Center for Nonlinear Studies

Thursday, October 30, 200810:00 AM - 11:00 AMCNLS Conference Room (TA-3, Bldg 1690)
Seminar
Hierarchical Structures in Fuel Cell Electrocatalysts Applications of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology for Power Generation
Plamen Atanassov, PhDDirector of UNM Center for Emerging Energy Technologies, Associate Professor of Chemical & Nuclear Engineering, University of New Mexico School of Engineering
Nano-structured materials play a vital role in electrochemical power source technologies: batteries, super capacitors and fuel cells. Their main role is in increasing of volumetric (and in some cases, gravimetric)power density, energy density and the rate of drain. Nano-materials contribute to the enhancement of the catalytic properties of the electrodes, dramatically improve interconnectivity of porous matrixes and revolutionize mass-transport characteristics on micro- and meso-scale. Detailed understanding of these processes allows even broader exploration of nano-materials for energy conversion. Structural properties of these materials are making possible new design solutions and provoke a new stage in power source systems engineering. All these will bring substantial benefit if manufacturing of such materials could meet the demand in volume, performance and reproducibility. This presentation focuses mainly on the spray-based (aerosol-based)methods to manufacture electrocatalyst powders for fuel cell and related applications. The talk will also address the issues of processing, digitalprinting and devise design that arise from the unique properties of nano-structured materials.

Host: Boian Alexandrov, T-11 and CNLS