With the increased demand for fossil fuels and subsequent concerns about global warming, research in energy and environmental technology is more important than ever. This research involves both developing materials that allow the existing infrastructure to use fossil fuels more efficiently and making alternative energy sources more affordable and efficient to become a viable replacement for fossil fuels. Here in the Materials Science and Engineering department at Cornell, we have numerous people researching the latter, mainly focusing on fuel cells. Through the Cornell Fuel Cell Institute, people in the MS&E department are working on projects such as finding faster catalytic electrodes, creating electrodes that are easier to produce and offer more surface area, as well as developing electrolytic membranes that are conductive but still retain good barrier properties.
Read more energy and environmental technology research at Cornell: