"Electrochemistry is the key to sustainable energy; it powers the batteries that will drive our future."
Editorial
Powering Innovation
Whiletheworldmovestowardssustainabilityandtechnologicaladvancements,
electrochemistryleadsthecharge,energizingsolutionsthatreimagineenergy, manufacturing,andenvironmentalsustainability.InthisissueofInsightsSuccess, wepaytributetotheinnovatorswhoareleveragingtheintersectionofelectricityandchemical reactiontosolvesomeoftheworld’sbiggestchallenges.ThiseditionhonorstheMost InnovativeElectrochemistryCompaniestoWatchin2025
Electrochemistryisnolongerthedomainofuniversitylabs;it’sproducingreal-worldimpact. Fromnew-generationbatteriesthatpowerlonger-rangeelectricvehiclestoelectrochemical sensorstransforminghealthcarediagnostics,thesebusinessesaretransformingindustries. Othersareleadingthewayingreenhydrogenmanufacturing,high-endwatertreatment,and corrosion-resistancematerials,demonstratinginnovationcanbebothprofitableand environmentallyfriendly Theiractivitiesmeettheneedforcleanerenergyandsmarter resourceuse,theimperativeoftheage,andthustheyarekeyplayersintheglobaldriveto net-zero.
Whatdistinguishesthisyear’sfeaturesistheirambitiousvisionandconcreteachievements. Thesecompanies—fromagilestart-upstoveterandisruptors—arenotonlyiterating,they’re reimaginingwhat’spossible.They’reusingleading-edgematerials,AI-aidedprocess engineering,andmanufacturabledesignstotakelabadvancementstomarket.Theircapacity toconnectscienceandcommerceiswhythey’reonourlist.
Asaneditor,Iaminspiredbytheircommitmenttosolvingbigproblemswithprecisionand creativity Thiseditiondivesintotheirstories,exploringhowthey’reelectrifyingindustries andsparkingasustainablefuture.Whetheryou’reaninvestor,policymaker,orinnovator, thesecompaniesofferaglimpseintotheelectrifiedeconomyoftomorrow.Joinusin celebratingtheirchargetowardprogress.
Have an enlightening read ahead!
C OV E R STO RY
R O F I L E
SeaO2 Transforming Ocean Chemistry into a Global CO₂ Solution 22.
pH7 TECHNOLOGIES INC. Reshaping Metal Extraction for a Sustainable future 08. 18. 26. Advancements in Electrochemical Technology for Sustainable Energy Solutions Innovative Electrochemistry Techniques for Next-Generation Batteries
Editor-in-Chief
Managing
Executive
Art
Business
Business
Digital
Co-designer
Marketing
Technical
Research
MOST INNOVATIVE ELECTROCHEMISTRY COMPANIES TO WATCH IN 2025
Asynt asynt.com Featuring
Martyn Fordham Managing Director
HORIBA horiba.com
pH7 Technologies Inc. ph7technologies.com
SeaO2 seao2.com
Sublime Systems sublime-systems.com
Atsushi Horiba Chairman & Group CEO
Mohammad Doostmohammadi Founder & CEO
Phebe van Langevelde R&D Engineer Leah Ellis Co-founder & CEO
Brief
Asynt delivers innova ve laboratory equipment, specializing in sustainable solu ons like the ElectroReact pla orm for parallel electrochemical reac ons, enhancing efficiency and safety for chemists globally
HORIBA provides advanced analy cal instruments for automo ve, environmental, and medical applica ons, integra ng electrochemical and op cal technologies to drive sustainability and precision across industries.
pH7 Technologies Inc. pioneers sustainable metal extrac on using a zero-waste, organo-electrochemical process, revolu onizing cri cal mineral recovery for clean energy and advanced technologies.
SeaO2 pioneers scalable CO₂ removal using electrochemical technology to extract carbon from seawater. Sustainable and cost-efficient, it leverages the ocean’s poten al to combat climate change effec vely.
Sublime Systems revolu onizes cement produc on with an electrochemical process, elimina ng fossil fuels and limestone emissions, crea ng sustainable, high-performance cement for a decarbonized future.
Reshaping Metal Extraction for a Sustainable future
One of the major challenges I noticed in the metal extraction and critical metal industry was wastewater generation and the processing of tailing ponds.
Founder and CEO
Mohammad Doostmohammadi
pH7 Technologies Inc.
