Grant: Alliance Grants

Hydrogen fuel cells are an attractive alternative to internal combustion engines since they can produce on-demand electricity with zero local carbon emissions. Hydrogen fuel can be produced from water electrolyzers powered directly by renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. This can help decarbonize the transportation sector, which is one of the major contributors to global carbon emissions. Despite their advantages, however, both hydrogen fuel cells and water electrolyzers have limited energy efficiency and durability owing to their non-ideal electrode structure. Specifically, conventional electrode fabrication processes lead to uncontrolled electrode structures, hindering effective reactant transport to the reaction sites. Dr. Chung Hyuk Lee's research will develop next-generation electrode structures with advanced and rapid fabrication techniques for enhanced performance and durability of fuel cells and electrolyzers. He will develop novel fabrication techniques using reusable templates to create array electrodes, electrodeposition for carbon-free electrodes, and electrodes with cation contaminant traps. The research program will elucidate key electrode properties. The outcome will be new methods to enable mass manufacturing of advanced electrode structures, shifting the industrial focus of electrode development from advanced catalyst and ionomer materials to novel electrode microstructures.