Research
Current Funded Research Projects
1. Proton-Conducting SOEC with Rational Steam Electrode Design for Low-Temperature, High-Efficiency, and High-Durability Hydrogen Generation
Funding Source: U.S. Department of Energy – Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Technologies Office
Partners: University of Pennsylvania, North Carolina State University, St. Gobain-North America
The primary objective is to advance the proton-conducting solid oxide electrolysis cells (P-SOECs) from technical readiness level 3 to 5 by comprehensively integrating innovations in advanced materials, deposition techniques, and manufacturing. The project leverages the team’s strong foundation from previous P-SOEC research that demonstrated excellent performance and stability and earned DOE’s 2023 Hydrogen Production Technology Award. We aim to fully unlock the potential of P-SOECs by reducing the internal resistance of the rate-determining water splitting process as well as by facilitating scalable manufacturing.
2. Ultrafast High-Temperature Sintering (UHS) for Continuous Manufacturing of High-Performance Oxygen Conducting Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells
Funding Source: U.S. Department of Energy – Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Technologies Office
Partners: HighT-Tech Inc. (PI), Yale University
This proposed project will apply the UHS process to rapidly sinter SOECs, which could reduce or eliminate the bottlenecks associated with the long heating steps in the conventional process. The project will expand our ongoing collaborative effort to develop a rapid, low-cost, continuous UHS-SOEC process for high-temperature sintering of large SOECs and advance the TRL level from 3 to TRL 6 for future scaled manufacturing. We will collaborate with the H2NEW team to demonstrate a three-cell UHS-SOEC short stack.
3. Additively Manufactured Graded Composite Transition Joints for Dissimilar Metal Weldments in Advanced Ultra-Supercritical Power Plant
Funding Source: U.S. Department of Energy – Office of Fossil Energy, Crosscutting Program
Partners: Oak Ridge National Lab, GE Steam Power, GE Gas, GE Research, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Haynes International, Southwest Research Institute.
The objectives of this Phase I project are (1) to develop and demonstrate at the lab-scale the additively manufactured graded composite transition joints (AM-GCTJ) for dissimilar metal weldments (DMW) in next generation advanced ultra-supercritial (A-USC) coal-fired power plants, that can significantly improve the microstructural stability, creep and thermal-mechanical fatigue resistance, as compared with their conventional counterparts; and (2) to prepare for Phase II of the project, in which we will manufacture and test the components with AM-GCTJ, to advance the technology readiness level to TRL-7, and manufacturing readiness level to MRL 6-7, for targeted commercial applications identified by GE Steam Power, the primary industry partner of the project team.
4. High-Entropy Alloy-based Coatings to Protect Critical Components in Hydrogen Turbine Power System
Funding Source: U.S. Department of Energy – Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Advanced Manufacturing Office
Partners:, Praxair, a Linde Company, National Energy Technology Laboratory
The objective of the project is to develop a new class of aluminum-containing, high-entropy alloy coatings, with and without a thermal barrier layer, that will protect critical components in hydrogen combustion systems for clean electric power generation. The coatings will form an alumina scale layer that will extend the life of critical turbine components in the harsher, higher temperature, more corrosive environment expected in hydrogen combustion systems. The new coatings in hydrogen combustion environments will perform the same as, or better than, coatings used today to protect turbine components in natural gas combustion power generation systems.
5. Reversible SOFC-SOEC Stacks Based on Stable Rare-Earth Nickelate Oxygen Electrodes
Funding Source: U.S. Department of Energy – Office of Fossil Energy, Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Program
Partners: Saint Gobain (PI), Boston University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Gaia Energy Research Institute
This is a three-year project to develop and evaluate novel nickelate
based oxygen electrodes which show potential for high performance and
durability in both electrolysis and fuel cell operational modes. To improve the
overall durability of the stack, the hydrogen electrode will also need to be
optimized and a stable nickelate – metal interconnect interface will need to be
developed. Cells with the optimized materials, microstructure, and interfaces
will be scaled to short stacks. These stacks will be tested for their
performance in both Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) and Solid Oxide Electrolysis
Cell (SOEC) modes as well as their ability to withstand mode switching.
