Development of open cell metal foams for hydrogen application and nanomaterials for hydrogen based intermediate Temperature solid oxide fuel cells IT SOFCs

Abstract

The entire research work carried out in this thesis is divided into two major newlineassignments and are presented in eight chapters. First half of the research work reports newlinedevelopment of a novel approach for gaseous hydrogen storage using metallic foam newlinestructure and an innovative method to manufacture such metallic foam structure and their newlinecharacterizations. The second half of the work presents synthesis and characterization of newlinenanoparticles of Gd-doped CeO2, Zn-doped CeO2, and graphitic carbon stabilized Ag for newlineintermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell applications. The results and data analyses newlineof all the work are presented in five chapters. The briefs about the thesis chapters are newlinementioned below : newlineChapter I of the thesis starts with a brief introduction about hydrogen (H2) as a newlineviable alternative to fossil fuel and also exposes it as the best suited energy carrier. It newlineuncovers their physical and chemical properties, different production methods, and newlinepractical storage technologies that are currently being tested for on road applications. newlineFurther the chapter briefs about metal foams (MFs), their physical properties, and their newlinedifferent manufacturing routes. In addition to this, the chapter presents the overview of newlineSOFC technology that converts stored H2 into useful electricity via electrochemical newlinereaction, their cell component requirements at intermediate temperature (IT) range, stateof- newlinethe art materials, and various researches being carried out to decrease the working newlinetemperature for enhancing the cell overall performance. Finally Chapter I is summarized newlinewith the objectives of the thesis. newline