Acrossindustriessuchascleanenergy,electric
vehicles,andadvancedtechnologies,thedemand forcriticalmetalshasneverbeengreater Yet,the methodsusedtoextractthesemetalshaveoftenbeen inefficientandharmfultotheenvironment.Newsustainable extractionstrategiesserveadualpurposeofbeingboth essentialtomeetincreasingmaterialneedsasindustries develop.Asatechnologicalleader,pH7TechnologiesInc. providesinnovativeextractionsolutionsthataddress industrymetalrequirementswhileprotectingthe environmentthrougheco-friendlyoperations.Throughits zero-wastestrategy,thiscompanytransformsmetal extractionprocesseswhileadvancingelectromechanical discoveriestowardsustainablemetalextraction.
Sinceitsestablishmentin2020,pH7Technologieshas becomeanindustryleaderthroughitsinnovative electrochemicalextractionmethods,whichtacklecritical miningsectorproblems.TheFounderandCEO, MohammadDoostmohammadi,leadsthecompany’s innovativemissionthroughhischemicalandmining engineeringexperiencetocreateaproprietarysystemthat restructurescriticalmetalsupplychainmanagement.
Underhisexecutiveleadership,pH7Technologies developedandexpandedagroundbreakingmineral extractionprocessthatcombinesSolvo-metallurgywith Organo-ElectrochemicalProcesstorecovermetalswithout creatingwastewater,airemissions,ortoxicresidue.This innovativetechniquecreatesasustainable,environmentally friendlyextractionsystemformetalsthatwillmeet escalatingdemandinkeyindustries,sustainingglobal economicactivity.
Let’s understand how pH7 Technologies revolutionizes metal extraction with sustainable, waste-free electrochemical solutions!
IntroducingpH7Technologies
pH7Technologieswasbornoutoftherecognitionthatthe metalextractionindustrywasindesperateneedofa transformation.Mohammad’sjourneytowardfoundingthe companystemsfromhisextensivebackgroundinchemical andminingengineering,wherehehadspentover15years navigatingthecomplexchallengesofwastewater management,mineralprocessing,andmetalextraction. “OneofthemajorchallengesInoticedinthemetal extractionandcriticalmetalindustrywaswastewater generationandtheprocessingoftailingponds,”he explains.“Thathadbeenasignificantchallengeinmy previousexperiences,soIwantedtofindasolution.”
Thisrealizationsparkedthedevelopmentofagamechangingtechnology Whatbeganasanideatoeliminate wastewaterinmetalextractionsoonevolvedintoa proprietaryprocesscapableofrevolutionizingtheentire industry.“Icameupwithametalextractionprocessthat generatesnowastewater,whichbecamethedrivingforce behindpH7Technologies,”saysMohammad.Themission wasclear:toincreasethesupplyofcriticalmetalswhile eliminatingwastewater,emissions,andtoxic materials—addressingboththeenvironmentaland economicchallengesfacingtheminingandrecycling industries.
AJourneyofInnovation
ThejourneyfromconcepttocommercializationforpH7 Technologieshasbeenatestamenttothecompany’s commitmenttoR&Dandinnovation.Fromhumble beginnings,thecompanyhasreachedsignificantmilestones thathavepropelledittotheforefrontoftheelectrochemical extractionspace.
In2021,thecompanyachievedakeymilestonewiththe developmentofitsprototypeforcriticalmetal extraction—aclosed-loopsystemthatwouldformthe backboneoftheiroperations.“Webuiltourprototypefor criticalmetalextraction—aclosed-loopmetalextraction system,”Mohammadrecalls.Thesystemwasdesignedto extractmetalswithnowastebyproducts,usingafully circularprocess.
By2022,pH7scaledtheprocesstoasmallpilotoperation, furtherrefiningthetechnologyandtestingitsefficiency
“Wescaleduptoasmallpilotoperation,”heshares.Asthe companybegantogeneratevaluabledatafrompilottests, 2023markedthenextsteptowardsuccesswiththe expansionofthepilotandthebeginningofrevenue generation.“Westartedgeneratingrevenuefrompilot tests,”henotes.
Theculminationoftheseeffortscamein2024whenpH7 Technologieslauncheditsfirstcommercialplant,focusing onextractingplatinumandpalladiumfromend-of-life materialsandsecondaryresources.“Weusedourpilot operationdatatodesignandcommissionacommercial siteinQ42024.Theplantnowfocusesonextracting platinumandpalladiumfromend-of-lifematerials,” heexplains.Withagoalofexpandingoperations
I came up with a metal extraction process that generates no wastewater, which became the driving force behind pH7 Technologies.
Mohammad Doostmohammadi,
further,thecompanyplanstoincludeminingandprimary resourcesby2025andbeyond.
pH7’sImpactontheCriticalMetalSupplyChain
No wastewater, no toxic emissions, and no effluents are generated. Chemicals and reagents are reused continuously, making the process fully circular.
Asglobaldemandforrenewableenergy,electricvehicles, andelectrificationcontinuestosoar,theneedforcritical metalssuchascopper,cobalt,nickel,andplatinumhas becomeurgent.However,thesemetalsarefinite,and traditionalminingoperationscannotmeetthegrowing demandwithoutsignificantenvironmentalcosts.
