Master Thesis - Fuel Cell Catalytic Ink and Electrode - Development and ...

At PowerCell we are working hard at delivering powerful hydrogen powered fuel cells and systems to our customers around the world. The demand for our products is steadily increasing and we’re at the forefront of fuel cell development. We believe in our tech and we believe in our people’s ability to deliver the best solutions for hydrogen fuel cells on the market, today and tomorrow.

PowerCell develops both fuel cell stacks and systems for various applications, where the continuous improvement of efficiency, performance and durability is crucial. The Membrane-Electrode-Assembly (MEA) is the core of a Proton-Exchange-Membrane (PEM) fuel cell and contains - next to other subcomponents - a Catalyst-Coated-Membrane (CCM). Many properties of a fuel cell are influenced by the components and interfaces present in the CCM and thus the choice of materials and process routes is of utmost importance to drive the development towards highly efficient, durable and cost-competitive fuel cell technology. A CCM is produced by mixing catalytic inks and applying these onto a membrane to form the electrodes of the fuel cell. To gain further insight into the process and material parameters influencing the results, we are looking for a Master ThesisStudent to support us in the development process. The following tasks for this project will be performed in the development laboratory in Gothenburg:

- Mixing catalytic inks from raw materials
- Application of inks to produce CCM’s
- Characterization of ink mixtures and resulting CCM’s
- Develop understanding of the relevant parameters concerning different ink mixtures and processing routes


Required qualifications:

- Successful participation in a M.Sc. program in chemical engineering, process engineering, materials science, energy technology or similar
- Self-driven, highly engaged, and motivated personality, with a strong problem-solving approach
- Practical experience of working in a laboratory
- Fluent in English, both oral and written


Additional desirable qualifications:

- Knowledge regarding the behavior of dispersion fluids
- Knowledge of rheology and rheological characterization methods
- PEM fuel cell catalyst and stack knowledge and/or experimental experience
- Experience from an international and multi-language environment
- Swedish language skills