Professor Paul Shearing recognised as global visionary in emerging technologies

The Royal Academy of Engineering has today announced long-term support to Professor Paul Shearing from UCL Chemical Engineering as a global visionary to develop more efficient, safer, and cheaper battery technologies. The development of technologies such as electric vehicles, robotics and renewable power sources rely on improved battery technology that operates in increasingly demanding applications. This has driven a demand for alternative battery chemistries including solid-state batteries, metallic anodes, Li-sulphur, Na-ion, Li-air and multi-valent chemistries which are each at varying stages of development. Together these new chemistries will help to tackle issues associated with cost, safety, durability, energy and power density, but many are pre-commercial and need further basic engineering research to move to commercial deployment. By improving our fundamental understanding of battery materials engineering, Professor Shearing's work will remove the barriers to commercialisation and accelerate the development and deployment of emerging battery technologies for next generation energy storage. Professor Shearing's project will explore the new materials, cell designs and manufacturing processes needed to improve battery technologies and, by embedding advanced imaging and diagnostic tools into the design cycle of new materials, accelerate the commercialisation of these devices. The project will seek to generate, and retain, new IP and expertise in the UK.