Person responsible in the Centre

Franciszek Krok

Objectives:

• Strengthen co-operation in the search for new oxide ion conductors for application in Intermediate-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (IT-SOFC), oxygen pumps and sensors.
• Link research in the Centre with European scientific network.
• Explore advanced methods of production of nanostructured materials.
• Improve international experience of Ph.D. students and scientific staff in the Centre.

Description of the contents, the work-plan, the steps, the approach or the methodology:

Oxide ion conductors are applied as solid electrolytes in fuel cells, oxygen pumps, sensors. New, improved materials are needed to replace commonly used electrolytes based on zirconia in order to reduce the operation temperature of the devices. Improvement of the parameters important for applications can be achieved through crystal structure modification of known compounds or by implementation of new technology leading to nanostructured materials.

The Centre is already collaborating with several EC laboratories. Scientists from the centre have numerous publications with partners from University of London and Technische Universität Wien. There are good prospects for making the existing co-operation more effective and for broadening of the collaboration effort by forming research links with other Centres listed as partners. The partner Centres have specialised facilities and expertise in complementary areas of research:

• Synthesis of ceramics and characterisation of electrical properties in Warsaw,
• Characterisation of crystal structure by powder diffraction methods in London,
• Advanced technologies for production of nanostructured materials and thin films in Delft,
• Characterisation of electrochemical stability and electrode reactions in Wien,
• Structure characterisation by single crystal diffraction in Lille,
• Atomistic computer modelling of local structure and lattice defects in Surrey.

Strengthening of co-operation is being achieved by exchange research visits leading to prospects of joint projects.

Partners involved:

1. Structural Chemistry Group, Queen Mary, University of London (UK)
2. Laboratory for Inorganic Chemistry, Delft Institute for Sustainable Energy, Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands)
3. Institut für Chemische Technologien und Analytik, Technische Universität Wien (Austria)
4. Laboratoire de Cristallochimie et Physicochimie du Solide, Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Lille (France)
5. Department of Chemistry, University of Surrey (United Kingdom)