Electrochemistry

Research in area of electrochemistry focuses process natural gas liquids to market-fungible liquid fuels using a modular system that oxidatively converts feed hydrocarbons to olefins. These technologies have direct connections to natural gas and hydrocarbon fuels, providing potential solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy efficiency. We also aim to develop metal-supported ammonia-fed fuel cells for zero-emission transportation, as well as non-precious metal electrocatalytic materials for converting renewable energy to chemical energy. We manipulate the structure and chemical composition of materials to increase efficiency and lifespan, guiding future materials design for high-performance and stable electrodes in ceramic electrolysis cells.

Research topics on electrochemistry

Clean Power for Transportation Segment

Renewable Energy Storage

Shale Gas Upgrading

1. Clean Power for Transportation Segment (Wenyuan Li)

metal-supported proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cell (left), ammonia as fuel to power the proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells (right).

The transportation segment represents ~27% of global warming greenhouse gas emissions nowadays. Transportation's electrification has been deemed a grand move worldwide to fight the emission. Fuel cells offer efficient, clean energy when operated by carbon-free fuel. Fuel cell electric vehicles have been poised to be a newly emerged route to provide zero-emission transportation.

We devote to overcoming the technical barriers in the development of metal-supported onboard ammonia-fed fuel cells. The metal support would provide physical robustness for thermal shock during vehicles' quick start-up and shutdown, reduce internal temperature gradients due to the greater thermal conductivity of the metal and enable conventional metal joining for easy manufacturing. The proton-conducting electrolyte avoids the mixing of O and N, and only leads H to the air side for electrochemical reaction.

Related project: Metal Supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Using Proton-Conducting Electrolyte for Direct Ammonia Utilization

2. Renewable Energy Storage (Wenyuan Li)

oxygen reduction reaction on the electrode for solid oxide cells high electronic and ionic conductivities from optimized catalyst enables expanded reactive area and fast exchange process

About 11% of the energy consumed globally came from renewables. Rapid worldwide deployment of renewables leads to greenhouse effect mitigation, energy security, and economic benefit. Solar, wind, and tide powers are crucial constituents of renewable energy. However, they are site-specific and intermittent, which makes it difficult to predict and costly to integrate these energy sources into the existing electricity grids. An attractive strategy to overcome these challenges is converting renewable energy to chemical energy by electrolysis cells.

We devote ourselves to developing non-precious metal electrocatalytic materials of different structures to increase the efficiency and lifespan of electrolysis devices for energy conversion. Chemical tuning for performance breakthrough and to dig into the fundamental question of how the conductivities of three major species, O2-, H+, e- interplay to affect the electrolyzing kinetics. We manipulate the structure and chemical composition to adjust the electron, oxygen, and proton conductivities, which is used to clarify the role of each conductivity in the overall water-splitting reaction, and to guide the future materials design toward high-performance and stable electrodes in the ceramic electrolysis cells.

Related project: Intermediate Temperature Proton‐Conducting Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells with Improved Performance and Durability

3. Shale Gas Upgrading (Wenyuan Li)

share gas production in the united states (left) and membrane reactor to convert wet gas to ethylene (right)

The growth in natural gas supply in the U.S. has been substantial since 2005, mostly due to the significant increase in shale gas production. U.S. gas production is projected to increase by nearly 66% to 2040, increasing U.S. production from about 21.5 trillion cubic feet to almost 28 trillion cubic feet per year. While some areas of U.S. products are in decline, such as Alaskan gas, shale gas will add over 8 trillion feet of production during this period.

There are tremendous commercial opportunities to convert the natural gas liquids (NGLs) in shale gas to market-fungible liquid fuels and significantly reduce the infrastructure cost. We devote ourselves to developing a transformational new technology for processing NGLs, specifically ethane, to fuels that are more capital and energy efficient, with lower CO2 emissions, than conventional pyrolysis technologies. In a modular system, the feed hydrocarbons will be oxidatively converted to olefins through a combination of novel anode materials and redox reagents.

