Alvin J. Salkind

Electrochemical engineering.

The objectives of this laboratory/group are to provide an educational environment for undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral students; to establish a center of expertise in applied electrochemistry; to be a breeding ground for technical ventures in the fields of energy storage and conversion and environmental remediation; and to be an international resource for research and development. The present activities are supported by a number of government, industrial, and institutional sources. The laboratory has a senior core staff with extensive experience in the field of applied electrochemistry and batteries. In addition to Professor Salkind, research activities and guidance to students are also provided by visiting and adjunct faculty. Research is carried out in the following areas: (1) Stability and structure of electrochemically active materials. These include: nickel-hydroxide, lead-oxide, silver-oxide, lithium, cadmium, lead, metal-hydrides, manganese dioxide, and conductive polymers. Studies include material preparations, crystal structure, thermal properties and chemical activity; (2) The battery and electrochemical engineering laboratory has been designated as the center for the study of metal hydrides for hydrogen storage by the International Battery Materials Association ; (3) Diffusion phenomena, current distribution, and modeling in porous electrodes, membranes, and battery separators. This includes physiological materials such as bone. Our equipment includes computer controlled four position porosimeter and segmented electrode cells.; (4) The effect of electrochemical and electromagnetic fields on bone and wound repair. Several projects are underway which range from the growth of tissue in petri dishes to clinical trials for the treatment of non- repairing fractures and wounds; (5) The overall field of preparation of chemicals, plating and removal of impurities from solutions by electrochemical methods. At present we are studying both cadmium, lead, antimony, and arsenic. Static and flow cells are in use; (6) The AC and DC impedance of materials and composites. AC techniques employ computer programmable generators between the frequencies of 100 microHz to 100 KHz. These enable the capacitance and ohmic components of impedance to be separated. From such calculations, one can determine the effective surface area and other surface phenomena and create models of equivalent circuits; (7) Design of high energy density, high power density power sources for electric vehicles, heart assist devices, and implantable medical devices; (8) Charge transfer in electrodes, catalysts, and semiconductors. The effect of additives on the Tafel relation and other kinetic equations. Thermodynamics and thermal characteristics of chemical cells.

Recent Publications Guzelsu, A., Salkind, A.J. Shen, X., Patel, U., Thaler, S., and Berg, R.A. (1993). Effect of Electromagnetic Stimulation with Different Waveforms on Cultured Chick Tendon Fibroblast, Biomechanics 15: 115-131 Viswanathan, V. and Salkind, A.J. (1994). Oxygen Recombination Sealed Ni-Cd Cells, Electrochemical Society 141: 2614-2624. Hamel, R.O., Salkind, A.J. (1995). Sealed Lead-Acid Batteries. Chapter 24 in Handbook of Batteries and Fuel Cells, Linden, D. [ed.}. McGraw-Hill; 2nd Edition. Cannone, A.G., Kelley, J.J., Salkind, A.J. (1995). Lead-Acid Batteries, Chapter 25 in Handbook of Batteries and Fuel Cells. Linden, D. [ed.}. McGraw-Hill; 2nd Edition.