Materials Science & MRSEC seminar by Sossina M. Haile, MS&E & Applied Physics, Northwestern University

Laboratories around the world are pursuing a variety of promising strategies for converting solar energy into a reliable energy source for on-demand utilization. We describe here a thermochemical approach for achieving this goal using solar heat as the energy source and redox active non-stoichiometric oxides as the reaction medium. Specifically, upon exposure to high temperatures and/or inert gas, the oxide undergoes reduction (without change in crystalline phase) to release oxygen.