Science of Precision Multifunctional Nanostructures for Electrical Energy Storage

Former ISR Director and Professor Gary Rubloff (MSE/ISR) will lead a new Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) as part of a major new U.S. Department of Energy program. Rubloff, who directs the Maryland NanoCenter, will draw faculty groups from three colleges—The A. James Clark School of Enginering; Chemical and Life Sciences; and Computer, Math and Physical Sciences. EFRCs enlist the talents and skills of the very best American scientists and engineers to address current fundamental scientific roadblocks to U.S. energy security. The University of Maryland EFRC will address the "Science of Precision Multifunctional Nanostructures for Electrical Energy Storage." Its objective is to understand how nanostructures formed from multiple materials behave and their potential for a new generation of electrical energy storage technology. By using materials in precisely built nanostructures, energy storage devices will hold more energy, will charge or deliver electricity faster, and remain stable for longer lifetimes, while reducing space and weight.