Mathijs Janssen: Electric double layers - from fundamental questions to applications

I will present some of my work on the solid-electrolyte interface. There, so-called electric double layers (EDLs) can form that consist of electrons on the solid screened by a diffuse cloud of ions in the adjacent liquid. EDLs are of paramount importance to many processes in physical chemistry, soft matter and biophysics, as well as in EDL capacitors and modern "supercapacitors". My work on EDLs focused on their (out-of-equilibrium) formation through questions like: 'On what timescale does an electrolyte respond to an applied temperature or voltage difference?', 'How does the (local) temperature in an electrolyte react to an applied electric field?', and 'How is the EDL affected by a change in temperature or salt concentration?'. I will show how answers to these questions suggest new methods for harvesting sustainable energy, for instance, from the controlled mixing of seawater and river water.

This talk is part of the Mechanics Lunch Seminar series. That means 20min talks plus discussion in an informal setting.

Registration Link:  https://nettskjema.no/a/161232