Development of novel cathodes for next generation solid oxide fuel cells. This project will provide novel cathodes to reduce the operating temperature of the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) as low as 500 degrees celsius. The technology may lead to widespread utilization of SOFCs, thus providing great assistance to Australia's industries in term of reducing carbon dioxide emission and easing pressure from carbon tax.
Hybrid cathode for low temperature solid oxide fuel cells. This project aims to develop molten carbonate-perovskite hybrid cathode materials for low temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT-SOFCs) possessing both high catalytic activity towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and high tolerance to carbon dioxide poisoning. Carbon dioxide in air can poison nearly all the perovskite cathode materials developed for LT-SOFCs (below 600 degrees C) so far. These materials will not be practically useful ....Hybrid cathode for low temperature solid oxide fuel cells. This project aims to develop molten carbonate-perovskite hybrid cathode materials for low temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT-SOFCs) possessing both high catalytic activity towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and high tolerance to carbon dioxide poisoning. Carbon dioxide in air can poison nearly all the perovskite cathode materials developed for LT-SOFCs (below 600 degrees C) so far. These materials will not be practically useful until carbon dioxide poisoning can be prevented. This project expects to make these LT-SOFC cathode materials commercially viable, solving a problem for the widespread use of low temperature solid oxide fuel cells.Read moreRead less
High Performance Anode for Direct Ammonia Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. Solid oxygen fuel cells are a clean energy generation device with very high energy efficiency and if with hydrogen as fuel, the emission is zero. However, the utilisation of hydrogen is limited by on-board storage. Ammonia is a promising hydrogen carrier and can be directly fed to solid oxide fuel cells without fuel storage problem, and the products are just hydrogen and nitrogen. For direct ammonia solid oxide fuel cells, the key ....High Performance Anode for Direct Ammonia Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. Solid oxygen fuel cells are a clean energy generation device with very high energy efficiency and if with hydrogen as fuel, the emission is zero. However, the utilisation of hydrogen is limited by on-board storage. Ammonia is a promising hydrogen carrier and can be directly fed to solid oxide fuel cells without fuel storage problem, and the products are just hydrogen and nitrogen. For direct ammonia solid oxide fuel cells, the key challenge is the anode. This project aims to develop a high performance anode for direct ammonia solid oxide fuel cells with both high activity and high stability at low temperature (below 600 degree C), thus addressing a key issue to make the direct ammonia solid oxide fuel cells commercially viable.Read moreRead less
Composites for thermal expansion matched oxygen electrodes. This project aims to develop high performance composite oxygen electrodes by using both negative thermal expansion materials and electrolyte materials to tailor the thermal expansion and activities of the perovskite-based electrodes for use in reduced temperature solid oxide cells. Such composite electrodes will show highly matched thermal expansion with electrolyte without sacrificing high activity at reduced temperatures. This project ....Composites for thermal expansion matched oxygen electrodes. This project aims to develop high performance composite oxygen electrodes by using both negative thermal expansion materials and electrolyte materials to tailor the thermal expansion and activities of the perovskite-based electrodes for use in reduced temperature solid oxide cells. Such composite electrodes will show highly matched thermal expansion with electrolyte without sacrificing high activity at reduced temperatures. This project seeks to address an important practical issue in the operation of solid oxide power cells - thermal expansion compatibility, which causes poor efficiency outside a narrow temperature band.Read moreRead less
All-Metal Nanoporous Materials as Highly Active Electrocatalysts. This project aims to create new avenues for well-controlled large-scale synthesis of hierarchical nanoporous platinum-based architectures, and develop applications for the resultant new electrocatalysts. Developing novel high-performance, low-cost, and long-life electrode catalysts can improve the efficiency, cost, and durability of energy conversion technology. The project plans to use the unique properties of well-defined nanoar ....All-Metal Nanoporous Materials as Highly Active Electrocatalysts. This project aims to create new avenues for well-controlled large-scale synthesis of hierarchical nanoporous platinum-based architectures, and develop applications for the resultant new electrocatalysts. Developing novel high-performance, low-cost, and long-life electrode catalysts can improve the efficiency, cost, and durability of energy conversion technology. The project plans to use the unique properties of well-defined nanoarchitectures to reduce platinum content and to improve electrocatalytic performance. Nanoporous systems in electrocatalysts can provide more active sites and effective surface permeability, which should enhance catalytic activity. Project outcomes may also contribute to our understanding of the relationships among morphologies, pore structures, surface atomic structures and catalytic activities to guide the development of other kinds of high performance nanoporous catalysts.Read moreRead less
