This bilateral collaboration brings together expertise from the industrial and academic partners from the UK and Taiwan and aims to address some of the performance and cost challenges of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). High-performance, low-cost bipolar plate coatings will be developed using Teer Coatings' closed-field unbalanced magnetron sputtering and low-Pt catalysts deposited using its nano-cluster deposition technology. A pilot-scale coating deposition vacuum system will be built by SurfTech as a demonstrator of the technology. The consortium will benefit from the extensive expertise of the academic partners in the fuel cell development and evaluation.
Ammonia is the second most commonly produced industrial chemical worldwide, reaching an estimated global production of 176 megatonnes/year (2022). Approximately 80% of ammonia is used for fertiliser production, playing a critical role in increasing agricultural output and supporting the growing global population. Indeed, it is estimated that ammonia in fertiliser now supports approximately half of the global population.
Ammonia synthesis currently relies on the 110-year old Haber-Bosch process, which reacts nitrogen and hydrogen over fused-iron catalysts under high-temperature (˃400 degC), high-pressure (˃200 bar) conditions.
This process faces two key resource efficiency issues:
(i) Materials: Operating reactors under high-temperature, high-pressure conditions requires significant materials investment and high CAPEX costs. Notably, a large-scale 850,000 tonne/year ammonia plant requires an estimated 225 tonnes of stainless steel for the synthesis reactors and costs an estimated £0.8BN in CAPEX.
(ii) Minerals: The Haber-Bosch process relies on a fused-iron catalyst, which is typically prepared by melting natural magnetite from Sweden with various promoters, cooling the melt, and mechanically granulating the melt into small particles, which are then screened to obtain the target particle size. A large-scale 850,000 tonne/year ammonia plant requires an estimated 74,520 kg of fused-iron catalyst, with a lifetime of approximately 10 years. Since even pre-reduced, stabilised fused-iron catalysts require 30-40 hours for activation, the Haber-Bosch process is operated under "always-on" conditions, limiting production flexibility and precluding the use of intermittent renewable energy as a power source.
Underpinning the resource efficiency challenges associated with the Haber-Bosch process are the high energy requirements and carbon emissions. The Haber-Bosch process consumes approximately 2% of the global energy budget (8.6 EJ/year) and contributes around 1.8% of global carbon dioxide emissions (500 megatonnes/year). With demand for ammonia projected to rise nearly 40% by 2050, largely driven by fertiliser requirements, business-as-usual ammonia production is incompatible with global net-zero targets.
Innovate UK funding through Resource Efficiency for Materials and Manufacturing call brings together a world-class consortium spanning industry and academia to improve resource efficiency and reduce carbon emissions through developing a low-temperature, low-pressure ammonia synthesis process.
Hydrogen, and specifically green hydrogen can play a key role in decarbonisation, as it has the potential to be used as fuel for power and transportation. Water electrolysis, and in particular solid oxide electrolysis, is attractive due to its high energy efficiency. There are challenges related to the performance, lifetime, durability and cost of solid oxide electrolysers, along with their scale-up from kW to MW level. The interconnect plays an important role with in the electrolyser stack as a current collector and a physical barrier that separates the electrodes between cells. It has to meet strict technical requirements within the harsh operating environment of the solid oxide electrolyser. One of the challenges with using steel interconnects is the evaporation of chromium from the interconnect, leading to chromium poisoning of the air electrode and degradation of the electrolyser performance. This project aims to address this issue and to enhance the durability of solid oxide electrolyser stacks by using PVD-coated interconnects and metal-ion infiltrated electrodes.
High-performance coatings with improved corrosion resistance and conductivity will be developed, using Teer Coatings' closed-field unbalanced magnetron sputtering technology, for lightweight, aluminium and titanium bipolar plates used in proton exchange membrane fuel cell stacks, specifically designed for the aviation industry. Fuel cell test methods will be developed for the evaluation of coated bipolar plates at intermediate operating temperatures, as well as methods to analyse coating defects. The project will benefit from the guidance of GKN Aerospace, a Tier 1 supplier to the aerospace industry.
Knowledge Transfer Partnership
To embed optical coatings expertise, particularly in plasma assisted deposition, in order to develop a new range of optical coating machines and optical coating services.
Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) display the highest power densities of any of the fuel cell types, which makes them particularly attractive for transportation & portable applications where minimum size and weight are required. Conventional PEMFCs utilise bipolar plates which are made from graphite (bulky and expensive to machine) or stainless steel. Stainless steel bipolar plates (BPPs), which are dominant in automotive PEMFCs, require a protective coating to achieve the desired performance and lifetime. Hundreds of cells are required within an automotive multi-kW stack, hence it is important to develop coating processes which provide high throughput and economic production of coatings. It is also highly desirable to deposit coatings on metal sheets prior to the forming of bipolar or separator plates, without the coating being adversely affected by the subsequent forming processes. This project will evaluate the feasibility of scale up of high-performance fuel cell BPP coatings in a semi-continuous inline coating deposition equipment, and the effect of scale-up on critical performance characteristics as well as the cost of production of coatings. The effect of scale-up will be evaluated both for coating of pre-formed fuel cell plates and on plates formed post coating, in order to inform decisions on the most appropriate future scale up processes.
Air-cooled fuel cells are particularly suitable for lower power automotive applications such as primary and range extender drives for lightweight vehicles. Their rapid refuelling capabilities, combined with significantly reduced balance-of-plant complexity, hence minimising weight (and cost), provide a clear differentiator from pure battery-powered solutions. HiPerEPC exploits previous feasibility research on high-performance coatings for Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) electrodes based on lightweight alloy substrates. PEMFCs display the highest power densities of any of the fuel cell types, which makes them particularly attractive for transportation & portable applications where minimum size and weight are required. Conventional PEMFCs utilise electrode plates which are made from graphite (bulky and expensive to machine) or stainless steel. For automotive applications, hundreds of cells are needed within a multi-kW stack, hence a relatively small weight saving per plate will be significant for the whole system. Specific power densities delivered by aluminium-based fuel cell systems can be double that of stainless steel-based systems. However, challenges remain in developing suitable high-conductivity coatings which protect aluminium electrode plates against corrosion. HiPerEPC will refine the novel coatings identified in CAEPAC, facilitating the use of aluminium electrodes in fuel cell stacks.
Microbial and fungal growth in space environment are important challenges for the space industry. Typically, the number of microbial organisms is controlled through extreme disinfection and quarantine of astronauts but there is no established means of eliminating the organisms once in the space environment. The ANCOP project is focused on exploiting the disruptive innovation involving nano-cluster enabled Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) coatings, nano-composite PVD coatings and functionalised Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) diamonds to address the problem of microbial growth in space environment both on surfaces and critical components in manned satellites. Nano-cluster enabled PVD & nano-composite PVD coatings will enhance and retain surfaces' antimicrobial properties by controlling the size of silver nanoparticles in the coatings. In parallel, CVD-deposited functionalised diamond will be developed, adding anti-microbial functionality to the hard, wear resistant and/or decorative aspects of that coating. Post-project, similar coatings will also be exploited in terrestrial environments, including healthcare, agri-food & transport (automotive, aerospace, rail, marine, etc.). This business-led project brings together one industrial partner in the UK, Teer Coatings Ltd (TCL), with two UK universities, Aston University (AU) and Birmingham City University (BCU) and a partner in Shanghai, Shanghai Aerospace Equipments Manufacturer (SAEM).
This feasibility study will assess the use of recent innovations in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to measure key properties of ultra-thin coatings of precious metals. These coatings provide critical improvements to the performance of fuel cells for cars and their development requires new measurement methods to ensure their chemistry, thickness and lack of defects. This development offers a new capability for the measurement of coatings which may be only a few atoms thick and will be useful for many different types of coatings. The project brings together Teer Coatings Ltd, an advanced coatings company, Kratos Analytical Ltd, a leading photoelectron spectrometer manufacturer, and the National Physical Laboratory, the UK national measurement institute.
High Temperature Coated Low Inertia Turbocharger Turbine Wheels (TurboCoat) researches coatings for use on
turbocharger components as an enabler technology for the use of new advanced base materials. The project
will focus on the turbine wheel which today is manufactured from Inconel, a very expensive nickel alloy. New
base materials are being developed by the turbocharger industry, for reduced cost and lower inertia, however
as exhaust temperatures for petrol engines are increasing beyond 1000 Deg. C. these materials will require
surface coatings to be durable in this extreme environment. This project will research potential new coatings,
application techniques and surface treatments that will enable these new materials to withstand the harsh
environment of a turbocharger. Small scale sample tests will be run to establish which combinations of coatings
and base materials perform the best and are worthy of taking through to full validation testing.
