This month the project I had planned and completed for my EPSRC doctoral prize fellowship was published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. It is titled “Utilization of 3D printed carbon gas diffusion layers in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells”.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360319922021978
In this research, I attempted to manufacture the structures that I had been simulating in some of my work during my PhD. The required understanding of the development process from 3D printing to fuel cell membrane electrode assembly integration.
This work develops a foundation for future research into using designed porous structures in electrochemical devices. I’m interested to see where this goes in the future.
Skills and experience in the areas presented below were established:
- Digital design of large scale lattice structures with micro-scale features
- Optimisation of DLP 3D printing process using inexpensive materials (<£200 printer)
- Thermogravimetric analysis and furnace carbonisation processes
- Membrane electrode assembly construction and integration into a fuel cell
- Understanding of failure characteristics for future novel material research
- Simulation of steady state flow and transport in lab scale flow field and porous regions fully resolved.
Although my research is now focused on water electrolysis, designed structures may also provide similar theoretical enhancement.
Daniel Niblett Research 