Faraday Technology, Inc., Clayton, OH, US GE Aerospace Research, Niskayuna, NY, US Hydro-Québec, Varennes, QC, Canada Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA, US Toyota Research Institute of North America (TRINA), Ann Arbor, MI, US

SPONSORING PARTNERS

SUSTAINING PARTNERS

BASi, West Lafayette, IN, US Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-WÜrttemberg (ZSW), Germany Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Tamil Nadu, India Corteva Agriscience, Indianapolis, IN, US DLR – Institute of Engineering Thermodynamics, Oldenburg, Germany

BMW Group, München, Germany Current Chemicals, Cleveland, OH, US General Motors Holdings LLC, Warren, MI, US Giner, Inc., Newton, MA, US Honeywell, Houston, TX, US

EL-CELL GmbH, Hamburg, Germany

Ion Power, Inc., New Castle, DE, US

Electrosynthesis Company, Inc., Lancaster, NY, US

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM, US

Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI, US

Metrohm USA, Inc., Riverview, FL, US

GS Yuasa International Ltd., Kyoto, Japan

Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, US

Honda R&D Co., Ltd., Tochigi, Japan

next Machinery Group | Coatema® Coating Machinery GmbH, Chadds Ford, PA, US

Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, US Nel Hydrogen, Wallingford, CT, US Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Yokosuka, Japan

Occidental Chemical Corporation, Dallas, TX, US Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, US Sensolytics GmbH, Bochum, Germany

NSF Center for Synthetic Organic Electrochemistry, Salt Lake City, UT, US

Sherwin-Williams, Minneapolis, MN, US

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA, US

Spectro Inlets ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark

Panasonic Energy Corporation, Osaka, Japan

Technic, Inc., Providence, RI, US

Permascand AB, Ljungaverk, Sweden

United Mineral & Chemical Corporation, Lyndhurst, NJ, US

Plug Power, Inc., Latham, NY, US

Western Digital Corporation, Tokyo, Japan

Teledyne Energy Systems, Inc., Sparks, MD, US

Westlake Corporation, Monroeville, PA, US

UL Research Institutes, Northbrook, IL, US

Help us continue the vital work of ECS by joining as an Institutional Partner today.

To renew, join, or discuss institutional partnership options, contact Anna Olsen, Sr. Manager, Corporate Programs, sponsorship@electrochem.org.

EC S

249th ECS Meeting May 24–28, 2026 Seattle, WA, US Seattle Convention Center

251st ECS Meeting

May 30–June 3, 2027 Washington, DC, US Walter E. Washington Convention Center and Marriott Marquis

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UPCOMING MEETINGS

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250th ECS Meeting

252nd ECS Meeting

October 17–21, 2027 Detroit, MI, US Huntington Place Convention Center

October 25–29, 2026 Calgary, Canada BMO Centre

253rd ECS Meeting

May 21–25, 2028 Gothenburg, Sweden Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre

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