Sub-micron dielectric spectroscopy of composite polymer membranes and interfaces for alternative energy applications

替代能源装置的最新发展包括用于生产氢的太阳能收集装置和氢燃料电池新设计的开发。这些新技术代表了能源替代品，可以帮助加拿大和更广泛的经济/社会满足未来的能源需求，并有可能减少对化石燃料的依赖。在这两种情况下，复合聚合物膜和复合材料内的界面在这些新材料的整体性能中起着关键作用。这些材料的功能和结构依赖于亚微米长度尺度（即小于人类头发直径的1%）的特性。传统的表征技术的基础上使用的阻抗分析仪的介电谱和椭圆偏振法是无法接近的空间分辨率所需的适当表征这些新材料。

Recent developments in alternative energy devices include solar energy harvesting devices for the production of hydrogen and the development of new designs for hydrogen fuel cells. These new technologies represent energy alternatives that can help the Canadian and wider economy/society meet future energy demands and, potentially, reduce fossil-fuel dependence. In both cases, composite polymer membranes and the interfaces within composite materials play a critical role in the overall performance of these new materials. The functionality and structure of these materials relies on properties that originate at sub-micron length scales, i.e. less than 1% of the diameter of a human hair. Conventional characterization techniques based on the use of impedance analyzers for dielectric spectroscopy and ellipsometry are unable to approach the spatial resolution demanded for proper characterization of these new materials.