Debra R. Rolison

Debra R. Rolison is a physical chemist at the Naval Research Laboratory, where she is a head of the Advanced Electrochemical Materials section.

Rolison's research involves the design, synthesis, and characterization of multi-functional nanostructures and ultra porous materials for rate-critical applications such as catalysis and energy storage.

Rolison began her work at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in 1980 immediately after finishing her PhD.

[9] According to Rolison's paper, "interparticle connectivity is lost in powder-composite electrodes leading to regions of high local current density and dendrite formation".

[10] While simple zinc-air batteries use a zinc oxide "powder-composite" anode, Rolison's battery uses a zinc "sponge" which preserves interparticle connectivity and maintains a uniform current distribution within the 3D structure of the anode, thereby preventing the regions of locals current density which promote dendrite formation.