Mohammadacknowledgesthechallenge:
Mohammad Doostmohammadi,
“Thedemandforrenewableenergy,AI,and electrificationisskyrocketing,yetthesupplyof criticalmetalsremainslimited.Miningoperations cannotcreatemoremetalsthanwhatnaturally existsindeposits,makingthesefinite resources.”
pH7Technologiesisworkingtirelesslytobridgethe supply-demandgapbyfocusingonsustainablemethodsof extractionthatreducewasteandencourageacircular economy Throughitsproprietaryprocess,thecompanyis makingitpossibletoextractmetalsfromlow-gradeores, tailings,andrecycledmaterials,offeringanenvironmentally responsiblewaytomeetglobalmetaldemand.
“Wearefocusedonmaximizingmetalextractionfromores, leavingnowastebehind,”Mohammadexplains.“By encouragingacirculareconomy,weextractmetalsfrom end-of-lifeandrecycledmaterials.Wearealsoprocessing ‘unextractable’materialsthatconventionalsmelting technologiescan’thandle,”hecontinues.Thecompany’s focusonplatinum,palladium,andiridiumforhydrogen technologies,aswellascopper,cobalt,andnickelfor electricvehicles,iscrucialinensuringasustainablesupply ofcriticalmetals.
TheOrgano-ElectrochemicalProcess
AtthecoreofpH7Technologies’successisitsinnovative extractionprocessknownasorgano-electrochemical,which isauniquecombinationoforganicchemistry,inorganic chemistry,andelectrochemistry.ThekeytopH7’s technologyliesinitsabilitytoextractcriticalmetalswhile ensuringnowasteisproducedintheprocess.“Thereal innovationisourOrgano-ElectrochemicalProcess,” Mohammadexplains.“Itcombinesorganicchemistry (solventsandligands),inorganicchemistry,and electrochemistry.”
Unliketraditionalextractionmethodsthatrelyonharsh chemicalsandproducetoxicemissions,pH7’sprocessis designedtobeentirelycircular.“Wedevelopedaclosedloopmetalextractionsystemwherechemicalsarenot consumedbutonlychangephasesthroughdifferentsteps. Theonlyconsumableintheprocessiselectricityfor electrochemicalreactions,”Mohammadexplains.This novelapproachallowspH7toextractmetalswithout generatingwastewater,effluents,ortoxicemissions.“No wastewater,notoxicemissions,andnoeffluentsare generated.Chemicalsandreagentsarereusedcontinuously, makingtheprocessfullycircular,”Mohammadadds.
Thisbreakthroughhasnotonlyrevolutionizedthe efficiencyofmetalextractionbutalsosignificantly improvedrecoveryrates,offeringatrulysustainable solutiontotheminingandrecyclingindustries.
AdvancingGreenChemistry&SustainableInnovation
Theglobalmovementtowardgreenchemistryand sustainableindustrialpracticeshasgainedsignificant momentum,withindustriesnowfocusingonreducingtheir environmentalfootprint.“Thereisagrowingglobalpush forcleanchemistryandbiodegradableprocesses,”he observes.“Majorchemicalmanufacturersnowfocuson recyclablechemicals,non-toxicindustrialprocesses,and reducinggreenhousegasemissions(GHG).”pH7 Technologiesisattheheartofthismovement,playingakey roleinhelpingtheminingindustrytransitiontowardmore sustainablepractices.
pH7’scommitmenttosustainabilityisevidentinits innovativeapproachtoeliminatingtoxicwasteand emissionsfrommetalextraction.“Wearehelpingthe miningindustryeliminateNOx,SOx,andcarbon footprints,”Mohammadshares.Thecompany’sworkin eliminatingtailingpondsandreducingenvironmental hazardsistransformingtheindustry.“Weareworkingwith miningandrecyclingindustriestocompletelytransform mineralprocessingandmetalextractionintoan environmentallyandeconomicallysustainableindustry.”
LeadershipandChallenges
Mohammad’sleadershipprinciplesaregroundedinastrong visionforthefuture,ensuringthateveryteammember, investor,andpartnerisalignedwiththecompany’slongtermgoals.“Visionaryleadershipisthemostcritical aspect,”hestates.“AtpH7,weensurethateveryteam member,stakeholder,andinvestorunderstandsthe company’svision.”
However,pioneeringnewtechnologycomeswithits challenges.“Everydaybringsnewchallengesbecausewe arepioneeringacompletelynewtechnology,”Mohammad admits.Someofthebiggestobstacleshaveincluded overcomingtechnicalhurdlesinscalinguptheextraction process,marketresistancetoadoptingdisruptive technologies,andsecuringinvestorsandpartnerswhoshare thecompany’slong-termvision.“Someofthebiggest challengesincludethetechnicalhurdlesofscalinganew extractionprocessandfindingpartnerswhobelieveinour long-termvision,”headds.
