Bridging intermittency: with iron electrodes

We have to overcome the intermittent nature of renewables to master the energy transition. Harvesting renewable electricity is only part of the solution. Energy storage is another part and the main challenge of our time. Only with efficient storage solutions can big industries switch to renewables.<br/>Electricity storage is most efficient with...

Towards upscaling the Battolyser- An Integrated Ni-Fe Alkaline Battery and Electrolyser: A combined modeling and experimental study

Electrochemical cells and systems have been around for a few centuries. Lately, these technologies have been attracting attention. Although the technology to generate electricity from renewable sources is well developed and widely available -such as photovoltaic and wind energy- this is not always available. Because of this, it is necessary to...

Accelerated Discovery of Electrocatalysts for Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis

Ammonia synthesis via the direct nitrogen reduction reaction mechanism has the potential to be more flexible in production level and scale of operation and may enable cost reductions compared to alternative technologies for green NH3 synthesis. For the research field to advance to higher Technology Readiness Levels selective electrocatalysts...

Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis: Hydrogen Permeable Electrodes as Alternative Pathway for Nitrogen Reduction

In the last century, the indiscriminate use of fossil energy to power the industrial revolution and technological progress of humankind, has led to the depletion of limited natural resources and, most importantly, the emission and accumulation of alarming levels of pollutants and greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere. One of the major...

Characterization and development of high energy density Li-ion batteries

Due to the electricity storage facilities required for a future powered on renewable energy, and due to the high performance batteries necessary for electric vehicles and mobile electronics, battery research and development is more urgent than ever. In this thesis battery technology was investigated both on the material-, as on the electrode...

Towards High Energy Density Li and Na Ion Batteries: An Anode Material Study

Modern life is moving towards a mobile and sustainable energy economy, in which rechargeable batteries play an essential role as a power supply. The current battery of choice is Li ion battery that is dominating the market but faces great challenges for future use mainly due to the demand for higher capacities and target for cost reduction. Next...

In operando phase transitions and Lithium ion transport in LiFePO4

Chemical energy storage in Li-ion batteries is a key technology for the future renewable society. Their energy and power density is largely determined by electrode materials that are able to host lithium in their crystal structure. Aiming at faster and more efficient energy storage, one of the key objectives in Li-ion batteries is to improve the...

Lithium and Sodium Insertion in Nanostructured Titanates: Experiments and simulations

Nanostructured materials are featured by providing a variety of favourable electrical properties, as the reduced ion and electron transport paths enable significant enhancement on (de)intercalation rates and hence high power. For TiO2 anatase, nano-sizing results in a curved open cell voltage profile with a much shorter plateau region in...

Kinetic and thermodynamic aspects of Mg and Mg-Ti hydride nanomaterials

Reliable and affordable energy storage represents a bottleneck in a scenario where renewable energy sources become prominent on the energy market. With its high potential energy density and the natural abundance of the element, hydrogen gas is an attractive energy storage medium. But its gaseous nature, its high explosive potential and...

A Template for Enhanced Lithium Ion Battery Electrodes

Dictated by exhausting sources of conventional fossil fuels, their irreversible damage on environment, international conflicts for oil resources – distressing global economy, worldwide research has focused towards developing alternate, but sustainable, sources of energy generation and storage to meet global energy demands and emission-free...

Hydrogen Storage in Porous Materials and Magnesium Hydrides

In this thesis representatives of two different types of materials for potential hydrogen storage application are presented. Usage of either nanoporous materials or metal hydrides has both operational advantages and disadvantages. A main objective of this thesis is to characterize the hydrogen storage mechanism of selected Metal-Organic...

Charge carrier transport at the nanoscale: Electron and hole transport in self-assembled discotic liquid crystals: Mobile ionic charges in nanocomposite solid electrolytes

This thesis explores some fundamental aspects of charge carrier transport at the nanoscale. The study is divided in two parts. In the first part, the structural, dynamical and vibrational properties of discotic liquid crystals are studied in relation to the potential of these self-assembled ‘mesophases’ to form molecular conducting wires....

Hydrogen storage in metal organic frameworks

Structure and dynamics of hydrogen in nanocomposite solid acids for fuel cell applications

The transition to sustainable energy sources is inevitable. A possible future scenario could be the hydrogen economy, where the fuel cell plays an important role in the conversion of hydrogen back to electricity. The technology behind the fuel cell however, still has significant room for improvement. A next step would be the realization of so...

Lithium insertion in nanostructured titanates

Upon nano-sizing of insertion compounds several significant changes in Li-insertion behavior have been observed for sizes below approximately 50 nm. Although the origins of the phenomena are interrelated, the changes can be divided in three main observations. (1) The formation of new phases, leading to enhanced reactivity and extended capacities...

Hydrogen Storage in Nanostructured Light Metal Hydrides

The global energy issues can be solved by the abundantly available hydrogen on earth. Light metals are a compact and safe medium for storing hydrogen. This makes them attractive for vehicular use. Unfortunately, hydrogen uptake and release is slow in light metals at practical temperature and pressure conditions. Catalysts are known to accelerate...

Discotic liquid crystals: From dynamics to conductivity

The dynamics and conductivity of the discotic liquid-crystal, hexakis(n-hexylox) triphenylene (HAT6), and charge-transfer complex that it forms with 2,4,7trinitro-9-fluorenone (TNF) are studied using quasielastic neutron-scattering (QENS) and Pulse-Radiolysis Time resolved Conductivity. These two techniques measure the molecular dynamics and...