Solid State Aspects of Energy Conversion

Abstract

Efficient energy conversion forms the foundation for harnessing our widespread, renewable sources of energy (e.g., solar, geothermal, wind, etc.) to meet the rising global energy demands of society. Most often, this conversion requires that the incident radiation, excess heat, or mechanical energy be transformed into transportable fuels or electrical power. Electrochemical reactions that occur at the interfaces of solids represent a common underlying strategy to drive the formation, storage, and/or release of energy. While usually simple in conceptualization, reactions at solid state interfaces are highly dependent on a plethora of parameters, including chemical composition, crystalline structure, particle morphology and microstructure, the orientation of the exposed surface facets, and so on. This special issue focuses on the many aspects of solid state chemistry that impact the efficiency of electroactive solids in energy conversion.