Despitethesechallenges,therewardshavebeensignificant. “Oursmallwins—prototypecompletion,pilotsuccess, commercialplantlaunch,andrevenuegeneration—keepus going,”Mohammadreflects.
PartnershipsandGrowth
pH7Technologieshasgarneredsupportfromavarietyof investors,partners,andindustryleaderswhobelieveinthe company’svision.Whilespecificsofthepartnershipsare oftenconfidential,Mohammademphasizesthevalueof thesecollaborations.“Wearefortunatetohavesupportive investorsandboardmemberswhobelieveinourvision,”he notes.“Wealsohaveindustrypartnersfrommining, recycling,andcleanenergysectors,alongwithgovernment andacademiccollaborationsthatdriveinnovation.”
pH7Technologiescontinuestoexpanditsreach,lookingfor newpartnershipsandcollaborationsthatalignwithits missiontocreateamoresustainableandefficientmetal extractionindustry.“Wearealwaysopentonew partnershipsthatalignwithourmission,”heshares,adding thatthecompanyiscommittedtobringingtogetherdiverse stakeholderstoacceleratetheadoptionofsustainable technologies.
AVisionforaSustainableFuture
Astheworldcontinuestograpplewiththepressingneed forcriticalmetalsandsustainablepractices,pH7 Technologiesiswell-positionedtoleadthechargein transformingthemetalextractionindustry.Withits innovativetechnologyandcommitmenttoenvironmental sustainability,thecompanyissettinganewstandardfor howmetalsaresourced,processed,andintegratedinto industriesthatpowertheglobaleconomy
“Wehopemorepartners,investors,andindustryleaders joinusincreatingatrulysustainablemetalextraction process—onethatisbothenvironmentallyfriendlyand economicallyviable,”Mohammadconcludes.
Tanping Wang Senior Director, ML and AI Development
Jacqueline Karlin Senior Director of AI Product PayPal
Venkatesh Shivanna
Shardul Desai
Sandeep Jha
Eleonore Fournier-Tombs
Kailash Thiyagarajan
Naresh Dulam
,, ,,
Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.
- Epictetus
Advancements in Electrochemical Technology for Sustainable Energy Solutions
Sustainableenergytechnologieshavegainedinterna-
tionalprominencesincepeopleworldwideneedto addressbothclimatechangeandenergysecurity challenges.Themostpromisinginnovativepathutilizes electrochemicaltechnologythatproducesenergythrough electrontransferbasedchemicalreactionsforbothstorage andcontrolapplications.Duetoelectrochemicalinnovation electricvehiclesreceivebatteriesandcleanhydrogen energygetsfuelcellsthusdrivingthepathtowardalowcarbonfuture.
The article presents current breakthroughs in electrochemical solutions while assessing their capabilities to establish sustainable energy management systems.
TheElectrochemicalFoundationofSustainability
Mostrenewableenergysystemsdependonelectrochemical technologytoachieveefficientstorageandconversionof power.Fundamentallyelectrochemistrycontainsoxidation andreductionprocesseswhichenableelectrode-toelectrodeelectrontransfersthroughelectrolytes.Batteries andfuelcellstogetherwithelectrolyzersoperateaskey componentsofthegreenenergysystemthroughelectrochemicaltechnology.Theoperationofelectrochemical systemsproducesminimalenvironmentalimpactbecause theyburnfueldifferentlythanfossilfuelsdowhileworking wellwithrenewableenergysourcesincludingsolarand windpower
Rapiddevelopmentinthissectoremergedfromthe necessitytopowerproductionwithoutcarbonemissions. Electrochemicalequipmentreceivescontinuousoptimizationfromscientistsandengineersastheydevelopitintoa commercialalternativetomaintaintraditionalenergy infrastructure.Theseinnovationsdelivergreenhousegas reductionsinadditiontosolvingtheintermittentpower issuewhichconstrainedrenewableenergydeployment worldwide.
Next-GenerationBatteries:EnergizingtheFuture
Oneofthelargestelectrochemicalbreakthroughsisin batteryscience.Lithium-ionbatteriesthatsupportthebases ofelectricvehicles(EVs)andhanddeviceshaveseenan explosivegrowthofenergydensityandchargerates. However,therealitythattheyarebasedonlimited resourceslikecobaltandlithiumhasnecessitatedthat alternativechemistriesbediscovered.Solid-statebatteries, forinstance,displacetheliquidelectrolyteusewithsolid, deliveringhigherenergydensity,safety,andincreased longevity.Suchcompanies,likeQuantumScapeandToyota, areracingtogetthistechnologyintothemarketplace,with testbedsindicatingthattheycoulddoubletherangeofEVs bytheendofthedecade.
