Promoting Sustainable Energy Production Through Nano-sized Pillars

Submitter: Claire Stevenson

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/128154 Copy

Description

Title

Promoting Sustainable Energy Production Through Nano-sized Pillars

Contributor(s)

Malka, Yoav

Issue Date

2025

Keyword(s)

• pillars
• nano-scale

Date of Ingest

2025-05-08T12:00:06-05:00

Abstract

I strive to create and visualize nano-sized materials to advance energy and computing technologies. These materials are made by thin film deposition techniques, such as pulsed laser deposition, which utilize energy sources to “grow” structures that can be a thousand times thinner than human hair. First, I perform chemical synthesis to make a large pellet composed of the desired materials, namely barium zirconium yttrium oxide(BZY) and praseodymium cerium oxide(PCO). Then, a highly energetic laser strikes the pellet, removing a very small amount of material and allowing side by side growth on a sapphire surface. Under optimal temperature and pressure conditions, PCO and BZY grow as alternating nanopillars, called vertically aligned nanocomposites(VANS). We can see VAN structures through a highly resolved microscopy technique, called High-angle Annular Dark-field(HAADF), which uses electrons to create contrast between lighter and heavier elements. Notably, the interfaces between the nanopillars can potentially facilitate fast and efficient transfer of hydrogen protons by lowering the energy required for migration. Thus, the imaged structure is an ideal candidate for membranes used to move charged species in ceramic fuel cells. Such fuel cells offer clean and efficient energy production-aligning with my aspiration to promote sustainability through nano-scale materials engineering.

Type of Resource

• still image
• text

Language

eng

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2025 Yoav Malka

Owning Collections