High Efficiency Electrochemical Cells

R&D Focus Areas:
Electrolysis

Lead Organisation:
University of Wollongong

Partners:
Hysata Pty Ltd

Status:
Active

Start date:
Around January 2023

Completion date:
Estimated December 2026

Key contacts:
Chief Investigator Prof Gerry Swiegers – swiegers@uow.edu.au
Chief Investigator Prof Gordon Wallace – gwallace@uow.edu.au
Partner Investigator Dr Paul Barrett

Funding:
AUD$386,356 – Australian Research Council (Linkage Grant)

Project summary description:
This project will study a recently developed, energy efficient ‘capillary-fed’ electrochemical cell architecture in the facilitation of various electro-energy and electro-synthetic transformations. The new cell architecture will be examined as a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell and as a cell for extracting pure hydrogen from a 5-10% mixture of hydrogen in methane (natural gas), amongst others. The work seeks to improve upon the electrochemical performance of the best commercial and academic cells of such types, if possible. In increasing the efficiency with which renewable electricity can be converted into renewable hydrogen and back, this project will support the national priority of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Related publications and key links:
K. Wagner, P. Tiwari, G. F. Swiegers, G. G. Wallace, Energy and Environmental Science 2018, 11, 172.
F. Swiegers, et al. Sustainable Energy and Fuels 2021, 5, 1280, and refs therein.
F. Swiegers, et al. Curr. Opin. Electrochem. 2022, 32, 100881.
Tiwari, et al. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2018, 10, 28176-28186.
Wagner, P. Tiwari, G. F. Swiegers, G. G. Wallace, Advanced Energy Materials 2018, 8, 1702285.

Higher degree studies supported:
One PhD student will be supported by this project.

 

December 2022