Other Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Materials And Interfaces For Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Production And Utilization., Alexander Jiya Gupta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mass industrialization over the last few centuries has created a global economy which is dependent upon fossil fuels to satisfy an exponentially increasing demand for energy. Aside from the possible depletion of this finite resource, the combustion of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere which cause the global temperature to rise – a phenomenon which has already begun to create geologic and geopolitical instability and shows no signs of abatement. One proposed method to rid humanity of its dependence on fossil fuels is to use green hydrogen as an energy carrier. In this scheme, excess electricity from a …

The Study Of Copper Corrosion Mechanisms Using Electrochemical Experimental Techniques., Evan Grimm

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover and thoroughly explain the corrosion mechanisms of copper in saltwater, tap water and deionized water, and to apply these methods and findings when testing the corrosion mechanisms of other materials. The experimental procedure consisted of measuring the open circuit potential, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, linear sweep voltammetry, and Tafel analysis.

The copper was found to corrode at a greater rate in saltwater, followed by tap water then deionized water, with a larger difference between saltwater and tap water than between tap water and deionized water. Each reaction was found to be both kinetically …

Biomass-Derived Electrode Materials And Sustainable Processes For Supercapacitors, Katelyn M. Shell

Theses and Dissertations

Biomass is one of the most abundant natural resources and has been used as a source of energy for thousands of years. Biomass as a precursor for energy storage materials is still relatively novel and faces several obstacles before becoming commonly used in today’s electrical devices. Currently, energy storage devices, such as batteries, capacitors, and supercapacitors, utilize petroleum-derived graphitic carbons for anodes, generating a need for more sustainable materials. Biomass, as a carbon-rich source for electrode materials, presents a viable and economically feasible alternative due to the prevalent lignocellulosic compounds: lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. Preliminary studies on the solid residues …

Enhanced Kinetics And Modeling Of Pan-Based Carbon Felt Anodes In Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries, Michael Cyrus Daugherty

Doctoral Dissertations

All-vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) are a promising technology for grid-level energy storage, however, there are still several limitations in the forms of durability, efficiency, and overall costs, which are barriers to its commercial viability. With both bulk electrolyte flowing through its porous matrix and species flux at the solid-electrolyte interface, electrodes are the component of VRFB systems which host electrochemical reactions and facilitate contact between the liquid phase electrolyte and the electronically conductive solid phase. While the more limiting electrode in VRFB systems is dependent on the material, for polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon felts, the anode constitutes a larger portion …

Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries: Design And Experimentation, Matthew George

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Vanadium flow batteries (VFB) are a type of battery that has potential as a grid-scale energy storage solution. An original design for a lab-scale VFB is presented herein, along with a procedure for electrolyte preparation from V₂O₅ using oxalic acid. The flow cell is constructed from Delrin, Teflon, Kynar, Santoprene, Nafion, graphite plate, and porous carbon. Two diaphragm pumps along with polyethylene, PVC, and Santoprene tubing are used. The active area is 58 cm². The battery was charged using a DC power supply at a constant current of 4 A with corresponding initial voltage of …

Electrochemical Detection Of Antioxidants, Garrett Thompson

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.