The University of British Columbia

RESEARCH INTERESTS

My research interests are in the field of Electrochemical Engineering, Electrocatalysis and Interfacial Phenomena with emphasis on electrochemical power sources (direct methanol, ethanol and borohydride fuel cells) and electrosynthesis (e.g., oxygen reduction to hydrogen peroxide and its application for various chemical processes).

 Electrochemical science and engineering is at the forefront of many leading edge technologies including electronics, biomedical applications, pollution control and/or prevention by electrochemical methods. A major problem for many electrochemical processes, fuel cells included, relates to electrocatalyst development. This comprises a range of issues including the fundamental understanding of the electrocatalytic activity and reaction mechanism, catalyst synthesis routes and engineering aspects related to incorporation of the electrocatalyst into the electrode structure to assure high catalyst utilization efficiency, low degradation rate and cost effectiveness (i.e., low load of precious metal catalysts).

 The areas at the interface of fundamental electrochemistry and engineering, aimed at developing novel nano-structured electrocatalyst preparation methodologies targeting specific catalytic functions and integrating them with various porous electrode designs, is a major focus of my research with the overall objective of developing fuel cells utilizing methanol, ethanol and borohydride. These fuel cells are advantageous low-emission power sources characterized by simpler fuelling infrastructure compared to hydrogen cells (e.g. a reformer for H₂ generation is not required), high theoretical energy densities, the possibility of using renewable resources for fuel production (e.g. bio-ethanol) and convenient scale-down for micro-scale power applications.

 As a general methodology my group uses an integrated approach combining fundamental electrochemical and surface analytical studies with engineering investigations using electrochemical cells equipped with porous electrodes.

 Significant progress has been achieved in my group regarding nano-scale electrocatalyst (e.g. particles, mesoporous coatings) synthesis and deposition on a variety of substrates and supports by a combination of electrochemical and interfacial chemistry techniques (e.g., micelles, organosols microemulsions, liquid crystalline media). The resulting structures such as catalyst deposited three-dimensional electrodes (e.g. graphite fiber matrixes, reticulated vitreous carbon) showed very promising electrocatalytic activities for the anodic oxidation of methanol, ethanol and borohydride, thus, opening new venues for improved direct fuel cells. Moreover, nano-structured catalyst deposited three-dimensional substrates could be of interest for a variety of applications besides fuel cells such as electrosynthesis, electrochemical pollution control (e.g. oxidation of organic waste effluents) and trickle-bed thermochemical reactors.

 For more information on specific projects please check out my List of Publications and visit our group website. I am always interested to hear from highly motivated individuals with a genuine interest to learn about or work in various areas of electrochemistry as prospective graduate students and research collaborators.

