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Material and design optimisation of low temperature direct ammonia fuel cells
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Jeerh, Georgina (2022) Material and design optimisation of low temperature direct ammonia fuel cells. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.
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Official URL: http://webcat.warwick.ac.uk/record=b3894901
Abstract
To optimise electrode-electrolyte interactions, which are at the heart of fuel cells, the design of the device as well as the materials implemented are of extreme importance. Such interactions are, for example, dependent on the ability of the catalyst to carry out the given reaction, the composition of the catalyst layers and the ability of fresh fuel/oxidant to reach the active sites. These factors influence the low, middle and high current density regimes of polarisation curves respectively and are therefore vital for efficient fuel cell performance.
Herein, a low temperature direct ammonia fuel cell is investigated in terms of its design and material choice. The individual components of the fuel cell are carefully selected to consider strength, cost and compatibility. A fuel cell is built in-house to improve fuel/oxidant flow to and from the active sites of the cell to improve mass transport. Upon doing so, the materials used at the cathode site are explored. Typical electrocatalysts at these sites depend on platinum group metals which unequivocally increase the cost of the device and limit scale up potential. In this work, non-platinum group metals, namely perovskite oxides, are manipulated towards the catalysis of oxygen reduction that occurs at the cathode. The tailored perovskite oxide electrocatalyst is implemented into the fuel cell and the composition of the cathode catalyst layer is explored to optimise interactions at the electrode-electrolyte interface. The resulting direct ammonia fuel cell is tested under a range of operating conditions and shows comparable performance to a fuel cell utilising a platinum group metal-based cathode. The performance reveals that through strategic design, an efficient and low-cost fuel cell can be assembled. Furthermore, a perovskite oxide is also tested towards ammonia oxidation which occurs at the anode. Although not explicitly implemented into the cell, the perovskite shows promising catalytic activity towards the given reaction. This work therefore provides a route for future innovation in the field.
Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) | ||||
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Subjects: | Q Science > QD Chemistry T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering |
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Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Fuel cells -- Electrodes, Fuel cells -- Design and construction, Fuel cells -- Effect of temperature on, Ammonia -- Anodic oxidation, Perovskite (Mineral), | ||||
Official Date: | September 2022 | ||||
Dates: |
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Institution: | University of Warwick | ||||
Theses Department: | School of Engineering | ||||
Thesis Type: | PhD | ||||
Publication Status: | Unpublished | ||||
Supervisor(s)/Advisor: | Tao, Shanwen | ||||
Sponsors: | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council | ||||
Format of File: | |||||
Extent: | 272 pages : colour illustrations | ||||
Language: | eng |
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