Reference Number: DEVCOM-090
Project Description
This research effort will focus on identifying, characterizing, and developing enhanced fuel conversion, exploring the enhancement of chemical reactions involved in both fuel consumption and production. The overall research objective is to selectively drive localized, energy-intensive reactions for the performance of otherwise impractical (high-temperature/pressure) industrial-scale processes, portably and safely, on the nanoscale. This includes the utilization of high-energy ethanol in fuel cells at lower overall operation temperatures and the local synthesis of hydrocarbon fuels. Explore novel concepts in energy generation and capture technologies for the efficient conversion of ambient energy into electrical energy for use and storage. Focus areas include: energy storage and release from atomic nuclei, new electrochemical materials and processes for energy storage and conversion, and new approaches for energy harvesting. By combining synthesis techniques with spectroscopic and microscopic methods, materials will be tailored for visible- to infrared-light absorption and catalysis. These materials will maximize photoenergy absorption to provide the highest overall solar-to-chemical energy efficiencies possible.
Technical Skills
- Reactor engineering
- Material synthesis, characterization (spectroscopy, microscopy, diffraction, etc)
- Data acquisition and analysis
- Catalysis
- Electrochemistry
- Modeling