RECENT SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

• E.L. Gyenge and J-F. Drillet, ‘Electrochemical behaviour and catalytic activity for oxygen reduction of MnO2/C-Toray® gas diffusion electrodes’, Journal of the Electrochemical Society, accepted for publication, November 10 (2011).
• M.C. Sison Escano, E. Gyenge, R. Lacdao Arevalo, and H. Kasai, ‘Reactivity Descriptors for Borohydride Interaction with Metal Surfaces’, Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 115, 19883-19889 (2011).
• A.Bonakdarpour, D. Esau, H. Cheng, A. Wang, E. Gyenge, D. P. Wilkinson, ‘Preparation and electrochemical studies of metal–carbon composite catalysts for small-scale electrosynthesis of H2O2’ , Electrochimica Acta, 56, 9074-9081 (2011).
• Sode, N.J.C. Ingle, M. McCormick, D. Bizzotto, E. Gyenge, S. Ye, S. Knights, D.P. Wilkinson, ‘Controlling the deposition of Pt nanoparticles within the surface region of Nafion’, Journal of Membrane Science, 376, 162-169 (2011).
• Aziznia, A. Bonakdarpour, E.L. Gyenge and C. W. Oloman, ‘Electroreduction of nitrous oxide on platinum and palladium: Toward selective catalysts for methanol-nitrous oxide mixed reactant fuel cells’, Electrochimica Acta, 56, 5238-5244 (2011).
• M. C. Escaño, E. Gyenge, H. Nakanishi and H. Kasai ‘Pt/Cr and Pt/Ni catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction: To alloy or not to alloy?’Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 11, 2944-2951 (2011).
• V. Lam, D.C.W. Kannangara, A. Alfantazi and E.L. Gyenge, ‘Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance study of borohydride electro-oxidation on Pt: the effect of borohydride concentration and thiourea adsorption’, Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 115, 2727-2737 (2011).
• A. Sode, N.J. C. Ingle, M. McCormick, D. Bizzotto, E. Gyenge, S. Ye, S. Knights and D.P. Wilkinson, ‘Controlling the deposition of Pt nanoparticles within the surface region of Nafion’Journal of Membrane Science, 376, 162-169 (2011).
• A. Ignaszak, C. Teo, S. Ye and E.L. Gyenge, ‘Pt-SnO2-Pd/C electrocatalyst with enhanced activity and durability for the oxygen reduction reaction at low Pt loading: The effect of carbon support type and activation’, Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 114, 16488-16504 (2010).
• A.P. Young, J. Stumper and E.L. Gyenge, ‘Ionomer degradation in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells’, Journal of the Electrochemical Society 156, B913-B922 (2010).
• A.P. Young, J. Stumper and E.L. Gyenge, ‘Characterizing the structural degradation in a PEM FC cathode catalyst layer: Carbon Corrosion’, Journal of the Electrochemical Society 156, B913-B922 (2010).
• A.E.S. Sleightholme, D.P. Wilkinson, D. Bizzotto, S.Ye and E.L. Gyenge,‘Nafion film-templated platinum electrodes for oxygen reduction’, Electrocatalysis 1, 22-27 (2010).
• V.W. Lam, A. Alfantazi and E.L. Gyenge, ‘The effect of catalyst support on the performance of PtRu in direct borohydride fuel cell anodes’. Journal of Applied Electrochemistry 39, 1763-1770 (2009).
• T.T. Cheng and E.L. Gyenge, ‘Novel catalyst-support interaction for direct formic acid fuel cell anodes: Pd electrodeposition on graphite felt’. Journal of Applied Electrochemistry 39, 1925-1938 (2009).
• A. Bauer, C.W. Oloman, E.L. Gyenge, ‘Three-dimensional anode engineering for the direct methanol fuel cell’, Journal of Power Sources 193, 754-760 (2009).
• A. Ignaszak, S. Ye and E.L. Gyenge, A study of the catalytic interface for O2 electroreduction on    Pt: The interaction between support meso/microstructure and ionomer (Nafion) distribution’ Journal of Physical Chemistry C 113, 298-307 (2009).
• A. Bauer, D.P. Wilkinson, E.L. Gyenge, D. Bizzotto and S. Ye ‘Liquid crystalline phase templated platinum catalyst for oxygen reduction’, Journal of the Electrochemical Society B1169-B1174 (2009).
• V.W.S. Lam and E.L. Gyenge, ‘High-performance osmium nanoparticle electrocatalyst for direct  direct borohydride PEM fuel cell anodes’ , Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 155, B1155-B1160 (2008).
• D. Cheng, S. Ye and E.L. Gyenge, ‘Novel reactive sensor for the investigation of the, hydrophobic-hydrophilic properties of gas diffusion layers in PEM fuel cells by cyclic, voltammetrry and impedance spectroscopy’, Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters
  11, B148-B152 (2008).
• T. Cheng and E.L. Gyenge, ‘Efficient anodes for direct methanol and formic acid fuel cells: the synergy between catalyst and three-dimensional support’ Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 155, B819-B828 (2008).
• T. Cheng and E.L. Gyenge, ‘Direct methanol fuel cells with reticulated vitreous carbon, uncompressed graphite felt and Ti mesh anodes’, Journal of Applied Electrochemistry 38, 51-62 (2008).

OTHER AFFILIATIONS/MEMBERSHIPS

• The Canadian Society of Chemical Engineering
• The American Chemical Society
• The Electrochemical Society

TEACHING

• CHBE 262 - Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry Laboratory
• CHBE 357 - Interfacial Phenomena
• CHBE 464: Chemical Engineering Laboratory IV
• CHBE 477: Fuel Cells and Electrochemical Engineering
• CHBE 577: Electrochemical Science, Engineering and Technology