CC HITMOBIL Equipment
Batteries
The Laboratory 1 "Batteries" general objective is the development, analysis and optimisation of technologies for preparation of cell components and full cells which to be implemented in new or advanced batteries and supercapacitors with extended lifespan and impoved parameters of storage of energy received from renewable energy sources.
LABORATORY 1 BATTERIES consist of three thematic departments: "Materials Preparations (MP)", "Cell Assembly (CA)" and "Electrochemicals Analyses (EA)". The MP Department is further divided into chemical and mechanical units. The CA Department includes dry glove boxes and a pilot line where laboratory cells and prototypes are designed and assembled. The electrochemical parameters of the prepared single cells and prototype systems are evaluated in the EA Department.
Materials Preparation Department (MP) has specialized chemical equipment for syntesis of materials and development of recipes for electrolytes and electrode mistures. There is also a mechanical unit dedicated to specific research, including "post-morten" analysis of laboratory and commercial cells.
The equipment of Cell Assembling Department (CA) is dedicated for assembly of standard and specialized laboratory cell as well as commercial pouch cell. The pouch cells are manifactures using a multimodule pilot line with the technological process starting from mixing the electrode components through electrode preparation and stacking to the final product. Pouch Cell assembly allows IEES to perform tests of active materials for cells et a pre-production stage under real conditions and scale.
The fuction of Electrochemical Analysis Department (EA) is to conduct research using varios electrochemical techniques (galvanostatic cycling, cycling voltametry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, etc.) according to standard and/or special test protocols. The results obtained are used for assessment of the studied systems and recommendations for their operation and maintenance. The laboratory offers electrochemical testing in a broad temperatures range (from -40ºC to 150ºC). The equipment at EA can be used for both fundamental and applied research, as the electrochemical analysis cover a large segment of applications: active materials in half-cell, full cells, and batteries (lithium-ion, sodium-ion, solid-state, etc.), flow batteries, supercapacitors, metal-air systems, microbatteries, etc.
Photovoltaic modules and generators
The laboratory carries out scientific and technological research in the field of highly efficient solar photovoltaic cells, new prototypes of photovoltaic modules, their reliability and probability of degradation. The equipment in the Laboratory includes:
- Equipment for measuring the quantum efficiency (spectral response) of solar photovoltaic cells;
- Solar simulator for measuring the electrical characteristics of solar photovoltaic cells;
- Solar simulator for measuring the electrical characteristics of photovoltaic modules in laboratory conditions;
- Measuring equipment of electrical parameters of modules under real conditions.
Hydrogen and fuel cells (HFC)
HFC laboratory conducts industrial research for development, testing and optimization of fuel and electrolysis cells with improved performance, extended service life and reduced cost.
DEPARTMENT „PREPARATОRY PROCEDURES (PP)” includes a chemical unit functionally designed for the synthesis of active electrode materials (catalysts, substrates, etc.) and preparation of electrolytes, catalytic inks, pastes, etc. and mechanical unit where electrodes, single cells and small stacks for full fuel and/or electrolysis cells are prepared, assembled and mounted.
DEPARTMENT „PHYSICAL ANALYSIS (PA)” specializes in precise qualitative and quantitative analysis of liquid, solid and gaseous state samples that can be both directly synthesized and/or commercial materials. The department uses a complex of state-of-art physical and physicochemical methods, such as X-ray diffraction, optical spectroscopy, polymolecular (multilayer) adsorption (BET), gas chromatography, scanning electron microscopy.
DЕPARTMENT „FUEL AND ELECTROLYSIS CELLS WITH POLYMER ELECTROLYTE MEMBRANE (PEM FEC)” carries out research and development of innovative electrode materials, electrodes and membrane electrode assemblies for electrochemical hydrogen converters with polymer electrolyte. Single fuel and electrolysis cells as well as laboratory scale stacks are manufactured and evaluated applying standardized test protocols; analysis and recommendations for exploitation of hydrogen energy systems are conducted.
DЕPARTMENT „POLYMERIC ELECTROLYTES (PE)” carries out research activity focused on synthesis of polyazole type amphoteric electrolytes based on polybenzimidazoles, and their physicochemical modification (ionomeric derivatization, chemical cross-linking, incorporation of ion-enhancing and reinforcing nano fillers) and preparation of solid polymer electrolyte membranes (both proton- and anion-conductive) therefrom.
SECTION „SOLID OXIDE FUEL/ELECTROLYZIS CELLS (SOFEC)” is scheduled for an investigation and development of fuel/electrolyzers cells. It provides the necessary equipment for “in situ“ electrochemical characterisation of which electrochemical impedance investigations are included.
The section is fitted with a horizontal tubular furnace, which allows the measurements of high temperature electrochemical systems in a range from room temperature up to 1000ºC in a wide variety of gases types – hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, air, their mixtures, both, as well dry and wet gases.
DEPARTMENT „BIOELECTROCHEMICAL SYSTEMS (BES)” develops microbial fuel cells and microbial electrolyzers and performs electrochemical analyzes including chronoamperometry (CA), cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse spectrometry (DPV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).
DEPARTMENT „PHOTOELECTROLYSIS (PE)” performs research and testing of photo-sensitive, photo-absorbent and photo-catalytic materials with electrochemical and photo-electrochemical methods in a wide range of electrochemical parameters (applied potential, current and light intensity). The section
also has modern equipment for electrochemical synthesis of this class of materials.
Bioenergy
LABORATORY 4 „BIOENERGY“ consists of two thematic sections: „Biogas production and separation“ and „Biogas reforming to pure hydrogen“. In the first, biogas is obtained and separated clean methane and carbon dioxide are prepared for the needs of section 2 - „Biogas reforming”. In the second, research is carried out on the catalytic conversion of mixtures of methane and carbon dioxide to synthesis gas and other mixtures of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
The „Biogas production and separation” department (BS) has specialized equipment: bioreactors for biogas production, a compressor (a) and separator (b) of the obtained biogas, and pressurized cylinders for storing the separated gases. In this form, they are transferred to the „Biogas reforming” department for catalytic conversions to synthesis gas and hydrogen. The BS section is also equipped with a gas microanalyzer for the analysis of the produced and separated gases.
The „Biohydrogen production” department (BH) has specialized equipment: bioreactors for bioghydrogen production (a), shaking mashine for microorganisms cultivation (b) HPLC apparatus (c) for the measurement products concentrations.