Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

The equipment requested is a potentiostate and accessories. This unit will be required to support research on the electrochemical aspects of pressure leaching and corrosion at high temperatures and high pressures (HT/HP) and fuel cells. In addition, the potentiostate will be the other major component in the planned construction of a unique, innovative research facility, which will allow in-situ measurements of electrochemical parameters at HT/HP. This proposed configuration would be achieved by interfacing the potentiostate with an autoclave. At present, no similar potentiostate is available at this institution for this purpose. The applicant's current and long term research plans are in the areas of electrochemical processes, fuel cells, hydrometallurgy and corrosion at HT/HP. Research investigations range from performing experiments on the electrochemical aspects of pressure leaching of laterite and sulfide ores to the assessment of the corrosion behavior of materials and advanced materials at HT/HP, to understanding electrode process in fuel cells. These research activities require the use of state of the art potentiostate. Other researchers at the University of British Columbia would have access to this equipment as well. Since this would be the only potentiostate-autoclave system at UBC, its acquisition would have a major impact not only on the research of the applicant, but also on the research of other researchers at the University and in the region.