Nanoparticles to superparticles: new materials for clean energy

需要新的方法在纳米尺度上操纵和构建先进的功能材料，以开发第三维度，在防止环境污染、安全和操作的同时，为许多科学和工业领域的革命性新应用开辟可能性。一个这样的应用是提高燃料电池的效率，燃料电池依靠氢气来生产水。每个人都听说过燃料电池，但它们还没有进入我们的日常生活，因为它们还没有与汽油发动机相比具有成本竞争力。 其中一个问题在于铂催化剂的使用。铂金虽然是在加拿大开采的，但稀有且昂贵。令人惊讶的是，燃料电池中的大多数铂没有得到有效利用，因为要将纳米颗粒和组成催化层的导体放置在正确的位置，以便有效地将气体转化为水和电，是极其困难的。其中一个成分只是蒸发到适当的位置，就像在墙上涂抹油漆一样。McGill团队有一种新方法，可以在组装过程中将导电聚合物捕获到催化剂内的溶液中，他们希望这将防止涂层不均匀。此外，目前的催化剂使用碳在催化层中导电，但随着时间的推移，这一点会被分解，宝贵的催化剂就会丢失。同样，这种方法可以帮助取代更耐用的材料。通过使用计算模型，实验可以更多地由理论指导，而不是通过反复试验。与总部位于卑诗省本纳比的世界顶级燃料电池制造商之一Ballard一起，该团队将努力改进工艺，以帮助降低燃料电池的成本，因此在不久的将来，我们将充满氢气。

New methods to manipulate and structure advanced functional materials at the nanoscale are required to exploit the third dimension opening up the possibility for revolutionary new applications in many fields of science and industry whilst preventing environmental contamination, safety and handling. One such application is in improving efficiency of fuel cells which run on hydrogen to produce water. Everyone has heard of fuel cells but they have yet to enter our daily lives because as yet they are not cost-competitive with petrol engines. One of the problems lies in the use of platinum catalysts. Platinum although mined in Canada is rare and expensive. Surprisingly most of the platinum in fuel cells is not used efficiently because it is extremely difficult to position the nanoparticles and the conductors that make up the catalyst layer in the correct place so that gasses are converted to water and electricity efficiently. One of the components is simply evaporated into place just as paint is applied to a wall. The McGill team has a new method to entrap conducting polymer in solution within the catalyst during assembly that they hope will prevent uneven coatings. Also current catalysts use carbon to conduct electricity in the catalyst layer but this breaks down over time and the valuable catalyst is lost. Again this method can help substitute for more durable materials. By using computational modelling experiments can be directed by theory more than by trial and error. Together with Ballard, one of the top fuel cell manufacturers in the world, based in Burnaby BC, this team will endeavour to improve processing to help reduce costs of fuel cells so one day in the not too distant future we will be filling up with hydrogen.