Date of Award

1-1-2014

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School/Department

Department of Nanoscale Science and Engineering

Program

Nanoscale Sciences

Content Description

1 online resource (xiii, 176 pages) : color illustrations.

Dissertation/Thesis Chair

Eric T Eisenbraun

Committee Members

Hassaram Bakhru, Luke Henderson, Mengbing Huang, Carl Ventrice

Keywords

Atomic Layer Deposition, Catalyst Support, Fuel Cell, Nanostructure, TiO2, Proton exchange membrane fuel cells, Catalyst supports, Titanium dioxide, Nanostructured materials

Subject Categories

Materials Science and Engineering | Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Abstract

Recent interest in the development of new catalyst support materials for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) has stimulated research into the viability of TiO2-based support structures. Specifically, substoichiometric TiO2 (TiOx) has been reported to exhibit a combination of high conductivity, stability, and corrosion resistance. These properties make TiOx-based support materials a promising prospect when considering the inferior corrosion resistance of traditional carbon-based supports. This document presents an investigation into the formation of conductive and stable TiOx thin films employing atomic layer deposition (ALD) and a post deposition oxygen reducing anneal (PDORA). Techniques for manufacturing TiOx-based catalyst support nanostructures by means of ALD in conjunction with carbon black (CB), anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) and silicon nanowires (SiNWs) will also be presented.

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