Symposium “CHO3-Neutron scattering enabled energy materials design” at MRS Spring Meeting

Neutron scattering provides insight into the structure and dynamics driving material properties through a wide range of different techniques. It is a non-destructive and highly penetrating probe, which can be combined with complex sample environment enabling in situ and in operando measurements. This symposium will explore how different neutron scattering techniques can be used to explore energy materials, with the aim of understanding the structures and processes to accelerate materials development. Neutron scattering is used to understand the structure and properties of all forms of condensed matter, and is exceptionally-well suited to studying how the transport and binding of energy and charge-carrying species relate to their dynamics and the material's crystal structure. H2, H+, and Li+ are key to a range of leading energy technologies, and are excellent neutron scatterers, making neutron-based analysis ideal for in situ and in operando studies of hydrogen storage, fuel-cell, catalytic, and battery materials. Similar research into the functionality of solar-cell, thermoelectric, caloric, nuclear, and CO2 capture/storage materials rely on other unique aspects of neutron scattering and can be used to showcase how their structure and dynamics provide an understanding of the material stability and the binding and mobility of species of interest. This symposium, focussing on advances and developments in neutron scattering for the characterization of energy materials, will be of interest to new and expert users alike. Attendees with little or no experience of neutron scattering who are working on energy materials will discover how powerful neutron scattering is as a characterization method, while those with more experience will find this an invaluable networking opportunity, fostering interactions and advancing knowledge in the field.