In-Operando Studies of Electrochemical Materials and Processes

电化学装置用于一系列重要的应用中，包括电池、水处理、化学品生产和新兴的能量转换技术，例如水分解和燃料电池。我们的目标是了解这些器件中的中间长度尺度（从100 nm到1 mm）如何影响器件性能。这些通常被忽视的中尺度弥合了原子/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，因为它们将表面过程连接到本体电解质。这些中尺度过程的影响，以及在这些长度尺度的电极材料的结构的传输过程。因此，了解这些长度尺度下发生的过程将使我们能够设计出性能增强和优化的材料和设备。结合多尺度建模，使用in-operando技术可以为这些设备中发生的过程提供独特的见解。中间长度从大约100纳米到大约100纳米。1 mm是相对低成本，强大的显微镜技术，其中样品可以在环境条件下，因此非常适合在操作中的研究。特别是，共焦荧光和拉曼显微镜将被用来观察流动，运输和物种浓度分布在操作设备。这些技术可用于绘制空间和时间上的行为，提供有关操作设备中的中尺度过程的详细定量信息。该研究将推动废水处理和能源转换和储存技术设计的创新，提高性能并降低成本。这些技术将通过降低废水处理过程的成本和环境影响，以及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。（从约100 nm到1 mm），以及用于水处理和储能应用的电化学电池的性能。具体的研究目标包括：利用光学光谱技术对电化学电池中的中尺度过程进行操作研究。 将这些技术应用于水处理（吸附/电化学再生，电凝聚）和能量存储（液流电池）技术。确定这些电化学装置中限制装置性能的中尺度过程。为水处理和储能应用开发新材料、创新电池设计和操作条件。

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.