In-situ Electrochemical Scanning Tunneling Microscopy on Novel Metallic Single Crystals

With the increase of CO2 emissions, pollutants and waste production from developed/developing countries, there has been an urgent need for the scientific community to come up with effective and reliable solutions to these environmental concerns. The demand for renewable and clean energy alternatives has never been so urgent. While there have been developments in various fuel cell technologies, the high-cost of platinum-group nanomaterials being used for electrocatalysts is currently prohibitively expensive. Nickel nanomaterials have been identified as candidates to be used as high activity, cheaper alternatives. This project proposes to use in-situ electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy to study processes related to alkaline fuel cells and water electrolysers. There exists a significant knowledge gap involving the fundamental surface phenomena taking place on monocrystalline surfaces that can be present on nanomaterials. TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Gregory Jerkiewicz

Student:

Partner:

Universität Ulm

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Green/Alternative Energy; Technology; Other

University:

Queen's University

Program: