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Projects


Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number EP/K015540/1
Title Energy Materials-Discovery, Characterisation and Application
Status Completed
Energy Categories Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Other oil and gas) 25%;
Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Fuel Cells) 10%;
Renewable Energy Sources(Bio-Energy, Production of transport biofuels (incl. Production from wastes)) 25%;
Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Fuel Cells, Mobile applications) 40%;
Research Types Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator Professor J Irvine
No email address given
Chemistry
University of St Andrews
Award Type Standard
Funding Source EPSRC
Start Date 07 January 2013
End Date 06 January 2018
Duration 60 months
Total Grant Value £1,046,968
Industrial Sectors Energy
Region Scotland
Programme Energy : Physical Sciences
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Professor J Irvine , Chemistry, University of St Andrews (99.996%)
  Other Investigator Dr M Cassidy , Chemistry, University of St Andrews (0.001%)
Dr PA Connor , Chemistry, University of St Andrews (0.001%)
Dr CD Savaniu , Chemistry, University of St Andrews (0.001%)
Professor W Zhou , Chemistry, University of St Andrews (0.001%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract The St Andrews group addresses a wide range of energy related issues such as fundamental electrochemical and solid state chemical studies, development of new and improved fuel cell technologies, providing new energy solutions and integrating new concepts in device application. This research seeks to develop high temperature electrochemical technologies to enable the efficient deployment of new energy frameworks. We seek to optimise current fuel cell technology improving durability and stability and reducing cost of manufacture to enable widespread introduction. A major focus is developing new anode formulations to enable efficient utilisation of more complex fuels, ranging from natural gas and LPG through biogas to liquid biofuels and biomass. Fuel cell technology is a particularly important enabler for biomass utilisation offering high efficiencies of conversion in fairly small unit sizes and is essential to new distributed energy economies.The group has been very successful in addressing the proposed research objectives of the currently held Platform grant Particular highlights are insitu exolution of nanocatalysts, nanostructural ripening of impregnated electrodes, high performance direct carbon fuel cell performance and a new red photocatalyst. The operation of the Platform also enabled us to strongly engage with EU and especially industrial funding.Staff development is an important part of the Platform grant programme and all of the Investigators and researchers have advanced their careers significantly during the last 4 years. Those postdocs working on commercially sensitive projects were able to maintain their publication output via partial platform support and key skill researchers were given stability of contract. Researchers have moved to both industry and academic appointments. In the renewal we wish to bring in Prof Wuzong Zhou to enhance our capability in transition Electron Microscopy in particular.We intend to build upon our achievements in the current platform and to develop new and exciting strands of research. Particular emphasis will be placed upon developing capability in materials processing study interfaces under operational relevant conditions. Research priorities will relate to energy storage through reversible fuel cells and synthetic fuel production, nanoengineering of electrode interfaces, developing new functional materials and in situ studies. The platform grant provides an invaluable cohesive element to the group, it gives excellent career stability, allows exciting developments to be followed and provides excellent opportunities for our researchers to encounter a wide range of highly important current research in a strongly multidisciplinary environment. Researchers will be encouraged to explore new directions and to seek collaboration opportunities with leading researchers and facilities worldwide. To enable this we propose to run regular workshops and provide means to facilitate study visits to external laboratories. Through both of these mechanisms researchers will be able to extend their technical skills and develop independent collaborative networks
Publications (none)
Final Report (none)
Added to Database 21/01/13