The group investigates the reasons for power losses in the vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) and high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) from different perspectives, starting from studies on technically relevant systems: the individual cells through cell components to electrochemical structural studies on model electrodes.
The task of this research group is to develop a basic understanding of reaction processes in the cell and to use this knowledge to develop more powerful fuel cells and batteries.
Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VRFBs) provide an attractive solution for large-scale (Megawatt and higher) energy storage. It is desirable to further improve the energy cycle efficiency by reducing energy losses during charging and discharging. Porous carbon materials are commonly used as electrodes in this type of battery. These materials need to have continuous pathways to allow for reactant movement. We monitor this movement by visualizing the electrolyte flow through the porous carbon electrodes using synchrotron X-ray tomography. This technique reveals the flow within the porous materials, helps us understand the impact of saturation on the electrolyte’s mass transport, and quantifies the loss of active reaction sites due to low electrolyte penetration.
We are also investigating changes in these materials’ carbon fiber structures at different life cycle stages, starting from as received to activation and then aging. The changes in the morphology of the carbon material and its functional groups show the impact of activation and aging on the surface properties and, consequently, the cell’s performance. Differential Electrochemical Mass Spectrometry (DEMS) helps us track typical side reactions in VRFBs that hamper these batteries’ performance.
The group focuses on developing high-temperature PEM fuel cells based on membranes doped with phosphoric acid. The advantage of this type of membrane is that phosphoric acid acts as a proton conductor instead of water. Therefore, the high-temperature PEM fuel cell can operate at temperatures between 150 °C. and 180 °C and has, due to this fact, a higher tolerance towards carbon monoxide and other fuel gas impurities. Besides, the system technology requirements are significantly lower since the water and heat management is simpler to regulate due to the elevated operating temperatures.
One of the group’s core competencies is developing membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs). By optimizing its key components, the membrane and the electrode, we could fabricate high-performing and durable single cells. For this type of fuel cell, it is essential to optimize the acid household of the MEA. Therefore, we specifically investigate the membranes’ doping process, the acid distribution within the gas diffusion electrode, and acid loss of the full cell.
This specific filter will be named “alumni” instead of “equipment” soon.
Prof. Dr. Aimy Bazylak
Prof. Dr. Christina Roth
Dr. Samuele Galbiati
Dr. Rupak Banerjee
Dr. Florian Mack
Dr. Emanuel Heider
Dr. László Eifert
Alexandra Weiß
Kangjun Duan
Min Li
Dr. Liusheng Xiao
Dr. Hang Liu
Michael G George
Ruben Laukenmann
Michael A. Schmid
Lena Hummel
Manojkumar Balakrishnan
Pranay Shrestha
Prof. Dr. Aimy Bazylak
Prof. Dr. Christina Roth
Dr. Samuele Galbiati
Dr. Rupak Banerjee
Dr. Florian Mack
Dr. Emanuel Heider
Dr. Cheng Liu
Dr. László Eifert
Alexandra Weiß
Dr. Nico Bevilacqua
Kangjun Duan
Min Li
Dr. Liusheng Xiao
Dr. Hang Liu
Michael G George
Ruben Laukenmann
Michael A. Schmid
Lena Hummel
Manojkumar Balakrishnan
Pranay Shrestha
Shaojun Liu
Prof. Dr. Aimy Bazylak, Humboldt Fellow, University of Toronto, Canada
Prof. Dr. Pang-Chieh Sui, Wuhan University of Technology, China
Prof. Dr. Plamen Atanassov, University of California, Irvine, USA
Dr. Jochen Kerres. Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy
Dr. Ingo Manke, Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin
Prof. Dr. Christina Roth, Universität Bayreuth
Prof. Dr. Kristina Tschulik, Ruhr-University Bochum
Prof. Dr. Stefan Kaskel, TU Dresden
Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VRFBs) provide an attractive solution for large-scale (Megawatt and higher) energy storage. It is desirable to further improve the energy cycle efficiency by reducing energy losses during charging and discharging. Porous carbon materials are commonly used as electrodes in this type of battery. These materials need to have continuous pathways to allow for reactant movement. We monitor this movement by visualizing the electrolyte flow through the porous carbon electrodes using synchrotron X-ray tomography. This technique reveals the flow within the porous materials, helps us understand the impact of saturation on the electrolyte’s mass transport, and quantifies the loss of active reaction sites due to low electrolyte penetration.
We are also investigating changes in these materials’ carbon fiber structures at different life cycle stages, starting from as received to activation and then aging. The changes in the morphology of the carbon material and its functional groups show the impact of activation and aging on the surface properties and, consequently, the cell’s performance. Differential Electrochemical Mass Spectrometry (DEMS) helps us track typical side reactions in VRFBs that hamper these batteries’ performance.
The group focuses on developing high-temperature PEM fuel cells based on membranes doped with phosphoric acid. The advantage of this type of membrane is that phosphoric acid acts as a proton conductor instead of water. Therefore, the high-temperature PEM fuel cell can operate at temperatures between 150 °C. and 180 °C and has, due to this fact, a higher tolerance towards carbon monoxide and other fuel gas impurities. Besides, the system technology requirements are significantly lower since the water and heat management is simpler to regulate due to the elevated operating temperatures.
One of the group’s core competencies is developing membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs). By optimizing its key components, the membrane and the electrode, we could fabricate high-performing and durable single cells. For this type of fuel cell, it is essential to optimize the acid household of the MEA. Therefore, we specifically investigate the membranes’ doping process, the acid distribution within the gas diffusion electrode, and acid loss of the full cell.
This specific filter will be named “alumni” instead of “equipment” soon.
Prof. Dr. Aimy Bazylak
Prof. Dr. Christina Roth
Dr. Samuele Galbiati
Dr. Rupak Banerjee
Dr. Florian Mack
Dr. Emanuel Heider
Dr. László Eifert
Alexandra Weiß
Kangjun Duan
Min Li
Dr. Liusheng Xiao
Dr. Hang Liu
Michael G George
Ruben Laukenmann
Michael A. Schmid
Lena Hummel
Manojkumar Balakrishnan
Pranay Shrestha
Prof. Dr. Aimy Bazylak, Humboldt Fellow, University of Toronto, Canada
Prof. Dr. Pang-Chieh Sui, Wuhan University of Technology, China
Prof. Dr. Plamen Atanassov, University of California, Irvine, USA
Dr. Jochen Kerres. Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy
Dr. Ingo Manke, Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin
Prof. Dr. Christina Roth, Universität Bayreuth
Prof. Dr. Kristina Tschulik, Ruhr-University Bochum
Prof. Dr. Stefan Kaskel, TU Dresden
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