August 29, 2013

ORNL-grown oxygen ‘sponge’ presents path to better catalysts, energy materials



Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a new oxygen “sponge” that can easily absorb or shed oxygen atoms at low temperatures. Materials with these novel characteristics would be useful in devices such as rechargeable batteries, sensors, gas converters and fuel cells.

Materials containing atoms that can switch back and forth between multiple oxidation states are technologically important but very rare in nature, says ORNL’s Ho Nyung Lee, who led the international research team that published its findings in Nature Materials.