General information
Organisation
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a key player in research, development and innovation in four main areas :
• defence and security,
• nuclear energy (fission and fusion),
• technological research for industry,
• fundamental research in the physical sciences and life sciences.
Drawing on its widely acknowledged expertise, and thanks to its 16000 technicians, engineers, researchers and staff, the CEA actively participates in collaborative projects with a large number of academic and industrial partners.
The CEA is established in ten centers spread throughout France
Reference
SL-DES-24-0732
Thesis topic details
Category
Technological challenges
Thesis topics
Modeling catalyst layer degradation in fuel cells
Contract
Thèse
Job description
The lifetime of fuel cells is one of the limiting factors in their large-scale deployment. A good understanding of the mechanisms involved in material degradation is a prerequisite for the development of these solutions, particularly catalyst degradation.
We propose to develop a comprehensive model coupling all the phenomena required to simulate catalyst degradation during cycling at potentials representative of cell use. Studies on the effect of cycling frequency and amplitude will enable us to define a validation experiment.
A first existing degradation model will be validated, then coupled to an oxidation model. We will also study the relevance/necessity of taking other reaction paths into account. The complete model will be implemented in a 2D model capable of simulating cells representative of an operational fuel cell.
The subject is therefore mainly numerical simulation with an experimental component. The thesis will be supervised and accompanied by three experts respectively in electrochemistry, numerical simulation and experiment on fuel cells.
University / doctoral school
Ingénierie - Matériaux - Environnement - Energétique - Procédés - Production (IMEP2)
Université Grenoble Alpes
Thesis topic location
Site
Grenoble
Requester
Position start date
01/09/2024
Person to be contacted by the applicant
SCHOTT Pascal pascal.schott@cea.fr
CEA
DRT/DEHT//LMP
CEA/Grenoble
0438784840
Tutor / Responsible thesis director
BONNEFONT Pierre Antoine pierre-antoine.bonnefont@grenoble-inp.fr
Grenoble INP
LEPMI UMR5279
1130 rue de la Piscine; 38402 Saint Martin d'Hères
En savoir plus
https://liten.cea.fr/cea-tech/liten/english/Pages/Work-with-us/Technology-platforms/Electric-Mobility.aspx