Designing rules for enhancing SURface KINetics in functional OXides for clean energy technologies - SURKINOX

Project summary

Despite excellent progress in development and manufacturing technologies of ion and mixed ion-electron conductors, fuel cells, electrolysers and gas separation membranes do not exhibit the anticipated performance. There is a need for expanding knowledge on surface exchange mechanisms, their corresponding kinetics and the relation between surface and bulk characteristics in nano-engineered materials and assemblies. The SURKINOX project will develop novel approaches to design property-driven materials with nano-functionalized surfaces and nano-structured thin films as well as necessary experimental techniques to reveal surface exchange parameters. This will have a significant technological impact by increasing system efficiency. The project benefits to academia for the generic knowledge applicable to various processes embedding catalytic reactions and to value-chain industries: powder and ceramics suppliers, technology developers and end-users (power plants, CO2 intensive industries).