About the Project
The UK has set a target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% relative to 1991 levels, by 2050. Over the same time, the population of the UK is expected to grow by 15-30%, and water and energy use is rising for both domestic and industry. This raises the demand on new technologies to reduce the emission and capture CO2. Electrochemical reduction of CO2 is considered a possible means to produce chemicals or fuels from CO2, making it a feedstock for the chemical industry. Processes which can convert CO2 to useful products are thus desirable from a perspective of sustainability, and environmental protection. The electrochemical processes offer good reaction selectivity and reduced cost because of the possibility of direct control of electrode surface free energy through its electrode potential. However, due to extreme stability of CO2 molecule, the overpotential for CO2 electrochemical reduction is relatively high and thus the energy required for the process could be large. Attempts to commercialise CO2 reduction have met with limited success despite the vast amount of research undertaken.
In this project, the student will learn and carry out research on design of a fuel cell type device for CO2 electrochemical reduction to useful low carbon organic compounds. Researchers have recognized that the biggest challenge in CO2 electroreduction is low performance of the electrocatalysts (i.e., low catalytic activity and insufficient stability). Selection, preparation and analysis of highly active CO2 reduction catalysts will be the first part of this project. Then research on the cell body, flow channel, flow control, temperature control, heat transfer and mass transfer etc. of the fuel cell system will be carried out. A lab scale fuel cell system/rig will be built to study the reliability and efficiency of the system. Scale-up and commercialization will be the final stage of this project.
Please note eligibility requirement:
* Academic excellence of the proposed student i.e. normally an Honours Degree: 1st or 2:1 (or equivalent) or possession of a Masters degree, with merit (or equivalent study at postgraduate level). Applicants may also be accepted on the basis of relevant and substantial practitioner/professional experience.
* Appropriate IELTS score, if required.
For further details of how to apply, entry requirements and the application form, see https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/research/postgraduate-research-degrees/how-to-apply/
Please ensure you quote the advert reference above on your application form.
Northumbria University is an equal opportunities provider and in welcoming applications for studentships from all sectors of the community we strongly encourage applications from women and under-represented groups.
References
1. Jianwei Lu, Kui Zhang, Lei Xing, Xiaoteng Liu*, Nb doped TiO2 nano-bowl Modified by Pt as Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Anode Catalyst, nano Energy, IF: 10.355.
2. Xiaoteng Liu*, Elieen H. Yu and Keith Scott, Preparation and Evaluation of a Highly Stable Palladium Yttrium Platinum Core-shell-shell Structure Catalyst for Oxygen Reduction. Applied catalysis B: Environmental, 2015, 162, 593-601. IF:7.490
3. Xiaoteng Liu*, Kui Zhang, Jianwei Lu, Kun Luo, Vinod. K Puthiyapura, Jinglong Gong and Keith Scott, Determining the effect of plasma pre-treatment on antimony tin oxide and it supported PtPd as an oxygen reduction reaction catalyst, ChemCatChem, 2015, 7, 1543-1546. IF:5.04
4. Xiaoteng Liu, Chenxi Xu, Jigui Cheng* and Keith Scott*, A polybenzimidazole/ionic-liquid-graphite-oxide composite membrane for high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, Journal of Power Source, 2015, 274, 922-927. IF:6.227
5. Kun Luo*, Yuanying Mu, Peng Wang and Xiaoteng Liu*, Effect of oxidation degree on the synthesis and adsorption property of magnetite/graphene nanocomposites, Applied Surface Science, 2015, 359, 188-195, IF:2.711
6. Elijah Chiremba, Teuku Mukhriza, Xiaoteng Liu, Pier Paolo Greco, Kui Zhang*, A Study on CO2 and CH4 Conversion to Synthesis Gas and Higher Hydrocarbons By the Combination of Catalysts and Dielectric-Barrier Discharges – Applied Catalysis A, 2015, 502, 138. IF:4.402
7. Xiaoteng Liu*, Xu Wu and Keith Scott, Study of niobium and tantalum doped titania supported Pt electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation reaction and oxygen reduction reaction. Catalysis Science & Technology, 2014, 4, 3891-3898. IF:5.525
8. Vinod. K Puthiyapura, Sivakumar Pasupathi, Huaneng Su, Xiaoteng Liu, Bruno Pollet and Keith Scott*, Investigation of supported IrO2 as electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction in proton exchange membrane water electrolyser. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2014, 39, 1905-1913. IF:3.659
9. Lei Xing, Xiaoteng Liu, Taiwo Alaje, Ravi Kumar, Mohanmod Manlok and Keith Scott*, A two-phase flow and non-isothermal agglomerate model for a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, Energy, 2014, 73, 618–634. IF: 5.153
10. Xiaoteng Liu*, Paul A. Christensen, Stephen M. Kelly, Vincent Rocher and Keith Scott, Al2O3 Disk Supported Si3N4 Hydrogen Purification Membrane for Low Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells. Membranes, 2013, 3, 406-414.
11. Challenges and Perspectives of Nanocatalysts in Alcohol-Fuelled Direct Oxidation Fuel Cells. in Catalysts for Alcohol-Fuelled Direct Oxidation Fuel Cells, The Royal Society of Chemistry, Editon edn., 2012, pp. 227-249. Book chapter.
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