CAREER: Understanding Mechanisms that Generate Defects in the Fabrication of Functional Materials for Energy Systems

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This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) grant provides funding to develop a relationship between the fabrication of functional materials and their performance/durability in an operational system. Using a comprehensive approach (i.e., theory through realization), processing conditions will be correlated to defects generated in polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs), which will lead to a direct correlation of fabrication to system performance (e.g., a PEM fuel cell). Theoretical and numerical modeling will be conducted to predict the behavior of the material as it exits the fabrication tool and to study the interfacial phenomena between the material and the substrate. Using a custom designed and built Roll-Feed Imaging System, defects will be analyzed and qualified based on the processing conditions. The effects of mechanical properties, such as stress, shrinkage, relaxation, on the durability of the membranes will be studied using numerical and experimental methods. Finally, the resulting film (with and without) defects will be tested in a PEM fuel cell to obtain comparative overall life expectancy data.If successful, advancements in research to understand mechanical failure of polymer electrolyte membranes used in energy systems will be made. the proposed framework will enable analysis for correlating defects from the fluid and solid phases to system failure; this work will lead for the first time to a detailed correlation between the manufacturing issues of complex materials and their performance. Furthermore, the proposed investigation will make it possible to correlate materials processing to system life cycle, which has not yet been realized in the field. To integrate the research and education plans and to broaden the participation of underrepresented groups, the PI will further develop a program focused on energy technology, coined ELECTRoDE: Educators Leading Energy Conservation and Training Researchers of Diverse Ethnicities, which integrates students and faculty at underrepresented institutions into year round research.