Dr. Dean Wheeler, Department of Chemical Engineering

Abstract of Work

The work allowed additional students to join in electrochemical engineering research here at BYU. The mentored students worked on one of several possible projects with the broad theme of understanding and mitigating internal resistances in fuel cells and lithium batteries. Additional work was done on statistical mechanics models of fluid properties. The students gained experience and confidence as they applied and augmented knowledge gained from their coursework. They strengthened their technical leadership and teamwork skills that are part of the expected student outcomes in the chemical engineering curriculum.

Each student supported by the MEG was expected to contribute to or produce a manuscript to be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. In addition, the mentored students were expected to assist other students in the group. Students developed and documented laboratory protocols, including safety training.

The primary emphasis of the grant was for undergraduate support to augment external contracts. One graduate student, Dane Hansen, was partially supported by the grant.

Undergraduate students mentored in my laboratory during period of MEG grant:

• Bryce Walker*+
• Tony Hsiao
• Joseph Nichols*+
• Tapesh Joshi*+
• Nathan Zacharias
• Ryan Haynie
• Cole Skelton*
• Cyrus Fox

Asterisks above indicate students with a subsequent peer-reviewed scientific publication. Pluses above indicate students who have gone on to Ph.D. programs at other institutions, undertaking similar research.

Academic Deliverables

Publications to which the MEG grant contributed:

• I.V. Thorat, T. Joshi, K. Zaghib, J.N. Harb, and D.R. Wheeler, “Understanding rate-limiting mechanisms in LiFePO4 cathodes for Li-ion batteries,” J. Electrochem. Soc. 158, A1185-A1193 (2011).
• D.E. Stephenson, B.C. Walker, C.B. Skelton, D.R. Wheeler, E.P. Gorzkowski, and D.J. Rowenhorst,
  “Modeling 3D microstructure and ion transport in porous Li-ion battery electrodes,” J.
  Electrochem. Soc. 158, A781-A789 (2011).
• J.W. Nichols, S.G. Moore, and D.R. Wheeler “Improved implementation of Kirkwood-Buff
  solution theory in periodic molecular simulations,” Phys. Rev. E 80, 051203 (2009).
• D. Hansen, G. Watt, J. Nichols, M. Andrus, D. Wheeler, and S. Choi, “Viologen catalysts for a
  direct carbohydrate fuel cell,” J. Electrochem Soc. 156, B1201-B1207 (2009).
• I.V. Thorat, D.E. Stephenson, N.A. Zacharias, K. Zaghib, J.N. Harb, and D.R. Wheeler, “Quantifying
  tortuosity in porous Li-Ion battery materials,” J. Power Sources 188, 592-600 (2009).