Christos Takoudis, bio and chemical engineering professor at University of Illinois at Chicago, will lead a team of engineers and scientists to search for ways to introduce nano-scale solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) that can operate efficiently in intermediate-range of temperatures between 1,100 to 1,500 degrees. They will utilize the $475,000 grant from National Science Foundation for the research
The SOFCs, by utilizing a solid oxide as the electrolyte between a cathode and anode circuit, oxidizes fuels by an electrochemical changeover process to generate electricity. But the higher level of operating temperatures up to 1,800 degree Fahrenheit needed by SOFCs limits their usage. The research will concentrate on the working of the important elements such as the electrolyte, anode and cathode at interface junctions and analyze the existence of contamination problems, if any.
According to Takoudis, the researchers will also look for ways to create nano level fuel cells measuring widths of single-digit strata of atoms. When the size decreases, it becomes more vital as the real contact area will be more in total volume than in bigger sized systems.
Initially, UIC researchers will develop the materials that can be used as solid electrolyte, cathodes and anodes for their SOFCs and then test them at Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source and Takoudis’ lab to study the materials during the power production process. They will research the procedure of chemical vapor and atomic layer deposition methods to produce fuel cell components and work on the methods to improve the efficiency.
The researchers anticipate that the introduction of nano sized, cooler-operating efficient SOFCs will open up potential applications that provide eco-friendly and cost effective alternatives.