UConn Graduate Student Awarded 2023 NASA CT Space Grant Consortium Graduate Research Fellowship
January 10, 2024 | Jordan Baker, Center for Clean Energy Engineering
Graduate student, Alanna Gado, has recently been awarded the NASA CT Space Grant Consortium Graduate Research Fellowship. Gado, who is a graduate research assistant within the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, as well as a member of the Center for Clean Energy Engineering (C2E2), has recently been awarded this fellowship of $10,000 for her project, “High Efficiency and High Durability Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers for Hydrogen Production with Advanced Catalyst Coated Membranes.”
Her research focusses on developing an efficient and durable perfluorosulfonic acid (PSFA)-free proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzer with a low hydrogen crossover. Reduction strategies are needed to keep the hydrogen level below the flammability limit to improve the safety of PEM water electrolyzer. Gado plans to use a hydrocarbon membrane with a dual platinum recombination layer to achieve better thermal and mechanical stability. This will help to minimize hydrogen crossover and ensure safety, efficiency, and durability.
With her research, Gado hopes to show the variety of applications that electrochemistry has. “Typically, we hear about the environmental benefits of electrochemical systems like fuel cells, electrolyzers, batteries, etc. over traditional combustion systems. Electrochemistry is cool because it can also be used in self-sustaining systems, like in space exploration.” Gado said. This is where her research comes in to play where her plans to develop a PEM water electrolyzer, will help support space exploration and NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), which is a constituent of the NASA CT Space Grant Consortium fellowships. “Alanna is applying the technology base that is currently available and for commercial products on earth and adjusting the design so that it meets the requirements of space”, Leonard Bonville said of Alanna’s research, highlighting the vastness of electrochemistry and its uses to help the environment.
Not only does her project support the initiatives of NASA’s STMD, but it works to supply solutions to global problems about climate change and sustainability while also applying them to space. Her advisor, Dr. Radenka Maric, said of her work, “Bringing highly efficient and environmentally sustainable fuel cell technologies to space applications is so important for our future. Alanna is a hardworking problem solver, and she likes technical challenges. The NASA project reflects her commitment to addressing tough climate change problems through clean energy technologies. I look forward to supervising her work on this project.”
Gado began her work in December 2023 and will conclude in June 2024. She began preparing for her project by reading literature that will aid in her research. Gado will be conducting her research at C2E2 with technical support from her advisors Dr. Radenka Maric and Mr. Leonard Bonville.
Ms. Alanna Gado and Mr. Leonard Bonville working at the Center for Clean Energy Engineering.(Terry Barber-Tournaud/UConn photo)
