Project Info
Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis
Andrew Herring
aherring@mines.edu
Project Goals and Description:
Green Hydrogen is an important energy carrier as the world transitions to a sustainable energy future. Currently the product of hydrogen from water splitting via electrolysis using renewable wind or solar electricity is not cost competitive with the product of hydrogen from steam methane reforming. Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) could enable non-precious metal catalysis and compact load forming water electrolysis that would approach the DOEs earth shot goal of $1 a Kg of H2 by 2030. In this project the student will fabricate high quality AEMs from polymers synthesized in our laboratory, build electrodes, fabricate membrane electrode assemblies, and test them in small bench top electrolysis devices.
More Information:
Grand Challenge: Make solar energy economical.
“Evaluating the Effect of Ionomer Chemical Composition in Silver-Ionomer Catalyst Inks toward the Oxygen Evolution Reaction by Half-Cell Measurements and Water Electrolysis.” N.C. Buggy, I. Wu, Y. Du, R. Ghosh, M.-C. Kuo, M.S. Ezell, J.M. Crawford, S. Seifert, M.A. Carreon, E.B. Coughlin, A.M. Herring,* Electrochimica Acta., 2022, 412, 140124.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2022.140124
Primary Contacts:
Andy Herring, aherring@mines.edu
Mei-Chen Kuo, mkuo@mines.edu
Student Preparation
Qualifications
Freshman Chemistry and Physics.
TIME COMMITMENT (HRS/WK)
4
SKILLS/TECHNIQUES GAINED
Ability to fabricate and characterize polymer electrolyte membranes.
Ability to fabricate membrane electrode assemblies
Ability to assemble and test water electrolysis cells
MENTORING PLAN
Work in lab with Mei-Chen Kuo, weekly meetings with Dr. Herring.
PREFERRED STUDENT STATUS
Sophomore
Junior