From the gadgets in our pockets to the wheels on the road, we need batteries to help the world go round. In this episode we examine the chemistry behind how batteries function, eco-friendly alternatives, and what materials we might need to offer more sustainable options for everyday consumers. We speak with Dr Ieuan Seymour, a researcher at the University of Aberdeen, to discuss how vital batteries for our present and our future. What might we do when we run out of the elements that we need to make batteries? How can we reuse existing materials instead of mining more?

Intro [00:00]

About the episode [01:25]

Batteries background [03:25]

Meet the guests [10:33]

Interview [12:03]

The Breakdown [27:05]

Expert Test [28:23]

Conclusion [32:24]

Dr Ieuan Seymour is lecturer in the Chemistry Department at the University of Aberdeen. His work spans the fields of materials science and chemistry, focusing on innovative solutions for energy storage and generation. His research group uses a combination of high-performance computing and cutting-edge experimental techniques to understand the structure and properties of sustainable energy materials all the way from the atomistic level to device level applications. An important focus of his work is developing new materials with increases sustainability from cradle to grave.

Ieuan completed his Master’s degree in Material Science and Engineering at Imperial College London in 2012. He subsequently completed his PhD in Chemistry at the University of Cambridge under the supervision of Professor Dame Clare P. Grey. His PhD focused on the electrochemical performance and degradation mechanisms of next generation manganese-based cathodes for Li-ion batteries. After his PhD, he was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Texas at Austin and Imperial College London where he explored new materials discovery for high performance, sustainable ‘beyond Li-ion’ and next-generation solid-state batteries. Through mentorship and teaching, Ieuan shares his passion for materials chemistry, inspiring the next generation of researchers to address pressing challenges in sustainability and energy innovation.

Producer: Shazia Ur-Rehman (CTVC)

Content Producer: Stevie Strowman (CTVC)

Guest: Dr Ieuan Seymour

Hosts: Mariama Ifode-Blease and Samuel Dada

Guest student: William Terry-Wright

Writer: Alastair Collinson (CTVC)

Researchers: William Terry-Wright, Bairavee R T Ravindran

Sound mixer: Pat Pretorius (CTVC)

Cover Art: Sam Osbourne 

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