Research team
Expertise
My main area of expertise is centered around catalysis and more specifically around electrocatalysis. This topic includes the synthesis and both the electrochemical and physicochemical characterization of electrocatalytic materials, necessary to lower the overpotential while maintaining high activity and selectivity. In this context, I have gained expertise with various types of electrocatalysts, going from noble metal nanoparticles to non-noble transition metal-containing doped carbons to metal-free ordered doped porous carbons. Within this field, I have ample experience with all electrochemical (CV, LSV, CA, EIS) and analytical methods (GC, HPLC), necessary to determine the electrocatalytic performance as well as with different physicochemical characterization techniques (XPS, Raman, XRD, TEM, SEM, EDX), necessary to correlate the electrochemical performance to specific physicochemical properties of the investigated electrocatalysts and as such optimize them for different electrochemical applications. All of the above expertise is relevant for the rapidly emerging field of industrial electrification, where my main interests lay. In this respect, I am currently investigating the use of H2O and CO2 as renewable feedstock for the electrochemical production of fuels and chemicals (e.g. carbon monoxide, formic acid or methanol), employing excess electricity generated by renewable power sources (like wind or solar) to drive the reactions. Another topic of interest is the electrochemical cogeneration where fuel cells are applied not only to generate electricity but also to deliver industrially valuable products such as aniline, hydrogen peroxide or hydroxylamine.
Up-scaling of the zero-gap CO2 electrolyzer.
Abstract
In light of climate change, we started in 2018 with the IOF SBO STACkED project that aims at identifying the most optimal CO2 electrolyzer configuration. The results direct obtained from this project have in October 2019 led to the start of a patent application process with the De Clercq & Partners patenting agency to protect the CO2 electrolyzer configuration. The current CO2 electrolyzer is, however, still at the lab-scale and therefore situated at TRL 3. Consequently, it is time to take the next step and scale-up this electrolyzer design to an industrial relevant size, achieving TRL 5. The goal of this POC Blue_App project therefore is to up-scale the electrolyzer from 5 watt to 1-2 kilowatt. Moreover, this POC Blue_App project will also allow to strengthen the patent application process and find solutions to the potential bottlenecks that will be highlighted in the search report of the patent application process and explore valorization opportunities through a spin-off or third-party licensing.Researcher(s)
- Promoter: Breugelmans Tom
- Co-promoter: Daems Nick
- Co-promoter: Hereijgers Jonas
Research team(s)
Project type(s)
- Research Project
Electron tomography combined with state-of-the-art electrochemistry to gain better insight into the role of the different components of the active layer in a CO2 electrolyzer.
Abstract
Renewable energy sources can offer a solution for excessive emissions of greenhouse gases and to the expected decrease in availability of fossil fuels in the near future. Both problems would find a common solution if we were able to develop energy-efficient processes to convert (low concentrated) CO2 streams into fuels and useful chemical products, ensuring a positive economic and environmental balance. One possible strategy is to use H2O and CO2 as renewable feedstock for electrochemical production of fuels and chemicals (e.g. carbon monoxide, formic acid or methanol), employing excess electricity generated by renewable power sources (like wind or solar) to drive the reactions. At the moment, the electrochemical reduction of CO2 is not yet industrially viable, mainly due to the lack of a good electrocatalyst. While a wide range of electrocatalysts is currently being investigated in an attempt to improve the overall performance this was currently without success. Here we propose the combination of state-of-the-art electrochemistry with an advanced TEM characterization as a route towards the discovery of new high-performance CO2 reduction electrocatalysts. A key aspect to achieve this goal can be found in the interaction between the gas diffusion electrode (morphology and composition) and the novel electrocatalysts. Finally, also a more engineering aspect of the overall process, i.e. the coating of the electrode with the active material will be optimized.Researcher(s)
- Promoter: Daems Nick
- Co-promoter: Altantzis Thomas
Research team(s)
Project type(s)
- Research Project
Fundamental insight into the role of the support and electrocatalyst in CO2 electrolyzers: are carbon-based materials the solution or the problem?
Abstract
Renewable energy sources can offer a solution for excessive emissions of greenhouse gases and to the expected decrease in availability of fossil fuels in the near future. Both problems would find a common solution if we were able to develop energy-efficient processes to convert (low concentrated) CO2 streams into fuels and useful chemical products, ensuring a positive economic and environmental balance. One possible strategy is to use H2O and CO2 as renewable feedstock for electrochemical production of fuels and chemicals (e.g. carbon monoxide, formic acid or methanol), employing excess electricity generated by renewable power sources (like wind or solar) to drive the reactions. At the moment, the electrochemical reduction of CO2 is not yet industrially viable, mainly due to the lack of a good electrocatalyst. While a wide range of electrocatalysts is currently being investigated in an attempt to improve the overall performance this was currently without success. Here we propose a combination of state-of-the-art electrochemistry with high-end TEM characterization in the face of the discovery of new high-performance CO2 reduction electrocatalysts to methanol or formic acid. A key aspect to achieve this goal can be found in the interaction between the gas diffusion electrode (morphology and compostion) and the novel electrocatalysts. Finally, also a more engineering aspect of the overall process, i.e. the coating of the electrode with the active material will be optimized.Researcher(s)
- Promoter: Breugelmans Tom
- Fellow: Daems Nick
Research team(s)
Project type(s)
- Research Project