6. Heterostructured Cr Resistant Oxygen Electrode for SOECs
Funding Source: U.S. Department of Energy – Office of Fossil Energy, Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Program
Partners: Worcester Polytechnic Institute (PI)
The principal objective of this project is to design an Ruddlesden-Popper Phase oxygen electrode material for Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells (SOECs) through a computationally guided approach, which is resistant to compositional and phase changes, and to performance degradation, in the operation conditions with the presence of chromium (Cr)-containing gas impurities. When fully optimized, this oxygen electrode material will have an INTRINSIC long-term degradation rate of less than 0.3%/1000 hrs at 700C.
7. Microwave Catalysis for Process Intensified Modular Production of Carbon Nanomaterials from Natural Gas
Funding Source: U.S. Department of Energy – Office of Fossil Energy, Natural Gas Program
Partners: Prof. John Hu (PI) of WVU, North Carolina State University, Pacific Northwest National Lab, HQuest, South California Gas.
The objective is to develop a new, low-cost process intensified modular process to directly convert flare gas or stranded gas to carbon nanomaterials and co-product hydrogen (H 2) with high conversion, selectivity, and stability. The proposed project is based on our exciting exploratory research on a patent pending technology for one-step conversion of natural gas without emitting CO 2:
CH 4 - H 2 + C (CNT, Carbon Fibers)
The proposed technology is based on microwave-enhanced, multifunctional catalytic system to directly convert the light components of stranded natural gas. Specifically, our approach integrates microwave reaction chemistry into the modular reactor design with the goal to achieve energy and capital efficiency comparable or better than large commercial unit operation. It is anticipated that the technology readiness level (TRL) will be increased from TRL 4 to 5.
8. Advanced Manganese Oxide-based Cathode for Rechargeable Aqueous Zinc-ion Batteries
Funding Source: U.S. Department of Energy – Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability, Energy Storage Program
Partner: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory(PI)
The aqueous Zn-ion battery (ZIB) technologies have recently emerged as promising electrical energy storage systems especially for grid-level application, due to their low cost, high safety, low flammability and high eco-efficiency. The Zn-ion battery consists of a zinc metal anode, an aqueous electrolyte and a cathode that is normally composed of Earth-abundant polyvalent cation elements. The ZIB demonstrates significant advantages in terms of the high capacity, large abundance, high safety, nontoxicity and excellent water compatibility of Zn metal, its environmental benignity, low cost, less rigorous manufacturing conditions and good recyclability. It has been estimated that the cost of ZIBs is lower than $65/kWh, much lower than that of current lithium-ion batteries ($300/kWh) and close to that of lead-acid batteries ($48/kWh).[1] The aqueous ZIB chemistry has been extensively studied in order to achieve high-energy and high-power rechargeable batteries. Early development of rechargeable alkaline Zn-based batteries has been plagued by many issues such as poor Coulombic efficiency and severe capacity fading associated with the Zn electrochemistry in alkaline solutions. Recently, intense research efforts are devoted to the development of rechargeable aqueous ZIBs which can work in mildly acidic or near neutral electrolytes. The issues of Zn anodes encountered in alkaline electrolytes will be significantly alleviated or even eliminated in such slightly acidic or near neutral electrolytes. Unfortunately, despite of relative small ionic radius of Zn 2+ (0.75 Å versus 0.76 Å for Li+), it is still challenging to develop competent cathode materials for intercalation of Zn ions, as the electrostatic interaction between divalent Zn ions and crystal structures of cathode materials is much stronger than that of Li ions. To date, the development of suitable insertion hosts for ZIBs is still in the incipient stage, mainly focusing on three families of materials including manganese oxide, vanadium-based compounds and Prussian blue analogs.
Previous studies revealed that many of manganese oxide hosts experience phase transition and structural transformation from initial structure to layered structure upon Zn-ion insertion especially in a high depth of discharge and subsequently structure collapse of the layered structure. This transition of structure and phase leads to poor cyclability of manganese oxide. It is rationalized that it is a promising solution to directly use the layered manganese oxide (e.g. δ-MnO 2 and cation-birnessite/buserite) intercalated by a guest molecule such as long-chain organic amine and polymer as a cathode for ZIB. In this way, the interlayer distance will be expanded and the guest molecule can strengthen the layered structure, which may facilitate the charge storage, relieve the stress of restructuring and alleviate the structural collapse. We aim to prepare pristine layered manganese oxide and guest molecule-intercalated manganese oxide hosts. Some guest molecules such as conductive polymers and long-chain organic molecules will be utilized to be hybridized with layered manganese oxide.
