Robust Surfaces for Carbon-Free Energy Conversion
by Çiğdem Toparlı
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering)
DATE : June 24, 2019 (Monday)
TIME : 14:00-15:00
ROOM : VYKM-2
Abstract:
Degradation of materials results in a loss of the desired properties under service conditions, which can negatively affect the efficiency of many engineering systems. Specifically, the impacts of stability of surfaces play a crucial role on the cost and operational viability of energy conversion and storage devices. First, I will focus on the strengths of a combined, in-situ approach to surface and interface analyses, illustrated with examples from a range of application including oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst and proton uptake properties of thin films. I will also discuss how the electronic and structural properties of materials affect the degradation under operation conditions. Second, I will discuss the design of slick surfaces based on Lifshitz theory to enhance the overall resistance of surfaces for buildup of corrosion scale.
Short Bio:
Dr. Toparli received her Bachelors of Science degree in Metallurgical and Material Science Engineering in 2011 from Istanbul Technical University. She pursued her PhD studies under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Andreas Erbe at Max Planck Institute for Iron Research in Germany. Her thesis focused on in situ and operando observation of passive film formation on Cu and its breakdown through oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Having been awarded her PhD degree in July 2017, she continued her work in the Interface Spectroscopy group at Max Planck Institute for Iron Research as a postdoctoral researcher for several months. She joined Prof. Dr. Bilge Yildizs’ and Prof. Dr. Michael Shorts’ group at MIT as a postdoctoral associate in January 2018. Her current work focusses on the development of hydrogen and crud resistant coatings for Nuclear applications.
