The Centre of Advanced Materials for Integrated Energy Systems (CAM-IES) has the pleasure to host a talk by Prof. Dr. Olivier Guillon, Head of Institute, Institute of Energy and Climate Research IEK-1: Materials Synthesis and Processing at Jülich Forschungszentrum. 

ABSTRACT: The transition to a sustainable and affordable energy supply relies on the introduction of reliable, highly-efficient technologies such as fuel cells, electrolysers, and batteries. The coupling of different energy carriers (electricity and chemicals) is thus made possible over different time scales. At the core of such electrochemical devices, advanced functional ceramics can be tailored to achieve high ionic and/or electronic conductivity. Furthermore, aspects of processability and stability under operation conditions need to be considered. Examples will be given in the field of solid oxide fuel/electrolysis cells and solid-state Li and Na batteries.

Advanced registration (free) advised due to room capacity: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/advanced-ceramics-for-electrochemical-energy-conversion-and-storage-tickets-60300192499

Prof. Michele Ceriotti (Laboratory of Computational Science and Modelling, EPFL) 

Abstract:

Statistical regression techniques have become very fashionable as a tool to predict the properties of systems at the atomic scale, sidestepping much of the computational cost of first-principles simulations and making it possible to perform simulations that require thorough statistical sampling without compromising on the accuracy of the electronic structure model.

In this talk I will argue how data-driven modelling can be rooted in a mathematically rigorous and physically-motivated framework, and how this is beneficial to the accuracy and the transferability of the model. I will also highlight how machine learning – despite amounting essentially to data interpolation – can provide important physical insights on the behaviour of complex systems, on the synthesizability and on the structure-property relations of materials.

I will give examples concerning all sorts of atomistic systems, from semiconductors to molecular crystals, and properties as diverse as drug-protein interactions, dielectric response of aqueous systems and NMR chemical shielding in the solid state. 

Prof. Laurence Marks, Northwestern University Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

It has been known for at least a century that chloride has a major effect on corrosion, often increasing the rate of attack by an order of magnitude or more. This has serious consequences, not just for corrosion in sea water but also within humans; they have similar chloride ion levels. The literature is full of conflicting models each developed with particular approaches focusing on one aspect of the problem, rarely looking at the larger picture. The focus of this talk will be to show that the different conflicting models are not in fact conflicting. Density functional theory calculations show that chloride plays a critical role in disrupting the hydrogen bonding networks at oxide surfaces by replacing chemisorbed hydroxide. This leads to a reduction in the surface free energy which promotes morphological instabilities, these later conclusions being supported by transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography results.

This seminar will be followed by tea, coffee, and biscuits at 4pm in the tearoom.

View the seminar series on Talks.cam - http://talks.cam.ac.uk/show/index/98965

Dr Rylie Green, Imperial College London, Bioengineering Department.

This seminar will be followed by tea, coffee, and biscuits at 4pm in the tearoom. 

View the seminar series on Talks.cam - http://talks.cam.ac.uk/show/index/98965

The afternoon programme of talks begins at 1.45 (registration from 1.15 pm) at the Pippard Lecture Theatre, Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE. The Forum includes the award of the Armourers & Brasiers’ Materials Science Venture Prize and the 21st Kelly Lecture (Professor Yves Bréchet, Grenoble Institute of Technology).