Technology and the built world

Electrochemical cement production

Electrochemical cement production converts calcium feedstocks into cement using electricity rather than high-temperature limestone calcination, targeting process emissions behind about 8% of global CO2; Sublime Systems runs a commercial plant.

Electrochemical depolymerization of lignin and plastics in flow reactors

Electrochemical depolymerization of lignin and plastics in flow reactors uses electric current in continuously pumped electrolyte to break lignin and plastic waste into aromatic monomers and hydrogen under mild conditions.

Electrochemical discharge machining

Electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM), also known as spark assisted chemical engraving (SACE), is a micromachining process that machines nonconductive materials like glass, quartz, and ceramics for MEMS devices.

Electrochemical hydrogen compressor

An electrochemical hydrogen compressor (EHC) is a device that compresses hydrogen by pumping protons across a proton exchange membrane, offering noiseless, vibration-free operation with no moving parts.

Electrochemical ironmaking

Electrochemical ironmaking is the reduction of iron ore to metallic iron by electrolysis, using electricity instead of carbon or hydrogen, developed as a near-zero-emission alternative to blast furnace ironmaking.

Electrochemical machining

Electrochemical machining (ECM) is a manufacturing process that dissolves metal from a conductive workpiece in an electrolyte, shaping hard alloys like turbine blades without tool wear or a heat-affected layer.

Electrochemical oxidation of HMF to FDCA

The electrochemical oxidation of HMF to FDCA is an anodic electrosynthesis converting biomass-derived HMF into FDCA, the precursor to PEF, a recyclable bio-based potential replacement for PET.

Electrochemical random-access memory

Electrochemical random-access memory (ECRAM), also called a redox transistor, is a three-terminal non-volatile memory that stores analog conductance states via ion insertion, used as synapses in analog AI accelerators.

Electrochemical upcycling of glycerol

Electrochemical upcycling of glycerol is the conversion of glycerol, especially the crude glycerol coproduced with biodiesel, into higher-value chemicals like formic acid and dihydroxyacetone by electrocatalytic oxidation at an electrode under mild conditions.

Electrochemical upcycling of plastic waste

Electrochemical upcycling of plastic waste is a family of processes that use electrode reactions to convert waste polymers, especially PET, into higher-value chemicals, fuels, and monomers under mild conditions, a field growing rapidly since around 2021.

Electrode

An electrode is an electron conductor in an electrochemical cell where oxidation and reduction occur; the same word names welding rods, transistor gates, and biomedical sensors.

Electrodeionization

Electrodeionization, also called continuous electrodeionization or CEDI, is a water treatment method that removes dissolved ions with ion-exchange resin in an electric field, without acid or caustic regeneration.

Electrodialysis

Electrodialysis is a membrane desalination process that transports salt ions through charged ion-exchange membranes under an electric field, best suited to brackish water rather than seawater.

Electrodynamic shaker

The electrodynamic shaker is a vibration test machine that converts electrical current into mechanical force, operating as standard excitation sources for aerospace, automotive, and defense applications.

Electrodynamic suspension

Electrodynamic suspension (EDS) is a maglev levitation method where moving onboard magnets induce repulsive currents in guideway coils, self-stabilizing without active control and used in Japan's SCMaglev.

Electrodynamic tether

An electrodynamic tether is a long conducting wire deployed from a spacecraft that produces electrical power or propulsion without consuming propellant, using its motion through a planet's magnetic field.

Electrofiltration

Electrofiltration is a membrane separation method in which an applied electric field drives charged particles, colloids, and macromolecules away from the membrane, raising permeate flux and slowing fouling.

Electroforming

Electroforming is a manufacturing process that produces metal parts by electrochemically depositing metal, usually nickel, onto a mandrel or mold that is then separated from the deposit.

Electrohydraulic actuator

An electrohydraulic actuator, also called an electro-hydrostatic actuator, is a self-contained unit that converts electrical power into locally generated hydraulic power, used in aircraft flight controls including the Airbus A380.

Electrohydrodynamic printing

Electrohydrodynamic printing is a high-resolution direct-write method in which a voltage between nozzle and substrate pulls out an ink jet much finer than the nozzle itself.

Electroimpact

Electroimpact is an American aerospace automation company founded by Peter Zieve in Mukilteo, Washington, in 1986, building automated riveting, drilling, and fiber placement machines for Boeing, Airbus, and spacecraft makers.

Electrokinetic remediation

Electrokinetic remediation (EKR) is an in situ environmental engineering method that applies a direct-current field through contaminated soil, moving heavy metals, organics, and uranium to electrode wells for extraction.

Electroless deposition

Electroless deposition, or electroless plating, deposits metal coatings by autocatalytic chemical reduction without external current, achieving uniform thickness on any geometry, including non-conductive substrates like plastics.

Electroless nickel plating

Electroless nickel plating is a chemical process that coats metal or plastic with a nickel-phosphorus alloy without electric current, giving uniform coatings prized for corrosion and wear resistance.

Electrolux

Electrolux is a Swedish multinational manufacturer of household and professional appliances, founded by Axel Wenner-Gren in Stockholm in 1919 and selling under the Electrolux, AEG, and Frigidaire brands in around 120 markets.

Electrolysis of water

Electrolysis of water, also called water electrolysis, is the use of electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen in a device called an electrolyzer.

Electrolyte additive

An electrolyte additive is a minor component, a few tenths of a percent to a few weight percent, dissolved in lithium-ion battery electrolytes to improve stability, cycle life, and safety.

Electrolyte-gated synaptic transistor

An electrolyte-gated synaptic transistor is a three-terminal device where an ion-conducting electrolyte acts as gate dielectric, moving ions to emulate synaptic plasticity for neuromorphic computing and bioelectronics.

Electrolyte-gated transistor biosensor

An electrolyte-gated transistor biosensor replaces a transistor's solid gate dielectric with an electrolyte, so biomolecule binding shifts drain current, enabling label-free diagnostics below 1 V.