University of Nottingham Ningbo China
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Liquid salts for energy and materials: Faraday discussion

Location
UNNC International Conference Centre (ICC)
Date(s)
11 (08:00) - 13 May 2016 (23:59)
Contact
Events Team, China                                                         
Royal Society of Chemistry                                                                                                           
5th Floor, South Block
Tower C, Raycom InfoTech Park
2 Kexueyuan South Road
Haidian District
Beijing 100190, China                                                                                                           
00 86 105982 2317                                                        
Contact us by email
Description

Introduction

In 1834, Michael Faraday reported his first discovery of the laws of electrolysis, mostly through experiments in molten salts. The field has contained to grow ever since, with developments of various liquid salts, including, but not limited to, oxide melts, ionic liquids, and deep eutectic solvents.

In the context of the global challenges facing our present civilisation, energy technologies and their supporting materials are crucial. A great many opportunities remain, particularly for thermal, electrochemical and nuclear energy vectors in relation to liquid salts. Even fossil energy, and the related CO2 capture, conversion and utilisation can be accommodated efficiently in liquid salts-based processes and devices. 

Thanks to their great range of working temperatures, liquid salt innovations can offer significant benefits for improving energy efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of the production of many materials and of processing technologies. Yet, technological advancement relies heavily on a sound understanding of the underlying science of the huge number of liquid salts and their widely varying properties. 

With a focus on energy and materials, this Faraday Discussion will offer a unique opportunity for all scientists and engineers to present, discuss and debate recent discoveries and future developments in relation to the understanding and applications of liquid salts, particularly at elevated temperatures.

Themes

Benefits to energy efficiency and environmental impact

This session will discuss energy efficiency in process chemistry and engineering including, but not limited to, production and processing of both known and new materials in liquid salts, such as:

. nanostructured silicon, carbon, and ceramics, 

. carbon-metal, carbon-ceramic, and metal-ceramic hybrids,

. biomass extractions and derivatives. 

Improvements of energy conversion and storage 

This session will cover energy conversion, thermal and electrochemical energy storage, CO2 capture and utilisation, and the related materials issues and innovation, with a highlight of recent progresses in supercapacitors, direct carbon fuel cells, the so called molten-air rechargeable batteries, and others. 

Developments for nuclear reactors and spent fuels processing

Molten salts based reactors are discussed in conjunction with improved and novel technologies for processing spent fuels in both ionic liquids and molten salts, including the electrolytic approach. 

applications of liquid salts, particularly at elevated temperatures.

Themes

Benefits to energy efficiency and environmental impact
This session will discuss energy efficiency in process chemistry and engineering including, but not limited to, production and processing of both known and new materials in liquid salts, such as:
. nanostructured silicon, carbon, and ceramics, 
. carbon-metal, carbon-ceramic, and metal-ceramic hybrids,
. biomass extractions and derivatives. 

Improvements of energy conversion and storage 
This session will cover energy conversion, thermal and electrochemical energy storage, CO2 capture and utilisation, and the related materials issues and innovation, with a highlight of recent progresses in supercapacitors, direct carbon fuel cells, the so called molten-air rechargeable batteries, and others. 


Developments for nuclear reactors and spent fuels processing
Molten salts based reactors are discussed in conjunction with improved and novel technologies for processing spent fuels in both ionic liquids and molten salts, including the electrolytic approach. 

Advancement in knowledge of phenomena and processes
Advancements in all fundamental aspects of ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents, oxide melts, and molten salts, specifically interfacial phenomena and processes, will be discussed and debated in relation to energy conversion and storage, and the supporting materials.

Aims

This Faraday Discussion aims to bring together scientists and engineers from academia and industry to discuss and debate the state of the art in liquid salts, to development of a better understanding of their fundamental properties and how their application can help in addressing some of the most important current global challenges.