scb group

Comparative ORR performance data for best performing catalyst (FeNC-P), with Fe removed (FeNC-P-L (AR) P), and catalyst prepared with no Fe (NC-P), shows that Fe removal deactivates the catalyst as much as preparation with no Fe

A new paper by Selvarani Ganesan is now available in Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics (PCCP).

Entitled “Impact of Transition Metal on Nitrogen Retention and Activity of Iron-Nitrogen-Carbon Oxygen Reduction Catalysts”, the paper demonstrates that increasing nominal Fe content in FeNC catalysts leads to a decreased level of nitrogen retention. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirms that iron not only negatively influences the nitrogen retention, but also enhances carbon gasification at high temperature.

Oxygen reduction experiments obtained with best performing catalysts (FeNC-P), catalyst prepared without iron (NC-P), catalyst prepared without nitrogen (FeC-P), and FeNC-P catalyst that subjected to aqua-regia leaching (FeNC-P-L(AR)-P) confirm that Fe is also one of the constituents of active sites that produce high ORR activity.

Reference: S. Ganesan, N. Leonard and S. Calabrese Barton, “Impact of Transition Metal on Nitrogen Retention and Activity of Iron-Nitrogen-Carbon Oxygen Reduction Catalysts”, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., (2014). doi:10.1039/c3cp54751e.

UPDATE: These positions have been filled. Thank you for your interest!

We have two undergraduate research positions available immediately. The research area is sythesis and characterization of non-precious metal catalysts for oxygen reduction in fuel cells.

Apply here!

Relationship between mesoporous volume of four different catalysts and two different parameters: nitrogen content measured by CHN, and iR-free oxygen reduction current density at 0.8 V vs. RHE.

A new paper is now available titled “Carbon Supports for Non-Precious Metal Oxygen Reducing Catalysts” and published in Journal of the Electrochemical Society.

This paper considers various porous carbon materials for their impact on the nitrogen content and activity of metal-nitrogen-carbon (MNC) oxygen reduction catalysts prepared using high-pressure pyrolysis.  A number of conclusions are drawn from rotating ring-disk measurements as well as pore size distributions and chemical content of the carbon materials and resulting catalysts. A relationship is found between mesoporosity and nitrogen adsorption indicating the importance of transport within the catalyst. Results also indicate the importance of carbon support chemistry:  porous carbons have a large impact on stabilization of nitrogen and iron which results in increased catalyst performance.

Leonard, N.; Nallathambi, V.; Barton, S. C., J. Electrochem. Soc., 160 (8), F788-F792 (2013). link

Welcome to Duyen Van Thuy Do, the newest member of our group. Duyen is pursuing a Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering here at MSU, and is starting her research in the area of redox polymer mediators. She received her bachelor’s degree in Polymeric Materials Technology from Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology in 2010, where she studied ink coatings and degradable polyethylene films. Afterwards, she taught Graphics Art & Media at the  HCM City University of Technical Education. We are excited for Duyen’s bright future and happy she has joined us!

A new paper by Hanzi Li,  Kathryn E Worley, and Scott Calabrese Barton describes Bioactivity of NAD⁺ Regenerated by NADH Electro-oxidation is now available in ACS Catalysis. This work proves that bioactive NAD⁺ can be efficiently produced using electrochemical techniques, enabling application of NADH-dependent enzymes in bioconversion, biosensor, and bioenergy processes.

Gregor Osterwinter visited us for a month to combine photo-crosslinkable redox mediators with nanotube support layers. Gregor is a graduate student at Freiburg IMTEK, where he works with Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rühe. He did some nice work with us, and we learned a lot about the photocrosslinking approach as well as some good characterization tips.  Thanks Gregor!  And enjoy your circumnavigation of Lake Michigan!

Congratulations to Hao Wen, who defended his dissertation titled “Multiscale Porous Fuel Cell Electrodes” on Wednesday.  Hao did an excellent job, and will be very soon moving on to a position at Ford in battery R&D.  Well done, Dr. Wen!  There are a few more photos after the break.

Dr. Wen describes his scientific approach to porous electrodes

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A great new website from Fuel Cells 2000* chock full of information on fuel cells, from technical basics, to manufacturers and products. Highly recommended for fuel cell newbies

* Isn’t that name a little dated?

Hanzi Li and Hao Wen- Don’t they look spiffy?

Hao Wen and Hanzi Li got a taste of postgraduate life by walking in Spring Commencement this week.  Hao will be defending his dissertation in late May, and Hanzi should finish sometime in 2012, so it made sense to walk in the big show.  Congratulations, Hao and Hanzi, in advance!

Dr. Selvarani Ganesan

Dr. Selvarani Ganesan has joined our group as a postdoctoral scholar.  Dr. Ganesan received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from University of Madras in 2010, where her advisor was Dr. Ashok Shukla (the same advisor as our esteemed colleague Dr. Kothandarman Ramanujam).  She has since conducted research at CECRI in Chennai and in Dr, Branko Popov’s group at the University of South Carolina before joining us this April.

Selvarani will be working with Nate on the DOE-sponsored project on non precious mental catalysts for oxygen reduction.  Welcome, Selvarani!

A sampling of Dr. Ganesan’s publications is after the break…

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