Tom Mason's Webpage
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Postgraduate Researcher Phone: +44 (0)20 7679 2643 Email: thomas.mason.09@ucl.ac.uk |
Address: Department of Chemical Engineering University College London Torrington Place London WC1E 7JE United Kingdom |
Tom graduated in 2009 with a degree in Chemical Engineering from UCL.
Research project
Title: Development of advanced diagnostic techniques to study degradation in PEM fuel cells
Supervisor: Dr Dan Brett
Polymer
electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) performance degradation originates from various
mechanisms, and may involve all of the main components of the stack (i.e.,
electrolyte, electrodes and bipolar plates). These degradation mechanisms may
be partially reversible (e.g., poisoning by fuel impurities) or irreversible
(e.g., agglomeration of particles within electrodes) and may be exacerbated or
remedied by excursions from steady-state operation, such as the cycling of
temperature, electrical load, humidification level etc.
In order to develop more robust materials and to formulate operating regimes that minimise degradation, a clear understanding of the different degradation mechanisms needs to be achieved. As part of the Supergen Fuel Cell programme, this project is using advanced electrochemical diagnostic techniques to study PEFCs to establish and understand the various mechanisms of degradation.
Page last modified on 15 sep 11 09:44
