REDOX STABILITY STUDY OF OXIDES THIN FILMS FOR E-OCM BY CYCLIC VOLTAMMETRY

• Grant number: 24/21552-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: July 22, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Andre Santarosa Ferlauto
• Grantee: Sabrina Gonçalves de Macedo Carvalho
• Supervisor: Fernando Garzon
• Host Institution: Centro de Engenharia, Modelagem e Ciências Sociais Aplicadas (CECS). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of New Mexico (UNM), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/10639-0 - Electrochemical oxidative conversion of methane, BP.PD

Abstract

This postdoctoral internship is linked to the ongoing C2C project, a collaborative effort from FAPESP-CISTAR to develop advancing research in hydrocarbon processing. Amongst the topics under investigation in the C2C project, the electrochemical conversion of methane (E-OCM) is gaining attention worldwide. Industrial methods for methane conversion involve indirect routes that require the production of synthesis gas, leading to high costs, low efficiency, and undesirable byproducts. In contrast, E-OCM employs solid oxide electrolyzers (SOEs) to enhance methane activation and selectivity by electric potentials to regulate oxygen ion conduction. This study aims to investigate the redox stability of lanthanum-doped ceria (LCO) and lanthanum-doped strontium titanate (LST) catalysts, and electrochemical exsolution of LST doped with transition metals, through cyclic voltammetry (CV). The methodology includes the preparation of thin films via pulsed laser deposition, followed by characterization techniques such as high-resolution electron microscopy and several spectroscopic methods. The high-temperature CV will provide insights into charge transfer kinetics, catalytic site activity, and the stability of the materials under operational conditions. The findings are expected to advance the understanding of catalyst performance in E-OCM, paving the way for more efficient and economically viable methane conversion processes, ultimately contributing to innovation and sustainability in the chemical industry.