14 DAY TRIAL // Apparently, researchers are keen on sparing no efforts in coming up with new ideas which could fasten the development of renewables.
The scientists from DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in partnership with the MIT team of experts have launched an online tool named the Materials Project, which acts like a “Google” engine for material characteristics, helping experts from universities and laboratories improve their further research.
In order to fully exploit the potential of the materials they are relying on, scientists have to know what they're dealing with.
At this point in time, 90% of the fabrics which are needed for the development of alternative energy is imported from China, therefore, experts warn that potential supply shortages might intervene, representing major bumps in the road. This percentage involves 14 elements, out of which 9 are considered “rare earth” elements.
Their innovative breakthrough, once implemented, will give scientists the chance to use supercomputers in order to index inorganic compounds, taking into consideration their particular characteristics, such as stability, voltage, capacity, and oxidation state.
Researchers from DOE’s labs will then have free access to precious information for all the fields of activity, including the development of solar panels and wind turbines.
This idea will most likely be put in practice in the near future, since several companies have proved their interest towards the manufacturing process of corrosion-resistant lightweight aluminum alloys, a compound which could be used to produce lighter planes and vehicles, on a large commercial scale.
This goal couldn't be achieved without the informational support provided by the Materials Project.
The presence of lithium-ion batteries, hydrogen storage, thermoelectrics, electrodes for fuel cells, and photovoltaics, along with their long lists of benefits wouldn't have been possible without the contribution of this device, which uncovered the benefits of the materials used in the manufacturing processes.
At this point in time, the online tool stores and can display the properties of up to 15,000 inorganic compounds and scientists keep adding hundreds of new pieces of information to their data base every single day.