FuelCells:Hydrogen’sCleanPromise
Fuelcellstransformhydrogenintoelectricitybygenerating waterastheirexclusiveproductwhichoffersapollutionfreealternativetoconventionalinternalcombustion vehicles.PEMfuelcellsimprovedtheirperformanceand manufacturingcostdecreasedthroughrecenttechnological developmentswhichexpandedtheirusagepossibilitiesfor transportationandstationarypowergeneration.The automotivesectoremploysHyundaiandToyotawhile BallardPowerSystemsreleasesfuelcellsforcommercial heavy-dutyapplications.
Oneofthemostsignificantobstaclestofuelcellshasbeen theutilizationofplatinumcatalysts,whichareexpensive andrare.Improvementsinnon-preciousmetalcatalysts, though,withmaterialscenteredonironorcobalt,are decreasingcostswithouttradingoffperformance.Solid oxidefuelcells(SOFCs)operatingathightemperaturesare alsobecomingmoreandmorecommonforindustrialuse, astheycanbefueledbyavarietyoffuels,includingbiogas, contributingtotheirsustainabilityaspect.
Electrolysis:GreenHydrogenProduction
Electrochemicaltechnologyisalsotransformingthe productionofhydrogenbyelectrolysis—separatingwater intohydrogenandoxygenwithelectricity.Poweredby renewables,electrolysisyields"greenhydrogen,"acarbonfreefuelwithenormouspotentialtodecarbonizeindustries suchassteelproductionandairtravel.Improvementsinthe efficiencyofelectrolyzers,especiallyPEMandalkaline systems,haveminimizedenergydemands,placinggreen hydrogenonamoreeconomicfooting.
ChallengesandFutureDirections
Evenwiththesedevelopments,electrochemicaltechnologiesareconfrontedwithchallenges.Materialshortages, initialcapitaloutlays,andinfrastructureshortagescontinue tobehighchallenges.Toillustrate,large-scaleproduction ofbatteriesdemandssecuresupplychainsforkeyminerals, whereashydrogenuptakeisdependentonestablishinga worldwidedistributionsystem.Furthermore,electrochemicalsystemsneedtoseetheirefficiencyimproveinorderto beatfossilfuelentrenchedoperators.
Inthefuture,artificialintelligenceandmachinelearningare acceleratingadvancementthrougheffectivematerial discoveryandsystemdesign.Scientistsalsoaredeveloping bio-inspiredelectrochemicalsystems,suchasartificial photosynthesis,thatcanultimatelymimicplantstoproduce fuelsdirectlyfromthesun.Further,theintegrationof electrochemicaldevicesintosmartgridswillenablethemto moreeffectivelybalancesupplyanddemand,makingthe bestuseofrenewables.
ASustainableEnergyHorizon
Electrochemicaltechnologyisattheheartoftheclean energyrevolution,enablingflexiblesolutionsforstoring, converting,andutilizingcleanenergy.Fromnextgenerationbatteriestofuelcellsandgreenhydrogen,these innovationsarenotincrementaladditions—theyareasea changeinhowweproduceandconsumepower.Asscience progressesatanewpaceinthecontextofcostefficiency andefficacy,electrochemicalsystemswillleadtheway towardestablishingacarbon-freeworld,poweringcitiesto industrieswithaguaranteeofagreenercleanerfuture.
-Alaya Brown
R&DEngineer
PhebevanLangevelde
Most Innovative Electrochemistry Companies to Watch in 2025
Transforming Ocean Chemistry into a Global CO₂ Solution
Astheworldracesagainsttimetomeetnet-zero
goalsby2050,theneedforeffectivecarbon removaltechnologieshasneverbeenmorecritical. SeaO isemergingasapioneeringforceinthisurgent 2 mission,leveragingelectrochemistrytoofferaninnovative andscalablesolutiontoCO₂removal.Ratherthanrelying ontraditionalmethods,thecompanyistappingintothe naturalpoweroftheoceantocapturecarbonatamassive scale—transformingoneofEarth’smostabundant resourcesintoakeyallyincombatingclimatechange.
Asthedrivingforcebehindthistransformativeproject standsPhebevanLangeveldewhocurrentlyservesas R&DEngineeratSeaO.Asanacademicresearch-trained 2 company,SeaO advancestechnologythatextractsCO₂ 2 fromseawaterbyusingonlyelectricityandseawaterwhile maintainingasustainableandcost-efficientstructure. Globalclimategoalsalignwiththisprocess,andit demonstratespotentialscalabilitywhilemaintaining practicalityandenvironmentalfriendlinessthroughcarbon removal.
