Structure – properties relationship of anion conducting materials and electrocatalysts for energy applications

能源应用阴离子导电材料与电催化剂的结构—性能关系

• 批准号: RGPIN-2015-04143
• 负责人: Tavares, Ana
• 金额: $ 1.82万
• 依托单位: Institut national de la recherche scientifique
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=612797
• 关键词: Structure; properties; relationship; anion; conducting

The world energy demand grows rapidly, and the innovation and development of alternative energy sources are absolutely fundamental to meet this need, and to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels and the emission of greenhouse gas. Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that convert the chemical energy of a fuel directly into electrical energy. Fuel cells have inherent superior conversion efficiency and fuel flexibility. Particularly promising are solid alkaline fuel cells (SAFCs) because of the faster catalysis at the electrodes thus avoiding the use of expensive Pt-based catalysts. Given this unquestionable interest, I have developed at the INRS-EMT a vigorous research program in materials for electrochemical systems, and in particular for fuel cells. In the present Discovery Grant, I intend to address major challenges related to two of the SAFCs components and thus contributing for the full implementation of this technology. Specifically, in the next five years, I will: 1. Investigate the possibility of using layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and their composite membranes to address the current lack of electrolyte membrane with high conductivity and excellent chemical stability at high pH. Our strategy relies on studying the structure – properties relationships of these compounds with a special emphasis on the influence of the type of water and respective content on the ion conductivity. Composite membranes prepared by dispersing the LDHs in polymers or ionomer matrices will be also investigated. 2. Study the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on low cost Fe3O4 and gamma – Fe2O3 oxides, and on substitutional solid solutions vs. core – porous shell like structures of similar composition. The two oxides are isostructural and the surface of Fe3O4 is easily oxidized to gamma-Fe2O3 which poses a challenge in the study of their electrocatalytic activity. Thus a systematic study of the nanoparticles structure, composition and activity will be carried out. Solid solutions (with a second cation) and binary systems (with a second oxide) aim at exploring electronic and interface effects to further boost the activity of the iron oxides towards ORR. The benefits related to such research program are twofold: not only they will pave the way to the development of new products and knowledge, consistently with the immediate needs of Canadian fuel cells and batteries industry, but they will also promote the training of highly qualified personnel to respond to the scientific and technological challenges of our modern society.

世界能源需求快速增长，创新和发展替代能源是满足这一需求、减少对化石燃料的依赖和减少温室气体排放的根本。燃料电池是一种将燃料的化学能直接转化为电能的电化学装置。燃料电池具有固有的优越的转换效率和燃料灵活性。特别有希望的是固体碱性燃料电池(SAFC)，因为它在电极上的催化速度更快，从而避免了使用昂贵的铂基催化剂。鉴于这种毋庸置疑的兴趣，我在INRS-EMT制定了一个强有力的研究计划，研究电化学系统的材料，特别是燃料电池的材料。在目前的探索赠款中，我打算解决与SAFC的两个组成部分有关的重大挑战，从而为充分实施这项技术作出贡献。具体地说，未来五年，我将： 1.研究了利用层状双氢氧化物(LDHs)及其复合膜解决目前高电导率、高pH条件下化学稳定性好的电解液膜的不足的可能性。我们的策略依赖于研究这些化合物的结构-性质关系，特别强调水的类型和各自的含量对离子电导率的影响。通过将LDHs分散在聚合物或离聚体基质中而制备的复合膜也将被研究。 2.研究了低成本Fe_3O_4和γ-Fe_2O_3氧化物上的氧还原反应，以及替代固溶体与类似组成的核孔壳结构的氧还原反应。这两种氧化物都是等结构的，而且Fe_3O_4的表面很容易被氧化成γ-Fe_2O_3，这给它们的电催化活性的研究带来了挑战。因此，将对纳米颗粒的结构、组成和活性进行系统的研究。固溶体(具有第二个阳离子)和二元体系(具有第二个氧化物)旨在探索电子和界面效应，以进一步提高氧化铁对ORR的活性。 与此类研究项目相关的好处有两个：它们不仅将为新产品和知识的开发铺平道路，与加拿大燃料电池和电池行业的迫切需求保持一致，而且还将促进高素质人才的培训，以应对我们现代社会的科学和技术挑战。