Advanced Materials and Diagnostics for Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage

Notwithstanding remarkable technological advances over the past few decades, electrochemical energy conversion and storage systems are currently limited by the high cost and poor lifetime of key components. The main cost drivers in fuel cells, electrolyzers, and/or redox flow batteries (for large-scale electric energy storage) are: a) the perfluorinated cation exchange membrane; and b) the PGM-based electrocatalysts. The primary degradation modes that currently limit device lifetime and further enhance stack cost (due to the required over- engineering/replacement) are: a) the corrosion of the supported electrocatalyst during transient operating modes (e.g. start-up / shut-down) resulting in electrode thinning and loss of electrocatalytic activity, and b) the free-radical-induced (or nucleophile-induced) degradation of the electrolyte membrane during fuel cell operation, resulting in membrane thinning and pin -hole formation and/or loss in ion exchange capacity. This seminar will present and discuss methods and results from ongoing projects, at the interface of electrochemical engineering and materials science, aimed at resolving the above issues.

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