A defect mechanism for oxygen reduction reaction. This project aims to use defective carbon to replace expensive platinum as a catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells. Defective carbons incorporating non-precious metals are better than platinum in terms of over-potential, current density and number of electron transfer. They reduce the overall fuel cell cost but their better stability and higher open voltage and power density promise huge commercial benefit. This project is ex ....A defect mechanism for oxygen reduction reaction. This project aims to use defective carbon to replace expensive platinum as a catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells. Defective carbons incorporating non-precious metals are better than platinum in terms of over-potential, current density and number of electron transfer. They reduce the overall fuel cell cost but their better stability and higher open voltage and power density promise huge commercial benefit. This project is expected to be important for large-scale implementation of fuel cells.Read moreRead less
Understanding dynamic interfaces in electrochemical systems. This project aims to develop nanoscale characterisation methods to understand dynamic processes in zinc-ion batteries and high temperature electrolysis systems under real working (in operando) conditions. This project expects to reveal critical solid-liquid and solid-gas interfacial processes in these two distinctly different electrochemical systems. The expected outcomes include improved understanding of electrochemical interfaces and ....Understanding dynamic interfaces in electrochemical systems. This project aims to develop nanoscale characterisation methods to understand dynamic processes in zinc-ion batteries and high temperature electrolysis systems under real working (in operando) conditions. This project expects to reveal critical solid-liquid and solid-gas interfacial processes in these two distinctly different electrochemical systems. The expected outcomes include improved understanding of electrochemical interfaces and improved tools and methods to observe nanoscale interfacial processes. This information can be used to underpin mechanistic models, which will facilitate new materials design. Read moreRead less
Oxide-based high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are one of the most efficient energy conversion technologies for producing electricity from fuels such as hydrogen and methanol. Current PEMFCs use precious metal catalysts, and the performance of liquid methanol fuel is disappointingly low due to the inability of polymer or hybrid membranes to operate at temperatures above 160-180 degrees centigrade. This work aims to develop an all ox ....Oxide-based high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are one of the most efficient energy conversion technologies for producing electricity from fuels such as hydrogen and methanol. Current PEMFCs use precious metal catalysts, and the performance of liquid methanol fuel is disappointingly low due to the inability of polymer or hybrid membranes to operate at temperatures above 160-180 degrees centigrade. This work aims to develop an all oxide-based PEMFC technology using a recently developed sintered and heteropolyacid functionalised mesoporous silica membrane. The utilisation of all-oxide-PEMFCs using non-precious metal catalysts is expected to significantly enhance the power density, reduce costs, and enhance the commercial viability of PEMFC technologies.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100229
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$230,000.00
Summary
Carbon-free high temperature vacuum sintering facility. This facility will provide an extremely clean sintering environment for development of advanced materials free from imperfections for applications which range from energy conversion to medical components. It will ensure that Australia is an important international leader in both fundamental research and industrial innovation.
Engineering the Building Blocks of Novel Interfacial Metastable Oxide Materials. This project aims to engineer the building blocks of a new family of materials recently discovered and patented as interfacial metastable oxide (i-MOx). A key discovery is the interfacial columnar atom alignment adjacent to crystal structures, conferring the materials exceptional ionic conduction well beyond the state-of-the-art, with a broad appeal to ionic transport membranes, electrodes in fuel cells and thermal ....Engineering the Building Blocks of Novel Interfacial Metastable Oxide Materials. This project aims to engineer the building blocks of a new family of materials recently discovered and patented as interfacial metastable oxide (i-MOx). A key discovery is the interfacial columnar atom alignment adjacent to crystal structures, conferring the materials exceptional ionic conduction well beyond the state-of-the-art, with a broad appeal to ionic transport membranes, electrodes in fuel cells and thermal cycling oxygen production. Advanced characterisation techniques will be employed to fundamentally elucidate the role that the interfacial structure plays to deliver remarkable performance. The outcomes will lead to possible breakthroughs in advanced materials for emerging green energy applications.Read moreRead less