Currently researchers are focusing their efforts on producing Nano-size materials to optimum their catalytic functionality and other physical and chemical properties for many engineering and technology applications. Among the advantages of Nano-size materials are their very high surface area to volume ratio and high chemical reaction rate. Nano size carbon-based materials such as Graphene Oxide (GO) is one substance known to have good features including chemical stability, high durability, and relatively good cost effectiveness. GO exhibits high chemical stability over a wide temperature range in both acidic and alkaline conditions, making it the most economically viable candidate as an effective component in the electrodes in electrochemical energy devices such as PEM fuel cells. There are many available carbon allotropes, but graphene is considered an important asset for energy generation applications with unique characteristics such as good chemical stability and excellent electrical conductivity.
Platinum is by far the most effective element currently used in industry as a PEM fuel cell catalyst, and nearly all PEM fuel cells are using platinum particles on porous carbon supports to catalyze both hydrogen oxidation and oxygen reduction. However, due to the platinum high cost, current Pt/C catalysts are not feasible for commercialization. Hence, this project is to research and examine how nano-graphene oxide can be used as a part of the catalyst support to achieve the follow benefits:
1. Obtain higher catalytic activity than the standard carbon-supported platinum particle catalysts used in current PEM fuel cells
2. Reduce the cost of the fuel cell by reducing the amount of platinum-based catalysts
3. Enhance the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) activity of platinum electro-catalyst on the Anodic side.
A major objective of this project is to enhance the educational experiences for engineering students while working on a team project resembling a realistic work environment similar to that of an industrial setting. The outcome of such learning experiences from this effort will be the design, implementation, theoretical analysis, model development and experimental application in the near future of an interdisciplinary project- oriented course for engineering students. This course will involve concepts from fluid mechanics, heat transfer, instrumentation, and data acquisition/analysis.
Prof. Tawfik obtained his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, from University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. He has held a number of industrial & academic positions and affiliations with organizations that included Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Stony Brook University (SBU), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Atomic Energy of Canada Inc., Ontario Hydro, NASA Kennedy, NASA Marshall Space Flight Centers, and the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center at Carderock, Md. Dr. Tawfik is the co-author of more than 60 research papers in the areas of Hydrogen Fuel Cells, Biomass Energy, Thermo- fluids and Two Phase Flow published in prestigious peer reviewed journals and conference symposiums. He holds numerous research awards and owns the rights to four patents in the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cells area. Currently, Dr. Tawfik is a SUNY Distinguished Service Professor and the Director of the Institute for Research and Technology Transfer (IRTT) at Farmingdale State College of the State University of New York.
YEONG S. RYU graduated from Columbia University with a Ph.D. and Master of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering in 1994. He has served as an associate professor of Mechanical Engineering Technology at Farmingdale State College (SUNY) since 2006. In addition, he has conducted various research projects at Xerox Corporation (1994-1995), Hyundai Motor Corporation (1995-1997), and New Jersey Institute of Technology (2001-2003).
He has been teaching and conducting research in a broad range of areas of system identification and control of nonlinear mechatronic systems and vibrations in structures requiring precision pointing to eliminate the detrimental effects of such diverse disturbance sources. He has authored or co-authored more than 70 publications. His work currently focuses on the development and implementation of modeling and control of renewable energy systems, characterization of nanomaterials, photovoltaics, and nanoscale integrated systems. He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and the Materials Research Society (MRS).
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