Related project: Electrogenerative Reactors for Process Intensified Cogeneration of Power and Liquid Fuel from Shale Gas

Affiliated faculty

Wenyuan Li, Assistant professor, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

Recent publications

Y Wang, W Li , L Ma, W Li, X Liu, Degradation of solid oxide electrolysis cells: phenomena, mechanisms, and emerging mitigation strategies–a review , Journal of Materials Science & Technology, 55 (2020) 35-55.
H Qi, F Xia, T Yang, W Li , W Li, L Ma, G Collins, W Shi, H Tian, S Hu, In Situ Exsolved Nanoparticles on La0.5Sr1.5Fe1.5Mo0.5O6-δ Anode Enhance the Hydrogen Oxidation Reaction in SOFCs , Journal of The Electrochemical Society 167 (2020), 024510.
W Tang, H Ding, W Bian, W Wu, W Li , X Liu, JY Gomez, CYR Vera, Understanding of A-site deficiency in layered perovskites: promotion of dual reaction kinetics for water oxidation and oxygen reduction in protonic ceramic electrochemical cells , Journal of Materials Chemistry A 29 (2020), 14600-14608.
S Hu, H Finklea, W Li , W Li, H Qi, N Zhang, X Liu, Alternating current electrophoretic deposition of gadolinium doped ceria onto yttrium stabilized zirconia: a study of the mechanism , ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 12 (2020), 11126-11134.
H Qi, YL Lee, T Yang, W Li , W Li, L Ma, S Hu, Y Duan, GA Hackett, X Liu, Positive Effects of H2O on the Hydrogen Oxidation Reaction on Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.5O6−δ-Based Perovskite Anodes for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells , ACS Catalysis 10 (2020), 5567-5578.
F Hao, Y Gao, L Neal, RB Dudek, W Li , C Chung, B Guan, P Liu, X Liu, Sodium tungstate-promoted CaMnO3 as an effective, phase-transition redox catalyst for redox oxidative cracking of cyclohexane , Journal of Catalysis 385 (2020), 213-223.
L Zhou, J Mason, W Li , X Liu, Comprehensive review of chromium deposition and poisoning of Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) cathode materials , Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews 2020, in press.
Y Wang, L Ma, W Li , W Li, X Liu, High-temperature mixed potential CO gas sensor for in-situ combustion control , Journal of Materials Chemistry A 38 (2020), 20101-20110.
S Hu, W Li , H Finklea, X Liu, A review of electrophoretic deposition of metal oxides and its application in solid oxide fuel cells , Advances in Colloid and Interface Science 276 (2020), 102102.
X Chen, W Li, Y Xu, Z Zeng, H Tian, M Velayutham, W Shi, W Li , C Wang, Charging activation and desulfurization of MnS unlock the active sites and electrochemical reactivity for Zn-ion batteries , Nano Energy 75 (2020), 104869.
H Tian, W Li , L Ma, T Yang, B Guan, W Shi, TL Kalapos, X Liu, Deconvolution of Water-Splitting on the Triple-Conducting Ruddlesden–Popper-Phase Anode for Protonic Ceramic Electrolysis Cells , ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 44 (2020), 49574-49585.
W Li , B Guan, T Yang, Z Li, W Shi, H Tian, L Ma, TL Kalapos, X Liu, Layer-structured triple-conducting electrocatalyst for water-splitting in protonic ceramic electrolysis cells: Conductivities vs. activity , Journal of Power Sources 495 (2021), 229764.
13. L Ma, Y Wang, W Li , B Guan, H Qi, H Tian, L Zhou, HA De Santiago, X Liu, Redox-stable symmetrical solid oxide fuel cells with exceptionally high performance enabled by electrode/electrolyte diffuse interface , Journal of Power Sources 488 (2021), 229458.
L Zhou, Z Zeng, M. Brady, D Leonard, H Meyer, Y, Yamamoto, W Li , G Collins, X Liu, Chromium Evaporation and Oxidation Characteristics of Alumina-Forming Austenitic Stainless Steels for Balance of Plant Applications in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells , International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 46 (41), 21619-21633.
Z Li, B Guan, F Xia, J Nie, W Li , L Ma, W Li, L Zhou, Y Wang, H Tian, J Luo, Y Chen, M Frost, K An, X Liu, High-Entropy Perovskite as a High-Performing Chromium-Tolerant Cathode for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells , ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2022, 14, 21, 24363–24373
H Tian, Z Luo, Y Song, Y Zhou, M Gong, W Li , Z Shao, M Liu, X Liu, Protonic ceramic materials for clean and sustainable energy: advantages and challenges , International Materials Reviews, 1-29.
Y Wang, L Ma, W Li, AM Deibel, W Li , H Tian, X Liu, NiO-based sensor for in situ CO monitoring above 1000° C: behavior and mechanism , Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials, 1-13.
EV Hiraldo, AFS Molouk, H Tian, AB Abdallah, W Li , X Liu, Surface decorations to abrupt change performance, robustness, and stability of electrodes for solid oxide cells , Journal of the American Ceramic Society.