Supervisors: Dr. Mark Cassidy, University of St Andrews and Alan Davidson, Edinburgh Napier University
PhD Student: Lanying Lu, University of St Andrews
Status: Closed
The aim of this project is to use ion beam preparation techniques to prepare high quality cross-sections of various skeletal and coated structures and use high resolution FEG-SEM techniques to reveal the interface between them, how these evolve and what impact they have on cell performance. The work will be split over 4 work packages;
WP1/ Manufacture and impregnation of porous structures
WP2/ Electroless coating and electrode formation
WP3/ Microstuctural preparation and analysis
WP4/ Electrochemical characterisation and testing
All four work packages will run in parallel throughout the project with WPs 3 and 4 feeding in information to allow structural optimisation in WP 1 and 2. Optimisation of microstructual preparation protocols in WP3 will form a significant part of the project with the aim to study the mechanisms at work in the formation of the various microstructures and how these vary with time and operation (WP4). It is hoped to reveal a level of detail across these interfaces that has not been accomplished before.