Abstract

Our multidisciplinary team (chemistry, engineering, and materials science) proposes a concerted theoretical and experimental program to isolate, elucidate, and simulate the fundamental processes responsible for direct electrochemical oxidation in solid-oxide fuel cells.  With two innovative new experiments, the proposed research promises to advance significantly the state-or-the-art by the direct observation of electrochemical processes.  The proposed research will also advance significantly the ability to model, simulate, and predict electrochemical phenomena and performance of new logistics fuels and membrane-electrode materials.  Through outreach and collaboration with government laboratories and private industry, the results of the research will be communicated rapidly and made available to assist and accelerate the development of new fuel-cell technology for logistic fuels.  The proposed research provides outstanding opportunities for the multidisciplinary education of graduate and undergraduate students and post-doctoral scholars in exciting new areas of science and technology, with both civilian and military impact.