Event

The Physics Department hosts a seminar by Professor S. S. Sekhon of Guru Nanak Dev University, India, at 9.30am. 

Professor Sekhon will present on the topic, Materials for Alternative Energy Sources. 

Abstract:

Due to limited fossil fuels there is a growing need to develop new and alternative sources of energy which are renewable as well as environment friendly. Out of various alternative energy sources, fuel cells, solid state batteries, dye-sensitized solar cells, supercapacitors, smart windows etc. are of special interest currently and they all have one common component i.e. solid electrolyte. The solid electrolyte with high value of ionic conductivity (~0.01 S cm-1) at room temperature is generally used in the bulk, gel or free standing film form in different devices. In the present talk, the synthesis and characterization of different solid ionic conductors and their possible applications in various alternative energy sources will be discussed. The development of proton conducting membranes based on ionic liquids and sulfonated polymers for high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells and the study of their morphology and ion transport will also be discussed. Recent results from our research group on metal-free catalysts based on non-covalently functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes and graphene for oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells will also be presented.