Corrosion Mechanism and Control of Electrode Materials for Advanced Electrochemical System

技术和工业过程的进步大大提高了人类社会的生产效率和生活质量。然而，作为我们主要能源的化石燃料的持续消耗导致了作为臭名昭著的温室气体（GHG）的主要部分的CO2的创纪录水平的排放，导致了对我们环境的不利影响。针对温室气体对全球气候的负面影响，例如，随着全球变暖，对可再生和清洁能源，如太阳能、风能和水力发电，以及相关技术的研究已经加强。太阳能发电因其不受地理位置限制的容易获得而获得普及，近年来，太阳能发电利用技术引起了世界范围的研究兴趣。染料敏化太阳能电池（DSSC）是一种先进的能源系统，其通过将可见光照射到光敏材料上来发电，并通过并入电化学电池来形成电路。DSSC虽然是第三代太阳能电池中的佼佼者，但还没有达到大规模应用的阶段。传统上，DSSC系统中使用由铂制成的电极，但是它们的高价格使得这种系统的放大在经济上不可行。为了降低成本，考虑了一些非贵金属材料。其中两个主要问题是性能不稳定和电催化活性下降，这都是由廉价阴极的腐蚀引起的。开发新的技术将这些材料转化为功能改进以取代贵金属是一个很大的挑战。拟议的研究项目旨在迎接这一挑战，并将侧重于选择候选材料，揭示其腐蚀机理，开发腐蚀控制策略和相关技术，以更经济的方式实现与贵金属相当的有效性。本项目还将研究电催化活性的相关因素，如晶体取向，表面结构等，影响腐蚀过程和动力学。现场监测表面反应性和腐蚀事件。将探讨在阴极上涂覆保护/导电涂层的可行性以及相关的物理/化学相容性。研究提案的成果将包括一个可扩展的DSSC系统，具有低成本阴极，全面了解腐蚀机制，填补这一领域的知识空白，以及在材料选择，新电极材料设计和各种表面改性技术方面类似系统的腐蚀控制指南。该研究项目将有助于实现可再生能源和清洁能源利用的最终目标，保护我们的环境，提高加拿大在全球市场的竞争力。 *** **

Advances in technology and industrial processes have greatly increased the production efficiencies and improved the quality of life in human society. However, the continuous consumption of fossil fuels as our main energy source is causing the record level emission of CO2 which is the major portion of the notorious greenhouse gases (GHG), resulting in the adverse impacts on our environment. In response to the negative effects of GHG on global climate, e.g., global warming, the search for renewable and clean energy sources, such as solar, wind and hydro power, and associated technologies has intensified. Solar power gains the popularity due to its easy availability not limited by geographical locations, and the technology for solar power utilization has drawn worldwide research interests in recent years. The dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is an advanced energy system that generates electricity via illumination of visible light onto photo sensitive material and forms electric circuit by incorporating an electrochemical cell. Although DSSC is one of the prominent third generation solar cells, it has not reached the stage of large scale applications. Traditionally, the electrode made of platinum is used in DSSC system, but their high prices make scaling-up of such system not economically feasible. To reduce the cost, some non-noble materials are considered. Two of the major problems are the performance instability and the degradation of electrocatalytic activities, all caused by the corrosion of low-cost cathode. It is a big challenge to develop new technique to transform these materials for functional improvements to replace the noble metals. The proposed research project aims to meet that challenge and will focus on selecting candidate materials, uncovering their corrosion mechanisms, developing corrosion control strategy and associated techniques to achieve the effectiveness equivalent to that of the noble metals in a more economic way.*This project will also investigate how the electrocatalytic activity related factors such as crystal orientation, surface structure, etc., affect corrosion processes and kinetics. Surface reactivity and corrosion events will be in situ monitored. The feasibility of applying a protective/conductive coating on the cathode and the related physical/chemical compatibilities will be explored.****The outputs of the research proposal will include a scalable DSSC system with a low cost cathode, the comprehensive knowledge of corrosion mechanisms that will fill the knowledge gap in this area, and the guidelines for corrosion control in similar systems in terms of materials selection, new electrode materials design and various surface modification techniques. This research project will contribute to achieving the ultimate goal of renewable and clean energy utilization, protecting our environment and enhancing Canadian competitiveness in the global market.**** *** **