In-Operando Studies of Electrochemical Materials and Processes

电化学设备被用于一系列重要的应用，包括电池、水处理、化工生产和新兴的能源转换技术，如水分解和燃料电池。我们的目标是了解这些器件的中间长度(从大约100 nm到1 mm)是如何影响器件性能的。这些经常被忽视的介观尺度弥合了原子/纳米尺度和器件尺度之间的差距，并且对技术性能至关重要，因为它们将表面处理与体电解液联系起来。这些介观过程受输运过程以及电极材料在这些长度尺度上的结构的影响。了解在这些长度尺度上发生的过程将使我们能够为增强和优化性能而设计材料和设备。与多尺度建模相结合，术中技术的使用可以为这些设备中发生的过程提供独特的见解。从大约100纳米到约1毫米的中间长度刻度可以使用相对低成本、坚固耐用的显微技术，其中样品可以在环境条件下进行，因此非常适合术中研究。特别是，共聚焦荧光和拉曼显微镜将被用来观察操作设备中的流动、输运和物种浓度分布。这些技术可以用来绘制空间和时间上的行为图，提供关于操作设备中的中尺度过程的详细定量信息。研究将推动废水处理以及能量转换和存储技术的设计创新，提高性能和降低成本。这些技术将通过降低废水处理过程的成本和对环境的影响，并实现可再生和清洁能源解决方案，使加拿大的工业和社会受益。该项目的长期目标是确定中等长度尺度(从大约100 nm到1 mm)发生的过程与用于水处理和储能应用的电化学电池性能之间的关系。具体研究目标包括：利用光学光谱技术在术中研究发生在电化学电池中的中尺度过程。将这些技术应用于水处理(吸附/电化学再生、电凝聚)和储能(液流电池)技术。以确定在这些电化学器件中限制器件性能的介观工艺。为水处理和储能应用开发新材料、创新的电池设计和运行条件。

Electrochemical devices are used in a range of important applications, including batteries, water treatment, chemical production, and emerging energy conversion technologies such as water splitting and fuel cells. Our goal is to understand how the intermediate length scales in these devices, from around 100 nm to 1 mm, affect device performance. These often neglected meso-scales bridge the gap between the atomic / nano-scale and device scales, and are critical to technology performance as they connect the surface processes to the bulk electrolyte. These meso-scale processes are influenced by transport processes as well as the structure of electrode materials at these length scales. Understanding the processes occurring at these length scales will thus enable us to design materials and devices for enhanced and optimised performance.In combination with multi-scale modelling, the use of in-operando techniques can provide unique insights into the processes occurring in these devices. Intermediate length scales from around 100 nm to ca. 1 mm are accessible to relatively low cost, robust microscopy techniques, where samples can be under ambient conditions and are thus well suited to in-operando studies. In particular, confocal fluorescence and Raman microscopy will be used to observe the flow, transport, and species concentration distributions in operating devices. These techniques can be used to map the behaviour in both space and time, providing detailed quantitative information on the meso-scale processes in operating devices.The research will drive innovation in the design of wastewater treatment and energy conversion and storage technologies, with improved performance and reduced costs. These technologies will benefit industry and society in Canada by reducing the cost and environmental impact of wastewater treatment processes, and enabling renewable and clean energy solutions.The long-term goal of the project is to determine the relationship between the processes occurring at intermediate length scales (from a around 100 nm to 1 mm), and the performance of electrochemical cells for water treatment and energy storage applications.Specific Research objectives include: To exploit optical spectroscopy techniques for in-operando studies of processes occurring at meso-scales in electrochemical cells. To apply these techniques to water treatment (adsorption / electrochemical regeneration, electrocoagulation), and energy storage (flow batteries) technologies. To identify meso-scale processes that limit device performance in these electrochemical devices. To develop new materials, innovative cell designs and operating conditions for water treatment and energy storage applications.