Microprobe electro-chemical test station for electrical/electrochemical property measurements of composite materials at micro-scale for applications in fuel cellsn & solar cells

所要求的设备将用于在其组成粒子水平上精确测量复合材料的电学和电化学特性。复合材料-多孔和无孔-今天无处不在。这种材料最令人兴奋的应用之一是作为替代能源转换设备的组件，如燃料电池和太阳能电池。在这种装置中，微观颗粒和孔隙必须以这样一种方式定向，以便实现理想的有效特性，如导电性和高活性的电化学反应。理解结构-性能关系对于“用于替代能源转换装置的此类材料的微工程”至关重要。为了以合理的方式改性复合材料，必须能够在组成单位颗粒尺度上研究材料的电学/电化学特性。这可以通过所要求的设备来实现。使用所要求的设备在微米/亚微米级别进行精确的材料性能测量，将允许量化材料微观结构与其电气/电化学性能之间的关系。这种从结构-性能关系方面对材料行为的基本和定量理解，将允许通过操纵其组成粒子的方向、形状、大小和分布来设计复合材料。反过来，这将为下一代能量转换设备（如聚合物电解质燃料电池、固体氧化物燃料电池、太阳能电池以及化学和生化传感器）中用作组件的先进材料的制造打开大门。

The requested equipment will be utilized for precise measurement of electrical and electrochemical properties of composite materials at its constituent particle level. Composite materials - porous and non-porous - are ubiquitous today. One of the most exciting applications of such materials is as components of alternative energy conversion devices such as fuel cells and solar cells. In such devices, microscopic particles and pores must orient themselves in such a manner that desirable effective properties such as electrical conductivity and highly active electrochemical reactions can be effected. Understanding the structure -property relationship is essential for 'micro-engineering of such materials for applications in alternative energy conversion devices'. To allow modification of composite materials in a rational manner it is essential to be able to investigate the electrical/electrochemical material properties at constituent unit particle scale. This can be achieved by the requested equipment. Precise material property measurements at micron/sub-micron level using the requested equipment will allow quantification of the relationship between the material microstructure and its electrical/electrochemical properties. Such a fundamental and quantitative understanding of material behavior in terms of structure-property relationships will allow engineering of composite materials by manipulating the orientation, shape, size, and distribution of its constituent particles. This, in turn, will open doors for fabrication of advanced materials for use as components in next generation energy conversion devices such as polymer electrolyte fuel cells, solid oxide fuel cells and solar cells as well as chemical and biochemical sensors.