A Multiscale Approach to Catalyst Development for Hydrogen Production and Conversion Systems

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The scientific objective of this research is the design of catalytically active layers that achieve the perfect balance between heat transfer, mass transfer, charge transfer, kinetic activity and catalyst lifetime. The results from this work can be used in many ways but I will focus on a number of sustainable technology applications involving hydrogen as a clean fuel and a resource that can be produced from renewable energy sources. Some examples are; improving the efficiency of hydrogen production by steam reforming of natural gas, biogas, or conventional liquid fuels through the use of optimized catalyst layers that maximize the delivery of heat to the reaction sites; storing renewable wind and solar energy by efficiently producing hydrogen by the electrolysis of water at catalytic layers at the electrodes in polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysers; using hydrogen to make clean electricity in fuel cells that have optimized catalytic electrode layers that cost less and last longer; using hydrogen in the isomerization of fatty acids on specialized catalyst layers that produce bio-oil products with a low enough freezing point that they can be used during Canadian winters. All of these applications involve the production or use of hydrogen to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the use of non-renewable resources and encourage the development of commercially competitive clean energy technologies. Canadians will benefit because the energy they consume will be generating fewer harmful pollutants and less greenhouse gas. By establishing a competitive edge in clean energy technologies, new commercial activity can be created in Canada that will result in high quality jobs being generated.