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Nanoengineering of Materials Applied to Energy

Staff

Head:
Research team:
Lluís Soler Turu, Researcher
Akaki Mosiashvili, Tech. Support
Isabel Serrano, Tech. Support
PhD student:
Alicia Soto

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Aims of the programme

  • To design, develop, characterize and test new catalytic devices based on nano- and micro-structures for the generation and purification of hydrogen.
  • To develop fuel reformers based on catalytic walls, membrane reactors and microreactors for commercial fuel cell application.
  • To develop photocatalysts and photocatalytic reactors for the generation of hydrogen from water and sunlight.
  • To valorize industrial and agricultural residues and waste water into added-value fuels.
  • To design and evaluate the performance of new, environmentally-friendly, energy efficient construction materials with the aid of sophisticated macro-to-nanometric experimental techniques and advanced numerical modeling tools.
  • To provide the scientific and technological basis for the study and control of dissolution and mobilization of leachates from hazardous reservoirs and facilities.
  • To design and develop miniaturized systems for space-based experiments devoted to energy and in-situ resource utilization.
  • To promote understanding and awareness of energy issues and the development of responsible energy policies.
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Current Research Projects

  • Microreactors fabricated with 3D printing technologies for the catalytic and photocatalytic production of hydrogen.
    MINECO ref. ENE2015-63969-C3-1-R (2016-2018)
    Jordi Llorca
    3D printing technologies can produce structures with low cost materials with high versatility of geometries and sizes adaptable to different applications. The project aims using 3D printing techniques to develop new ceramic and plastic microreactors with improved transport properties to perform catalytic and photocatalytic reactions to generate hydrogen for energy purposes.
    This project is carried out in consortium with ICMAB(CSIC)
  • Energy saving and flexibility in buildings.
    COMRDI15-1-0036-11 (RIS3CAT 2017-2019) project funded by ACCIÓ (FGeneralitat de Catalunya) and FEDER(EU)
    Jordi Llorca
    The use of fuel cells represents an attractive strategy for abetter energy management in buildings. Here we preparenew catalysts and develop catalytic fuel reformers for the generation of hydrogen-rich streams to feed a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC).
  • Synthetic fuels.
    COMRDI15-1-0037-06 (RIS3CAT 2017-2019) project funded by ACCIÓ (FGeneralitat de Catalunya) and FEDER(EU)
    Jordi Llorca
    The upgrade ofbiogas from anaerobic digestors is an interesting route for the power-to gas (P2G) concept to merge renewably electricity into the natural gas grid. Here we work on the development of catalysts for the hydrogenation of CO2 into synthetic fuels.
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Associated laboratories

Closed Research Projects

  • MINECO ref. ENE2012-61715EXP(2015-2016).Simultaneous modulation of optical and electronic properties to generate hydrogen with photocatalysts and sunlight (2015-2016)
  • MINECO ref. ENE2012-36368. Hydrogen generation and conditioning for portable fuel cells with microreactors and photocatalysts (2013-2015)
  • KIC InnoEnergy MEMET (EU). Bio-ethanolreforming in a membrane reactor for direct fuel cell feeding (2014).
  • MICINN ref. CTQ2009-12520. Structured reactors and microreactors coated with aerogels and hydrotalcites for hydrogen production (2010-2012).
  • MICINN ref. PRI-AIBAR-2011-1092. Obtención de hidrógeno ultra puro a partir de bioetanol en reactores de membrana (2011-2012).
  • CIDEM (Generalitat de Catalunya) - Programa d’incentius a projectes empresarials en recerca industrial i desenvolupament experimental. "nAUTO: noves oportunitats funcionals de les nanotecnologies en el sector de l’automoció" (2009-2010).
  • CIDEM ref. VALTEC08-2-0021 "Fuel reformer for the generation of hydrogen." (2009-2010).
  • MEC ref. ENE2006-06925. "Producción de hidrógeno a partir de biocombustibles con monolitos cerámicos funcionalizados" (2007-2009).
  • MEC ref. PCI2006-A7-0539. "Estudio mecanístico de la obtención de hidrógeno a partir de biocombustibles líquidos" (2007-2009).

Doctoral theses in progress

PhD Student
Thesis title
Ilaria Lucentini
Production of hydrogen from ammonia in catalytic wall reactors
Institution
Supervisor
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Jordi Llorca
PhD Student
Thesis title
Gerardo Gómez Millán
Valorization of low concentration sugar side-steam derived from dissolving pulp production as platform chemicals and biofuels additives
Institution
Supervisor
Aalto University(Finland) and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Jordi Llorca
PhD Student
Thesis title
Lourdes Rodríguez-Chiang
Enhancement of methane production from the anaerobic digestion of chemical pulp and papermill effluents
Institution
Supervisor
Aalto University(Finland) and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Jordi Llorca
PhD Student
Thesis title

Xènia García.

In situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of catalytic processes

Institution
Supervisor

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

Jordi Llorca

PhD Student
Thesis title
Lester Martínez
TiO2 nanostructures for the photocatalytic generation of hydrogen
Institution
Supervisor

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

Jordi Llorca

PhD Student
Thesis title
Ander Elkoro
Optimization of the rheology of cement-based materials for 3D printing applications.
Institution
Supervisor
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Ignasi Casanova
PhD Student
Thesis title
Valentin de Carlos Blasco
Computational modeling of the mechanical behavior of concrete nuclear structures subjected to various strain rates.
Institution
Supervisor
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Ferhun Caner
PhD Student
Thesis title
Alejandra Castedo
Catalytic photo production of hydrogen in microreactors and photonic crystals
Institution
Supervisor
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Jordi Llorca

Doctoral theses defended in the last five years

Thesis title
Author Name

Catalytic Conversion of Bio-ethanol over Pd-Rh/CeO Catalysts for Hydrogen Production with In-situ Hydrogen Purification.

Ali Hedayati

Place & year
Supervisor

Ecole des Mines de Nantes(France) and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya 2016

Jordi Llorca

Thesis title
Author Name

Li-ion batteries for automotive application.

Adrian Schiffer

Place & year
Supervisor

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2016

Jordi Llorca

Thesis title
Author Name

Nanocomposites with aerogel for etanol steam reforming.

Montserrat Domínguez Escalante

Place & year
Supervisor

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2016.

Jordi Llorca

Thesis title
Author Name
Synthesis and characterization of gold nanoclusters for catalysis applications.
Nuria Jimenez Divins
Place & year
Supervisor
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2014.
Jordi Llorca
Thesis title
Author Name

Synthesis and characterization of gold nanoclusters for catalysis applications.

Leonor Alves

Place & year
Supervisor

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2014.

Jordi Llorca

Thesis title
Author Name

Hydrogen production from bioethanol using cobalt hydrotalcites.

Raúl Espinal

Place & year
Supervisor

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2013.

Jordi Llorca

Thesis title
Author Name

Modeling, analysis and dynamic control of a three-stage ethanol reformer for fuel cell applications.

Vanesa García

Place & year
Supervisor

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2012.

Jordi Llorca

Publications

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All INTE publications are available here