Overview

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are the most efficient known energy conversion device for producing electricity from a variety of fuels, including renewable biomass, hydrogen, or natural gas, with no pollution-forming emissions. However, their use remains severely limited by high costs, as well as by low durability and reliability. Current projects are aimed at lowering the cost and improving the durability of fuel cells through the use of new materials and processing techniques to produce fuel cells more rapidly using a process that is easily scaleable for mass production. Work is also focused on understanding the electrochemical performance and degradation behaviour of SOFCs, in order to develop strategies to increase their durability.

UofT_group_photo

Group at University of Toronto: Back row from left: Joel Kuhn, Dr. Reza Bateni, Maria Zarzalejo, Professor Olivera Kesler, Yan Yan, Dr. Elisa Lay. Front row from left: Wilson Ma, Kerry Kirton, Jinmyung Kim, Craig Metcalfe, Michael Marr, Jeff Harris. Absent: Mark Cuglietta.

News

UofT Magazine: The next Big Idea

Tapping the Potential of the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

Recent Graduations:

David Waldbillig, Ph.D. (UBC) August 2010. Thesis titled: Aqueous suspension plasma spraying of yttria stabilized zirconia solid oxide fuel cell electrolytes

Olga Arevalo-Quintero, M.A.Sc. (UofT) March 2010. Thesis titled: Plasma Spray Processing of Electrolytes for Low-Temperature SOFCs

Harmeet Chhina, Ph.D. (UofT) September 2009. Thesis titled Oxidation Resistant Catalyst Supports for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Xinge Zhang, Ph.D. (UBC) July 2009. Thesis titled Influence of architecture, materials, and processing on low temperature solid oxide fuel cell (LT-SOFC) performance

Justin Roller, MASc. (UBC) January 2009. Thesis titled Low platinum electrodes for proton exchange membrane fuel cells manufactured by reactive spray deposition technology

Recent Talks:

O. Kesler, Plasma spray processing of solid oxide fuel cells, Technical University of Vienna, October 12, 2009

C. Metcalfe, O. Kesler, T. Rivard, F. Gitzhofer, and N. Abatzoglou, Three-phase Boundary Length Evaluation in Modeled Sintered Composite Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Electrodes, Eleventh International Syposium on Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC-XI), October 9, 2009.

D. Waldbillig, O. Kesler, The effect of solids loading and feed rates on the properties of SPS SOFC electrolytes International Thermal Spray Conference & Exhibition, May 4-7, 2009

C.Metcalfe, J. I. Gazzarri, O. Kesler, Performance, Microstructural, and Diagnostic Modeling of SOFCs, Queen's-RMC Fuel Cell Research Centre- National Research Council Third Annual Colloquium on Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technologies, December 4, 2008.

O.Kesler, University of British Columbia Materials Engineering Departmental Seminar Series, The Role of Materials Engineering in the Development of Clean Energy Technologies, November 25, 2008

O.Kesler, U.S. Department of Energy Workshop on Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell Degradation, Diagnostic Tools for Identification of Degradation Mechanisms in SOFCs and Potential Applications to SOECs, October 27, 2008.

C. Metcalfe, O. Kesler, T. Rivard, F. Gitzhofer, N. Abatzoglou, A Method for Calculation of Three Phase Boundary Length in Modeled Composite Electrodes for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, 58th Canadian Society of Chemical Engineers Conference, October 20, 2008.

T. Rivard, F. Gitzhofer, N. Abatzoglou, C. Metcalfe, O. Kesler, Verification of a Characterisation Tool of Triple Phase Boundary Length Measurement in Porous Composite Cathodes using Tomography, 58th Canadian Society of Chemical Engineers Conference, October 20, 2008.

O.Kesler, 4th International Workshop on Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(WICaC) Brazil, SOFC Materials and Manufacturing: Electrochemical Performance and Degradation Issues, September 22-23, 2008.

H. Chhina, S. Campbell, O. Kesler, Oxidation Resistant Catalyst Supports for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells, Gordon Research Conference Fuel Cells, July 20-25, 2008.

D. Waldbillig, O. Kesler, The effect of solids and dispersant loadings on the suspension properties and deposition efficiency of a suspension plasma sprayed YSZ coating, 2nd International Workshop on Suspension and Solution Thermal Spraying, June 5-7th, 2008.