Efficient low carbon energy storage and conversion on exsolved interfaces

Completed

Other Power and Storage Technologies(Electric power conversion)
Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(CO2 Capture and Storage, CO2 storage)
Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(CO2 Capture and Storage, CO2 capture/separation)
Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Fuel Cells, Other applications)

Basic and strategic applied research

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry)

Not Cross-cutting

Dr X Yue
Chemistry
University of St Andrews

Standard

EPSRC

25 June 2018

26 July 2022

49 months

£528,020

Energy

Scotland

ISCF - Skills

Dr X Yue, Chemistry, University of St Andrews

Project Contact, Xstrata Coal Low Emissions Research and Development Corporation (XCLERD) Pty Limited, Australia
Project Contact, Haldor Topsøe A/S, Denmark
Project Contact, Scottish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (SHFCA)
Project Contact, Hexis AG, Switzerland
Project Contact, European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC)

Global warming due to excessive CO2 emissions and fossil fuel depletion have urged the development of clean and cheap energy technologies to satisfy the ever-increasing energy demand and net reduction in CO2 emissions. Strategies to utilise CO2 captured from sources such as fossil fuel-based power stations are urgently required to mitigate climate changes. Renewable energy production is likely to be the cleanest method of producing electricity. However, renewable electricity generation through the use of solar, wind or tidal energy transfer is notoriously intermittent and can be inefficient on overcast, still days and non-existent between tides during still days. Developing technologies that are composed of diverse energy sectors including renewables, fuel cells and electrolysis cells is thus vital to fulfil efficient and flexible low carbon energy storage and conversion.This project will seek to explore and develop the recently discovered materials in diverse electrochemical devices for efficient energy storage and conversion. This include converting CO2 into value added fuels and producing electricity using practical hydrocarbons or biogas. The CO2-derived fuels can be regarded as a storage medium for excess renewable electricity supply, when excess renewable electricity is used to drive the CO2 conversion. These fuels have high energy density, are easy to store and transport, and are compatible with the existing fossil fuel infrastructure that hydrogen (H2) fuels are incompatible with. Additionally, the CO2-derived fuels can in turn be used to generate electricity when the renewables are "down", allowing extra fuelling to the system. The CO2 conversion device proposed can split steam and CO2 in the same flow, producing syngas (CO and H2) which is the feedstock for industrial synthetic fuel production. Further, the same device can reversibly work as a fuel cell to generate electricity. The materials used in these devices are critical to their output. Conventional fuel electrode materials (a mixture of nickel (Ni) and zirconia) have limitations due to their poor stability and durability under realistic fuel environments. Materials development in recent years has been focusing on alternative oxides preferably with the active components at nanoscale to maximise activity. The most exciting recent discovery is a group of titanate perovskites (with a formula ABO3), where their B-site metal, e.g. Ni, can move out of the perovskite lattice as the ambient conditions change. This exsolution of catalysts (metal, alloy, oxide) from the host lattice upon reduction can be used to decorate the electrode surface with nanoparticles offering high catalytic activity. Further, the exsolved nanoparticles are anchored to the surface of the parent perovskite, which makes them considerably more stable than catalysts added by conventional means. Nevertheless, the research on these materials in real electrochemical devices so far has been very limited.The project willseek to deliver exsolution materials processing approach for CO2 conversion to maximise performance. The methodologies to drive exsolution of nanocatalysts during CO2 electrolysis operations will be developed. Conversion of steam and CO2 in the same flow will be also investigated using these materials, with specific focus on generating products with desirable CO/H2 ratios for industrial fuels synthesis. Finally, switching the electrolyser to fuel cell using realistic hydrocarbons or biogas fuel will be conducted, aiming to advance the development of a low carbon electricity generation system with significant robustness and cost-competitiveness. The overall objective is to develop and demonstrate a novel, efficient, flexible and robust technology as one that can realise both the fuel production through CO2 conversion and low carbon electricity generation, to help addressing utilisation of sustainable renewable energy and CO2 recycling for fuel production and climate mitigation.

11/10/18