The NMPLAS project is focused on an innovation in the Materials and Manufacturing high growth sector and will apply a cutting edge and innovative, high throughput coating process - Microwave Plasma Assisted Sputtering (MPAS), to produce infrared (IR) transparent and hard, wear/erosion resistant coatings, which are themselves an innovation in materials development. The coatings will be applied on an expanded range of thermally sensitive and strategic substrates, which will initially be exploited in the optical and automotive high value manufacturing sectors, thereby opening up new sustainable business for the partners and increasing the UK's competitiveness, in addition to the transfer of techology to the industrial partners in the project (enabling a step-change in capability for an SME) and opportunities for future growth in capital equipment sales. This business-led project brings together three industrial partners from these sectors, Teer Coatings Limited (TCL), Qioptiq Limited (QUK) and the SME Helia Photonics Ltd (HPL), with the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), who have pioneered the MPAS process.
CAEPAC will establish the feasibility of coated electrode plates of lightweight alloy substrates for PEM (Proton
Exchange Membrane) fuel cells. PEM fuel cells display the highest power densities of any of the fuel cell types,
which makes them particularly attractive for transportation & portable applications where minimum size and
weight are required. Air cooled fuel cells significantly reduce balance-of-plant complexity, hence weight (and
cost), making Intelligent Energy’s AC (Air Cooled) technology particularly suitable for lower power automotive
applications such as primary and range extender drives for lightweight vehicles. Conventional PEM fuel cells
utilise electrode plates which are made from graphite (bulky and expensive to machine) or, particularly for
transport, stainless steel. For automotive applications, 100s of cells are needed within a multi-kW stack, hence
a relatively small weight saving per plate will be significant for the whole system, provided such components
can be manufactured cheaply and with similar performance and longevity. CAEPAC will develop novel, coated
lighweight alloy plates, and investigate their performance in cells & stacks, with detailed post-mortem analysis.
MOMS4HVM extends the application envelope of modified steady state electromagnetic modelling for the efficient & accurate prediction of industrial magnetron deposition systems. The project will determine & mitigate the limitations of the approach, when compared to more traditional, resource-heavy hybrid particle & hydro-dynamic models, where complex fluid flow equations have to be solved. This industrially led project's outcomes will be generically extendable to a range of current industrial deposition equipment, itself applicable in multiple HVM markets. Such equipment addresses the needs of lead customers of the UK's advanced surface engineering sector. MOMS4HVM will reduce development times, eliminating the need for extensive proto-typing activities, at multiple levels, including: prediction of coating distribution & functionality on complex industrial parts; efficient transfer of the magnetron coating process for a given range of parts across different coating equipment; design of next generation coating equipment; & optimised in-batch fixtures & composition for the coating of multiple components. It will create new market demand for advanced modelling software.
TCL, a specialist in advanced thin film coatings is collaborating with Borit NV, a world-class manufacturer of sheet metal products and assemblies which has pioneered the exploitation of hydroforming of thin steel sheet for the efficient, low cost production of complex geometry structures for bipolar plates in fuel cells, electrolysers and other electrochemical devices. Coatings are essential to improve performance and to achieve longevity in order to meet the commercial constraints of mass-market hydrogen-economy devices, particularly in automotive and other consumer-focused applications. Ever stricter cost requirements will only be addressed by new strategies for serial production. Fundamental questions, including the feasibility of coating before forming as a more cost-effective approach than the coating of ready-formed plates, have been addressed in this pre-industrial research to identify these key issues and establish a sound platform for future collaboration.
Costs remain a key challenge to the mass commercialisation of fuel cells. Whilst significant research efforts are focused on reducing the platinum content of the system, the cost contribution of the bipolar plate is becoming more significant. Coated stainless steel substrates are the de facto standard for bipolar plates in PEM fuel cell technology but plate designs that use less expensive materials will provide further opportunity for cost reduction. This project aims to investigate the feasibility of a number of coating technologies to enable a mild steel to function as a bipolar plate which would serve as a cost effective alternative to stainless steel.
Bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells typically constitute more than half of a fuel cell stack's weight and 15-30% of its cost. The materials used need to have low electrical resistivity, be corrosion resistant and lightweight, of adequate mechanical stability and low-cost and be suitable for volume manufacture. The project will investigate the application of precision photo-chemical etching of low-cost conventional metal substrates combined with established nitride and/or carbon-based coatings, to be benchmarked against a thin (20nm) gold coating, as a means of achieving a step change in production volumes and lifetime cost reductions for metallic fuel cell bipolar plates.
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SuperREACT builds on previous Technology Programme breakthrough research which has established the feasibility of elemental and alloy size-selected nanocluster technology. The objectives are truly ambitious: transforming a state-of-the-art research apparatus into a true manufacturing tool, moving from micro-g/day to g/day capability, with the ultimate potential to achieve kg quantities of nanoclusters, opening up manufacturing opportunities in catalytic, fine chemical, electronic/ photonic, bio-medicine, anti-microbials, etc. Clusterbeam condensation of nano-clusters is inherently "clean" &, using multiple elemental sources, flexible in terms of cluster composition & structure. The novel matrix assembly-clusterisation processing will enable continuous production of elemental, alloy & core-shell structures. The University of Birmingham is contributing its new IPR while Teer Coatings Ltd & Johnson Mattthey bring their expertise in high value manufacturing and market knowledge.
Hydrogen is an integral part of the move towards clean, sustainable energy systems. One key issue is that of gas storage. The safest option is the use of solid hydrides that can absorb and release hydrogen on demand. However, storage systems must combine fast kinetics with the practicalities of system manufacturing. Thus, while the move towards high surface to volume nano-particulates appears attractive, safe handling and containing these materials presents difficulties. An alternative approach was proposed here to coat metal hydride large particles to aid kinetics that require no activation. Larger particles fluidise easily and the coatings allow safer handling in air. This project also integrates other hydrides, catalysts and conducting fillers into the powders to improve kinetics and thermal conductivity. This will result in innovative advanced materials that have many potential applications including static energy storage systems. It is intended to demonstrate the technology by utilising it in: (1) a heat store for concentrated solar power and (2) domestic heat stores, (3) static hydrogen storage for capturing excess electricity generation.
Solar energy is a potential contributor to our future energy needs, but has yet to achieve economic viability without the help of government subsidies. If successful, this project will progress towards commercialisation, an inherently more robust and cost-efficient option than photovoltaics. The concept is to use solar radiation to photocatalytically split water, producing hydrogen (which can be combusted directly or used to power a fuel cell) and oxygen. This is a research field where the UK is world leading at present, and this project will further reinforce this advantage. The scientific proof of concept for a device using this principle was facilitated by the Phase 1 EPSRC Grand Challenge funding; the project proposes to take forward the earlier work on the active components of the device, including researching several additional novel and scalable coating processes for producing more robust and higher performance photocatalyctic coatings, and for producing new nanopowders in larger volumes than before from which to produce these coatings.
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PROSVACT (PROduction Systems for Value Added Cluster Technologies) has developed technology which facilitates the economic manufacture of high value, innovative products based on the unique properties of nanoclusters with selected composition & size. It is relevant to many important & growing markets, key to UK Industry’s future profitability, including catalysis, bio-science (for diagnosis, drug development & therapeutic monitoring), photonics, etc.
PROSVACT was led by Teer Coatings Ltd., now part of Miba AG, together with the industrial partners Inanovate UK Ltd. & Johnson Matthey Plc. The University of Birmingham provided the underpinning fundamental science in the project, building on the pioneering work of Prof Richard Palmer’s Nano Physics Research Laboratory.
PROSVACT was directly aligned with key aspects of the High Value Manufacturing call, which formed part of Phase 1 of the Technology Strategy Board’s Technology Programme, in Autumn 2007. The project was focused on unique and high value products (atomic cluster deposition equipment) which in turn will support a growing range of high-value added components of increasing importance to the UK's manufacturing base, and two high growth fields were specifically targeted: bio-medicine and fine chemical products/catalysis. PROSVACT provides a local customisation capability, enabling a rapid and flexible response to demand for changes in cluster-based components' performance.
The public description for this project has been requested but has not yet been received.