Let’s dive into the interview to explore SeaO ’ s 2 groundbreaking approach to CO₂ capture and electrochemical innovation!
Canyoutellusaboutyourcompany’sjourneyandhow itbecamealeaderinelectrochemistryinnovation?
SeaO wasfoundedin2021byRubenBrands,Rose 2 SharifianandDavidVermaas.Rose’sPhDwork,supervised byDavid,focusedonelectrochemicalDirectOceanCapture (DOC)technologyandlaidthefoundationforthestartof SeaO.Hence,SeaO isaspin-offfromDelftUniversityof 2 2 TechnologyandWetsus,theEuropeancentreofexcellence forsustainablewatertechnology.RoseandDavidlater partneredwithRuben,whohasabackgroundinBusiness andLaw,andtogethertheyfoundedSeaO2
OvertheyearsSeaO hasexpandedtoateamof15andhas 2 reachedTRL5,almost6.Ourtechnologyhasbeen demonstratedatalaboratoryscale,andwearecurrently commissioningacontainersizedmodule,whichisdesigned toremove25tonsofCO annually 2
SeaO isagreatexampleoftherapidlydevelopingsectorof 2 electrochemicaltechnologies.AttheheartofSeaO’s2 processistheelectrochemicalproductionofacidandbase fromseawaterthroughabipolarmembraneelectrodialysis setup.Unlikeelectrolysisprocessesusedfortheproduction ofchemicalslikehydrogenorCO-basedfuels,weusethe 2 electrochemicallyproducedacidtoshiftthecarbonate
equilibriuminseawater,enablingtheextractionofgaseous CO.OncetheCO isextracted,wereturnthedecarbonised 2 2 seawatertotheocean,whereitwillre-absorbCO fromthe 2 atmosphere.Weonlyuseelectricityandseawater,wedon’t addanychemicalsorheatinourprocess.
Whatinspiredthefoundingofyourcompany,andwhat keychallengesdidyouovercometoreachwhereyouare today?
SeaO wasfoundedtodevelopasolutiontotacklethe 2 urgentchallengeofachievingNetZeroby2050,acrucial steptolimitglobalwarmingto1.5ºC.TheIPCCpredicts that,evenifcarbonemissionsaredrasticallyreduced,stilla significantamountofCO ofatleast10gigatonsperyear 2 willbeemitted.Toaddressthis,carbondioxideremoval (CDR)technologiesmustbedevelopedtocapture emissionsfromhard-to-abatesectors.
AtSeaO,webelievethatthevastscaleoftheoceansoffers 2 thebestsolutiontocaptureCO atagigatonscale.Our 2
oceanscover71%oftheearth’ssurface,making themabsorbalargeportionofourCO emissions, 2 around33%.Moreover,theCO concentrationin 2 seawaterisapproximately150xlargerthaninair, whichiswhywebelieveit’smoreenergyefficient toleveragetheocean’snaturalcarbonremoval powertocaptureCO thanfromair 2
Oneofthekeychallengesthatwehaveovercome atSeaO involvesthescalingofourocean-based 2 CO₂removaltechnologyfromlabtopilotwhile improvingtheenergyefficiencyandsystem stabilityinreal-worldconditions.Thedevelopment ofarobustMRV(Measurement,Reporting& Verification)frameworktoensuretransparency, accuracy,andcredibilityofcarbonremovalclaims isachallengingprocessthatisstillongoing. Furthermore,wehaveworkedhardtosecureour earlymarkettractionandinvestorconfidence, despiteoperatinginanovelandemergingcarbon removalcategory
Whatgroundbreakingtechnologiesorproducts isyourcompanydevelopingthatsetitapartin theelectrochemistryspace?
OurDOCprocessisrevolutionarybecauseitonly useselectricity,generatedfromrenewablesources, andseawater,withouttheuseofanyadditional heatorchemicals.Thismakesourtechnologybothcosteffectiveandscalable,settingusapartfromothercarbon capturetechnologies.Furthermore,fewcompaniesare currentlyworkingonelectrochemicalCDRtechnologiesin general,whichmakesSeaO quiteuniqueinthe 2 electrochemistryspace.
At SeaO2, we believe that the vast scale of the oceans offers the best solu on to capture CO₂ at a gigaton scale.
Howdoesyourcompanyintegratesustainabilityand eco-friendlypracticesintoitsresearchand development?
Sustainabilityis,ofcourse,atthecoreofourtechnology,as CO capturedirectlycontributestocombatingclimate 2 change.Additionally,sinceweareusingseawater,weare committedtoensuringourprocesshasthelowestpossible environmentalimpact.Inthisregard,ourmonitoring, reportingandverification(MRV)processisessential.Since DOCisarelativelynewprocess,weareworkingon relevantresearchtowardsenvironmentalimpactin collaborationwithrenownedresearchinstitutes.
