| Electrochemistry


Battery shown in discharge mode e–


e–


Aluminium foil positive current collector


e– e–


e–


Li+ Li+ Li+ Li+


Li+ Lithium cobalt oxide(LCO),


Lithium manganese oxide (LMO), Lithium iron phosphate (LFP), Lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) or


Lithium nickel aluminium oxide (NCA)


Separator membrane, typically polyethylene or poly- propylene, potentially coated with a protective layer such as aluminium oxide


e–


e– e–


Copper foil negative current collector


Lithiated graphite Li+ LiPF


ion conducting electrolyte in a mixture of


carbonates, eg dimethyl carbonate, ethylene carbonate


Lithium ion battery with chiral coated electrodes


Plants convert water, soil nutrients, carbon dioxide from the air, and energy from the sun into polysaccharides and sugars. Marom explains that “sugar beet produces sucrose, and grapes are rich in glucose. These sugars are chiral molecules.” But nature tends to produce only one of the two chiral shapes for each molecule, rather than a random mix of both chiral forms. Creating


Anode half-cell


Cathode half-cell


OH– H2 O O2


Repeat cells to build stack


Bipolar plate, stainless steel


Nickel knitted mesh


Anode, chiral coated nickel


Chiral electron spin control nano-coating


Porous


diaphragm, zirconium


oxide loaded PPS


PTL – Porous transport layer BP or BPP – Bipolar plate PPS – Polyphenylene sulfide


Alkaline electrolyser stack architecture with chiral electrode coating www.modernpowersystems.com | October 2025 | 37


Bipolar plate, stainless steel


H2 Nickel knitted mesh


Cathode, chiral coated nickel


Chiral electron spin control nano-coating


O H2


this ‘order’ requires additional energy in the first instance. But there is a payoff to come. The benefit behind nature’s use of chiral chemistry is that once the chiral molecule has been created, it helps to align electron spin. This, in turn reduces the energy requirement in key bio-processes like photosynthesis and cellular respiration.


Controlling spin to avoid chaos Electrochemical processes rely on the transfer of electrons. If they spin in random directions, their movement is chaotic. Marom says that “creating an orderly flow of electrons can be achieved by chirality-induced spin selectivity, or the ‘CISS’ effect. This is a phenomenon where the chirality of a molecule influences the spin of electrons


Anode half-cell


Cathode half-cell


Bipolar plate, stainless steel


Cathode frame/gasket Porous transport layer (PTL) cathode electrode,


Anode frame/gasket Diaphragm


Porous transport layer (PTL) anode electrode, chiral-coated nickel mesh or foam


Bipolar plate, stainless steel Current distributor anode, knitted nickel mesh


chiral coated nickel mesh or foam Current distributor cathode, knitted nickel mesh


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