Real-time 3D imaging for clean electrochemical energy conversion

减少碳排放、减缓人为气候变化、实现地缘政治能源平等，都取决于清洁能源的高效储存和发电。为了消除能源浪费，我们必须在可以廉价利用或生产能源时储存能源，并在需要时高效、清洁地分配能源。通过燃料电池和电解槽等装置进行的电化学能量转换对于有效利用和分配世界能源至关重要。然而，尽管取得了这些进展，燃料电池和氢的成本仍然是其广泛应用的障碍，并且在微尺度和纳米尺度上对热量和质量传输的无效管理是下一代设计的障碍，而下一代设计对于解决全球能源挑战至关重要。该设备将实现电化学电池运行的实时三维x射线成像，这将对气体、液体和固体之间的微尺度相互作用产生新的见解，最终控制清洁电化学能量转换技术的性能。该设备还将用于开发和表征表面工程聚合物泡沫吸附剂，用于从受污染的水中去除乳化油，如油砂处理水或意外溢油。根据这些3D x射线图像，我们将开发新的材料，使我们能够最大限度地利用可再生能源和绿色材料，从而实现可持续发展的未来。所需设备为Bruker SkyScan 1174µCT。该设备将有助于全年在我们的家庭实验室直接对操作细胞进行三维成像，而不需要使用同步加速器x射线或中子成像设备（通常来自竞争激烈的光束时间应用和6个月至1年的等待时间）。材料-性能关系目前代表了一个关键的知识差距，拟议的研究将加速我们的电化学电池和材料开发进步的步伐。多孔材料和质量输运之间的关系对于设计更高效、更经济的电化学器件和工程材料的定制材料至关重要。通过我们与这一新设备的合作，我们将通过实现按需清洁能源和能源储存，为加拿大人带来环境效益，并从我们与加拿大工业在高度竞争和快速增长的全球清洁能源市场上的持续合作中获得经济效益。

Reducing carbon emissions, mitigating anthropogenic climate change, and achieving geopolitical energy equality hinge on efficiently storing and generating clean power. In order to eliminate energy waste, we must store energy when it can be harnessed or produced cheaply and distribute the energy efficiently and cleanly when it is needed. Electrochemical energy conversion, through devices such as fuel cells and electrolyzers, is vital for efficiently using and distributing the world's energy resources. However, despite this progress, fuel cell and hydrogen costs still remain obstacles to their widespread adoption, and the ineffective management of heat and mass transport at the microscale and nanoscale are barriers to the next generation designs that are so vitally needed to address the global energy challenge. The proposed equipment will enable the real-time, three-dimensional X-ray imaging of operating electrochemical cells, and this will result in new insight into the microscale interactions between gases, liquids, and solids that ultimately govern the performance of clean electrochemical energy conversion technologies. This equipment will also be used to develop and characterize surface engineered polymer foam adsorbents for removal of emulsified oil from contaminated waters, such as oil sands process water or accidental oil spills. Informed by these 3D X-ray images, we will develop new materials that will allow us to maximize the impact of renewable energy sources and green materials, and thereby enable a sustainable future. The requested equipment is the Bruker SkyScan 1174 µCT. This equipment will facilitate the three-dimensional imaging of operating cells directly in our home lab throughout the year, without requiring the use of a synchrotron X-ray or neutron imaging facility (which typically comes from competitive beam time applications and 6-month to 1-year waiting times). Material-performance relationships currently represent a key knowledge gap, and the proposed research will accelerate the pace of our electrochemical cell and material development advancements. The relationships between porous materials and mass transport is vital for designing tailored materials for more efficient and cost-effective electrochemical devices and engineered materials. Through our work with this new equipment, we will deliver environmental benefits to Canadians by enabling on-demand clean energy and energy storage and economic benefits from our ongoing work with Canadian industry operating in the highly competitive, and rapidly growing, global clean energy market.