Research: Microreactors, Catalysis, Fuel Cells
Masel’s group is concentrating on five areas: microchemical systems, micro fuel cells, catalysis in fuel cells, engineering approximations in kinetics, environmental catalysis. In the microchemical systems area we are building small chip scale chemical reactors for fuel conversation, smart clothing and personal heat sources. We are also examining principles that can be applied to these systems. In the fuel cell area, we are building the worlds smallest fuel cells as battery replacements. We are also examining the molecular basis of CO tolerance in fuel cells, and examining fuel cell catalysis for novel fuels such as formic acid and ammonia. In the environmental area we are examining the catalytic chemistry of odorous molecules produced in farms. We are also constructing combined adsorption/reaction devices for odor control. In a more theoretical effort we are developing engineering approximations that allow one to predict rate constants with pencil and paper calculations. All of the work depends very heavily on being able to do careful surface spectroscopy, and to being able to interpret the results using modern computational tools.
