UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The 2024 Nelson W. Taylor Lecture in Materials will be held from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11, in the HUB-Robeson Center’s Heritage Hall at Penn State University Park. The theme of this year’s lecture series is "Materials for Energy Innovation."

Keynote speaker Sossina M. Haile, Murphy Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and professor of applied physics at Northwestern University, will deliver the keynote “Protonic electrochemistry for sustainable energy technologies” at 11:20 a.m.

Over the past decade, the costs of solar and wind electricity have plummeted, declining by about 90%, according to Haile. The challenge in achieving sustainable energy goals thus no longer lies in creating electricity technologies with negligible carbon footprint, but instead in creating methods the generated energy.

The electrolysis of water or using electricity to split the H2O molecule into hydrogen and oxygen, has garnered renewed interest due to the suitability of hydrogen for long term energy storage in fuel cells which generates electricity without carbon emissions.

Recent advances in electrochemical cells that can operate reversibly — generating hydrogen from electricity as well as generating electricity from hydrogen — effectively function like rechargeable batteries. These devices employ proton-conducting ceramic electrolytes suitable for operation in the range of 500 to 700 degrees Celsius, which is considered an ideal temperature range. While the reversible operation of protonic ceramic electrochemical cells in localized settings can address storage for the electrical power grid, the use of hydrogen in automotive and other applications has been hindered by the lack of a hydrogen delivery infrastructure.

Haile will discuss a solution that is gaining momentum: the use of ammonia as a carbon-free, easily liquefied carrier of hydrogen. The success of this approach relies on the local conversion of ammonia into nitrogen and ultra-high purity hydrogen, which can then be supplied to polymer exchange membrane fuel cells. Additionally, Haile will share recent progress in the development of electrochemical devices using superprotonic solid acid electrolytes for the conversion of ammonia to ultra-pure hydrogen. Her talk will focus on the fundamental material limitations and the steps taken to overcome them, enabling devices to achieve compelling performance metrics.

The Nelson W. Taylor Lecture in Materials also includes three additional talks by Penn State faculty. The lecture series is sponsored by the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences’ Department of Materials Science and Engineering. All talks are free and open to the public.

• Bed Poudel, research professor of materials science and engineering will give the lecture “Towards sustainable energy: important role of materials science” at 8:20 a.m.
• Jacqueline O'Connor, professor of mechanical engineering, will give the lecture “Challenges in decarbonizing gas turbine engines: materials, fuels, and beyond” at 9:15 a.m.
• Nutifafa Y. Doumon, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, will give the lecture “Protonic electrochemistry for sustainable energy technologies” at 10:20 a.m.

The Nelson W. Taylor Lecture Series in Materials Science and Engineering honors the memory of Nelson W. Taylor (1869-65) who was head of Penn State's Department of Ceramics from 1933-43. During his tenure as department head, Taylor refined the ceramics undergraduate curriculum, strengthened the graduate program, expanded ties with industry and was able to attract important scientists to the faculty. He is recognized as the individual most responsible for establishing the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences as a major center for ceramics research. The Nelson W. Taylor Lecture Series was established in 1969 and has consistently attracted scientists of international prominence.

For more information, visit https://www.matse.psu.edu/about/lectures-and-awards/nelson-w-taylor-lecture-materials.