Howdoyouseethefutureofelectrochemistryevolving, andwhatroledoesyourcompanyplayinshapingthat future?
Whilevariousnew,interestingelectrochemistry technologiesaredeveloping,thekeychallengeisscale.For electrochemicaltechnologiestomakeameaningfulimpact onclimatechange,thescaleofallprocessesshould drasticallyincrease,whilenotcompromisingonenergy
efficiency.Althoughelectrochemistrycompaniesare developingdifferenttechnologiesandapproaches,thisisa universalchallengewithinthefield,alsoforSeaO2
Whatindustriesorsectorsarebenefitingthemostfrom yourinnovations,andhowareyoumakinganimpact?
Asignificantwayinwhichwearemakinganimpactat SeaO andothersectorsarebenefittingfromourinnovation 2 istheversatilityofourbusinessmodel.Firstly,wesell carboncreditstocompaniestooffsettheiremissions. Second,weextractCO₂fromtheoceanandsellitto companiesthatneed(green)CO₂,likefortheproductionof sustainableaviationfuelsorgreenmethanol,toachievenetzeroemissionsinaviationandshipping.Lastly,wearealso planningtosellourtechnologythroughalicensesothat othercompaniescanextractCO₂fromtheocean themselves.Inthesethreemanners,SeaO willmakeabig 2 impactacrossmultiplesectors.
Whatadvicewouldyougivetostartupsandresearchers lookingtoinnovateinelectrochemistry?
Thinkbeyondtheconventionalareaslikehydrogen production.Thereissomuchthatcanbepoweredthrough electrochemistry,andmoreinnovativedevelopmentsare neededtoelectrifyourfuturesociety
What’snextforyourcompany?Canyoushareany upcomingprojectsorcollaborationsweshouldbe excitedabout?
ExcitingtimesareaheadforSeaO!SeaO secureditsfirst 2 2 majorroundoffundinglastOctober,allowingustoscaleup ouroperations.Ourultimategoalistoremoveatleast1 megatonofCO fromtheoceanby2030andreachgigaton 2 levelsby2045.Currentlywearecommissioningour containermodule,whichwillremove25tonsofCO2 annually.Laterthisyearwestarttheconstructionofa250tonplant.Furthermore,wewilllaunchaseries-Afunding roundtofurtherexpandourtechnology.Therearesome interestingcollaborationsaheadfocussingontheusageof ourCO.Forinstance,werecentlypartneredwithTransavia 2 VenturestoseehowourcapturedCO canbeusedinthe 2 productionofsustainableaviationfuels,andTransaviais investinginSeaO aswell. 2
I nnovative Electrochemistry Techniques for Next-Generation Batteries
Energystoragesystemsrequiringefficiency
alongsidesustainabilityandhigh-performancehave becomeessentialfortheworldrightnow.
Researchersinvestigateinnovativeelectrochemistry approachestodevelopnewbatterytechnologiesbecause currentlithium-ionbatteriesshowthreemainlimitations duringEVadoptionandrenewableenergyrollouts. Researchadvancesthepossibilitytodevelopbetterbatteries whichprovidehighpoweroutputatthesametimeensuring safetyandenvironmentalprotection.
The article delves into prominent electrochemical solutions which will shape up the energy storage systems of tomorrow
TheNeedforNext-GenerationBatteries
Thebreakthroughtechnologyoflithium-ionbatteries suffersfrommultiplelimitationsduringitsoperation.The combinationofdangerousflammableelectrolyteswithlow energydensitylevelsof250Wh/kgrestrictstheirusein bothextendedEVdrivesandpowergridstoragesystems. Theextractionoflithiumandcobaltminingmaterials createsbothmoralandenvironmentalconcerns.Thefuture
batteryindustryintendstoeliminatecurrentlimitations throughadvancedelectrochemicalmethodsalongwith materialsubstitutionsandadvancedproductiontechnologies.
Solid-StateElectrolytes:AGameChanger
Theadvancementofbatterytechnologythroughsolid-state electrolyteshasbecomeoneofthemostsignificant revolutionarydevelopments.Lithium-ionbatterieswith conventionalconstructionuseorganicliquidelectrolytes whichenableiontransportbetweenanodeandcathode.The liquidelectrolytesfacethreemainproblemswhichinclude leakageandthermalrunawayeffectsaswellasdendrite growththatgeneratesmicroscopiclithiumspikeswhich causebatteryshort-circuits.
