Components
Polymer electrolytes
The Zawodzinski group is one of the leading international groups for the study of polymer electrolytes. We make new materials but are also a go-to group for detailed studies of transport and other relevant properties working with a who’s who of industry and academic leaders. Early in his career, Prof. Zawodzinski developed what is now the standard approach for all work on fuel cell membranes, continuing and evolving to this day. From this, the team has continued to lead in applications to new areas such as:
· Developing cutting edge methods for probing lithium-ion transport.
· Providing the most comprehensive studies of membrane processes for flow batteries.
· Extending those studies in new direction for next generation devices.
· Developing unique membrane solutions for use in metal-air batteries
The group currently participates in the DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Office program for the ‘Million Mile Fuel Cell Truck’ program, making membranes for operation at high temperature and low relative humidity.
Novel Electrolytes
The Zawodzinski group is adapting and studying new types of electrolytes for use in flow systems. For example, microemulsion systems have been used in flow batteries for the first time. These structured fluids allow separation of redox active components into an oil region while high conductivity is maintained by including salt, acid or base in the aqueous region. This separation has multiple possible uses and implications.
Catalysts
The Zawodzinski group has a long history of development and testing of new electrocatalysts for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, for alkaline systems such as metal-air batteries, for electrosynthesis systems and for other types of fuel cells such as solid acid fuel cells. These catalysts range from conventional supported nanoparticle Pt and Pt-alloy catalysts to unusual structures such as nanotubes of Pt and alloys or Pt particles inside porous nanotubes to precious metal-free carbon-nitride catalysts prepared by pyrolyzing precursors including kudzu. The group employs several different, often unique, ways to create catalyst nanostructures including:
· Electrodeposition on or inside carbon structure;
· Pyrolysis of biomass;
· A simplified chemical vapor deposition process (called Poor Man’s CVD) to deposit nanoparticles, to create templated nanoshapes or even to deposited inside porous structures.
Electrode Structures
The Zawodzinski group has developed a unique (and growing) suite of methods to prepare and study high surface area, porous electrodes for devices.