Meet the researchers: The Unite!Energy Doctoral Candidates
Ali Naderi
DC2 – Catalyst layer optimisation for reducing noble metal contents in PEMECs
Host institution 1
Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nurnberg (FAU)
Supervisor: Professor Bastian Etzold
Host institution 2
Graz University of Technology (TU Graz)
Supervisor: Professor Viktor Hacker
My project
​The proton-exchange-membrane (PEM) electrolyzer (PEMWE) technology has many advantages over the older alkaline technology. However, the large-scale practical application of commercial PEMWE is still hindered by its high costs of materials. In this regard, this project aims to accelerate the development and optimization of the new materials and components for the PEMWE.
About me
After obtaining my bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, I wanted to apply my skills to the practical engineering problems in industry. This was my motivation to start my career in industry. I enjoyed my time in industry, and I think I made useful contributions. However, I soon realized that to have a higher impact on the new societal challenges, I need to educate myself on more advanced topics at the graduate level. This was a turning point for me to resume my education at postgraduate level abroad.
The Electrochemistry and electrochemical catalytic reactions were rather new to me until I started my research works at China. But soon, I realized that I have a huge desire to sharpen my knowledge and skills in electrochemical reactions for environmental applications. This was an important motivation for me to join the AEERL lab at University of Ulsan (South Korea) where I received my master’s degree. I am very happy to be back in the academic world and I think this is the place where I really belong to. I enjoy working in the lab and collaborating with research scientists and engineers to solve challenging problems. I have already tasted the joy of publishing the scientific results in journals and sharing your findings with the academic and industrial research communities. I have already published three journal papers as a first author, submitted one, and I don’t want to stop there! Throughout my master’s, a passion for working in a laboratory and an enthusiasm for teamwork and research grew in me to the point that I am now, simply enough, more than ever, confident that this major has been the right choice for me. This makes me very determined to continue my education at the PhD level, and the MSC fellowship will be a great opportunity for me to progress in my career and turn myself into an independent researcher.
​The topic of my PhD project is in line with my previous education and especially my master thesis. In my master thesis I was working on identification of the activation mechanism of chemically modified Ni-based compounds by introducing hetero-elements as electrocatalyst for electrochemical water splitting. And in this PhD program, we will reduce noble metal contents by nonprecious-metal incorporation in noble metal-based compounds like Ir/Ru- based compounds, while preserving efficiency (activity and durability) of the catalyst layer leading to reducing the production cost of the proton-exchange-membrane water electrolysis. Additionally, a novel experimental methodology will be developed to efficiently link the high current density performance data gathered from half- cells at research labs to more representative of the commercial applications.