Applied interfacial technology

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My Discovery Program focuses on engineering more rapid transport of mass and energy across gas-liquid-solid interfacial boundaries in order to improve energy efficiency. For electrochemical systems, the research investigates the solid state ionic and electrical resistance through the metal surface barrier layers, the electron transfer resistance from the layer to the solution phase species (often gaseous) and the transport of these species through the liquid boundary layer. The research has shown that for many systems, additional consideration is needed for meso-scale structural influences such as, catalyst or active electrode size, surface area effects and pore size. This research is equally relevant to chemical systems, ignoring the electrochemical driving forces. The approach taken is to experimentally determine the dominant variables for a given system in order to model the effects and then to verify by modifying the system to enhance the rate determining step. This knowledge is then used in application areas for technology development . The analytical tools used include electrochemical techniques (static and dynamic polarizations including EIS), analysis of surfaces for elements and speciation (XPS, SEM/EDX, XRD, TGA/DTA/MS) and solution and gas phase analysis (GC/LC/MS). For this next Discovery period the application areas which will be supported by the fundamental Discovery Grant research are: Clean water via Electrochemical Oxidation; Increased Energy Storage in Supercapacitors; and Enhanced Activated Carbon Contaminant Removal.