Challengespersist,though.Thepoorcontactbetween electrodesandsolidelectrolytesproduceshighresistance. Atomiclayerdeposition(ALD)servesasamethodby scientiststocreateelectrolytelayerswithoptimalthicknesseswhichboostsionmovementandfacilitatesincreased scaledeployment.
RedoxFlowBatteries:ScalabilityMeetsFlexibility
Thoughportableapplicationsareinthecrosshairsforsolidstatebatteries,redoxflowbatteries(RFBs)aretaking advantageforstationarypowerstorage.Notlikeregular batteries,RFBssupplytheenergywithinfluidelectrolytes confinedinexteriorcontainers,divorcingenergycapacity frompower.Andthat'sfantasticforgridscale,wherealong durationforstoragemattersthemost.
RFBelectrochemistryinnovationstargetredox-active speciesoptimization.Classicvanadium-basedRFBsare effectivebutexpensiveandvanadium-scarce.Morerecent organicandhybridsystemsinvolvingquinonesoriron compoundsprovidelessexpensive,moreavailable substitutes.Electrochemicalengineeringmethods,suchas adjustingelectrolytepHorusingmediatorstopromote reactionkinetics,areenhancingefficiencyandcyclelife.
BeyondLithium:MultivalentIonBatteries
Multivalentionbatteries,whichemployionssuchas magnesium(Mg²⁺),calcium(Ca²⁺),oraluminum(Al³⁺)with multiplechargesperion,arethreateningtooverthrow Lithium'ssupremacy.Themulti-electrontransfertheoreticallydoublesortriplesenergydensityoverlithium'ssingleelectronsystem.Magnesiumbatteries,forexample,utilize magnesiummetalanodeswitha2,205mAh/gcapacityand arelesssusceptibletodendritegrowththanlithium.
Thetwist?Multivalentionstransportslowlyinmost electrolytesandelectrodematerialsbecausetheyhave higherchargedensity.Innovativeelectrochemistryis overcomingthiswithdesignedelectrolytes—suchas magnesiumborohydridecomplexes—andnanostructured cathodes,suchasMoS₂orV₂O₅,thatofferconduitsforion diffusion.Thesedevelopmentsmaymeanbatteriesthatare notjustmoreenergy-densebutalsosaferandgreener, owingtotheabundanceofmagnesium.
ElectrosynthesisandSelf-HealingElectrodes
Anotherfrontierisinelectrodedesign.Electrosynthesis methods,whereinelectrochemicalprocessesareemployed tosynthesizeelectrodematerials,providestructureand compositioncontrol.Forinstance,electrochemically depositedsiliconanodescanbedesignedwithporous architecturestoaccommodatevolumeexpansionupon cycling—acriticalissueinhigh-capacitymaterials.
Self-healingelectrodesgoastepfurther.Modeledafter nature,theseelectrodesincorporatepolymersoradditives thatmendcracksordegradationinuse.Suchanexampleis theuseofdynamiccovalentbondsinsiliconanodes,which reformwhenbroken,increasingbatterylongevity.Such developmentsminimizethenecessityforfrequentreplacements,reducingcostsandwastage.
InnovativeElectrochemistryInterfacesandMachine Learning
Theoperationofnext-generationbatteriesdependson interfacesbetweenelectrodesandelectrolytes.Sophisticatedelectrochemicalmethods,suchasin-situspectroscopy andscanningelectrochemicalmicroscopy,enablescientists toanalyzetheseinterfacesinrealtimeandobservehow electronsandionsbehave.Thisinformationguidesthe developmentofcoatingsoradditivesthatstabilizethese boundaries.
Machinelearningisspeedinguptheprocess.Algorithms canmakepredictionsonidealmaterialpairsorworking conditionsbyexamininghugedatasetsfromelectrochemicaltests.Forexample,modelswithAIhavepickedout promisingsolidelectrolytes,reducingdevelopmenttime fromyearstomonths.
ChallengesandtheRoadAhead
Despitethepromise,suchtechniquesarefacedwith challenges.Scalingupsolid-statebatteriesentailslow-cost production,whereasmultivalentsystemsdemandimproved electrolytes.RFBshavetoovercomeenergydensity constraintsfortheirwidespreadadoption.Inaddition, incorporatingthesetechnologiesintocurrentsupplychains requiresinvestmentandstandardization.
Newandinnovativeelectrochemistrytechnologiesare changingthefaceofenergystorage.Fromsolid-state electrolytestomultivalentionsandself-healingelectrodes, theseemergingadvancescircumventthelimitationsof existingbatterieswhilepresentingnewopportunities.As scientistsadvance,cooperationamongscientists,engineers, andindustrywillbecriticaltocommercializingthese breakthroughs.Thefutureofbatteriesisn'tatechnology advance—it'sasolutiontoasustainableenergyfuture.
-Alaya Brown