9. Modular Integrated System for Carbon-Neutral Methanol Synthesis Using Direct Air Capture and Carbon-Free Hydrogen Production
Funding Source: U.S. Department of Energy – Office of Fossil Energy & Carbon Management
Partner:Oak Ridge National Laboratory, OxEon Energy, TallGrass, Tennessee Valley Authority
In Phase 1, the recipient, and their industrial partners industrial partners will conduct conceptual design and feasibility study of a proposed integrated process for producing green methanol. The proposed process includes: (i) a novel building-based direct air capture (DAC) process that eliminates large amount of capital and operating costs of air handling equipment items in typical DAC processes, (ii) a functionalized solid sorbent offering high equilibrium loading and very low pressure drop thus enabling use of HVAC systems, (iii) solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) to produce carbon-free H2 that operate at a temperature as low as 500oC, resulting in about 30% reduction in power than polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzers for same H2 production rate, and enabling electrochemical compression to provide high pressure hydrogen at a lower cost, (iv) a novel structured catalyst coated into metallic monolith substrate resulting in high heat transfer rate and high reaction rate thus lowering the reaction temperature to as low as 220oC, which, in turn, increases single pass conversion of the methanol synthesis reaction by about 5% compared to traditional CuO-ZnO-Al2O3 catalysts, (iv) a highly integrated process that utilizes building hot air return and heat recovery from reactor effluent for regeneration heat for the DAC sorbent, and utilizes steam generated in the reactor followed by superheating by electrolyzer product streams for generating the entire amount of superheated steam for SOEC.
In addition to conceptual design and optimization of the proposed process, Phase 1 will include development of preliminary Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA), Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), Technology Maturation Plan (TMP), Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S), Technology Gap Analysis (TGA), Social Consideration Impact (SCI) package and plan for Phase 2. The key outcome will be a highly integrated and optimized process with state-of-the-art technologies for DAC, electrolysis, and methanol synthesis leading to cost-efficient production of >99.7% pure green methanol with maximum utilization of net CO2 and minimum environmental footprint.
10. Modular Integrated System for Carbon-Neutral Methanol Synthesis Using Direct Air Capture and Carbon-Free Hydrogen Production
Funding Source: U.S. Department of Energy – Office of Fossil Energy & Carbon Management
Partners:Oak Ridge National Laboratory, OxEon Energy, TallGrass, Tennessee Valley Authority
In Phase 1, the recipient, and their industrial partners industrial partners will conduct conceptual design and feasibility study of a proposed integrated process for producing green methanol. The proposed process includes: (i) a novel building-based direct air capture (DAC) process that eliminates large amount of capital and operating costs of air handling equipment items in typical DAC processes, (ii) a functionalized solid sorbent offering high equilibrium loading and very low pressure drop thus enabling use of HVAC systems, (iii) solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) to produce carbon-free H2 that operate at a temperature as low as 500oC, resulting in about 30% reduction in power than polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzers for same H2 production rate, and enabling electrochemical compression to provide high pressure hydrogen at a lower cost, (iv) a novel structured catalyst coated into metallic monolith substrate resulting in high heat transfer rate and high reaction rate thus lowering the reaction temperature to as low as 220oC, which, in turn, increases single pass conversion of the methanol synthesis reaction by about 5% compared to traditional CuO-ZnO-Al2O3 catalysts, (iv) a highly integrated process that utilizes building hot air return and heat recovery from reactor effluent for regeneration heat for the DAC sorbent, and utilizes steam generated in the reactor followed by superheating by electrolyzer product streams for generating the entire amount of superheated steam for SOEC.In addition to conceptual design and optimization of the proposed process, Phase 1 will include development of preliminary Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA), Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), Technology Maturation Plan (TMP), Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S), Technology Gap Analysis (TGA), Social Consideration Impact (SCI) package and plan for Phase 2. The key outcome will be a highly integrated and optimized process with state-of-the-art technologies for DAC, electrolysis, and methanol synthesis leading to cost-efficient production of >99.7% pure green methanol with maximum utilization of net CO2 and minimum environmental footprint.
10. Clean Hydrogen by Electrochemical Methods (CHEM)
Funding Source: U.S. Department of Defense
Partners:University of Delaware (PI), National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Plug Power, Chemours