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case western reserve university

Chemical Engineering
 
 

Thomas A. Zawodzinski

F. Alex Nason Professor of Engineering and Ohio Eminent Scholar in Fuel Cells

B.S. Chemistry, SUNY Buffalo, 1981
Ph. D. Chemistry, SUNY Buffalo, 1989

email: taz5@case.edu
office: A. W. Smith 124A
telephone: (216)368-5547

 

Research

One major focus is on the fundamental science and application of fuel cells. Research there includes efforts related to the understanding and development of high temperature membranes for fuel cells as well as on electrocatalysis and durability issues in fuel cells. My research group is broadly interested in employing functional chemical systems for devices and in probing mass transport issues in practical systems using NMR methods.

The following are some of the research activities that I have been involved in during the past ten years:

  • Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells: Comprehensive program on polymer electrolyte and direct methanol fuel cells; Experimental work on transport in ionomeric materials; present emphasis on electrolytes and electrodes for high temperature (T>100C) PEM fuel cells.
  • Polymer Electrolytes for Lithium Batteries: Transport in lithium conducting electrolytes, featuring Electrophoretic NMR Methods.
  • Composite Electrodes for Energy Conversion and Storage Devices: Studies seeking to understand fundamental aspects of composite electrodes.
  • Electrochemical Sensors for Chemical Agents: Project aimed at developing new types of electrochemical sensors for detection of chemical agents, especially for 'first responders.'
  • Fundamental Studies of Transport Processes in Proton-Conducting Polymer Electrolytes: Fundamental aspects of proton conduction and coupled processes in fuel cell membranes. Work involves combined theoretical and experimental work. Computation from ab initio electronic structure calculations up to statistical mechanical models is used to understand transport in Nafion and related membranes. Very high frequency dielectric studies are applied to these membranes.
  • Biosensors/Bioreactors: Research and development of enzyme-based electrochemical sensors, including development of novel electrode structures; application of biosensors to study metabolic rates of mammalian tumor cells, development of ultramicroelectrode biosensors for application in physiological studies; ongoing development of biosensors for chemical and biological warfare agents; NMR imaging of transport in Hollow Fiber Bioreactors.
  • Multifunctional Self-assembled Monolayers: Multifunctional self-assembled monolayers containing several intercommunicating components, including electron-transfer mediators and biomolecules; studies of factors affecting rates of electron transfer between biomolecules and electrodes or mediators; understanding self-assembly; scanning force microscopy on patterned SAM samples--understanding tip/sample interactions, surface segregation effects in SAMs. Later studies focused on using self-assembly methods to prepare devices.
  • Artificial Muscles: Project aimed at understanding and developing new types of contractile and flexural artificial muscles based on polymer electrolytes.

 

Selected Publications

Ram Subbaraman, Hossein Ghassemi* and Thomas A. Zawodzinski Jr. b4, 5 Dicyano-1H-[1,2,3]-Triazole as a Proton Transprt facilitator for Proton Exchange membrane Fuel Cells, J. AM. CHEM. SOC. 129 (8): 2238 (2007)

Ghassemi H, McGrath JE, Zawodzinski TA Multiblock sulfonated-fluorinated poly(arylene ether)s for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell POLYMER 47 (11): 4132-4139 (2006)

Xie J, Garzon F, Zawodzinski T, et al., Ionomer segregation in composite MEAs and its effect on polymer electrolyte fuel cell performance J ELECTROCHEM SOC 151 (7): A1084-A1093 (2004)

Xie J, Wood DL, Wayne DM, et al., Durability of PEFCs at high humidity conditions J ELECTROCHEM SOC 152 (1): A104-A113 (2005)

Every HA, Hickner MA, McGrath JE, et al. An NMR study of methanol diffusion in polymer electrolyte fuel cell membranes J OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE 250 (1-2): 183-188 (2005)

M. Eikerling, S. J. Paddison and T. A. Zawodzinski Jr., Molecular orbital calculations of proton dissociation and hydration of various acidic moieties for fuel cell polymers, J. New Mat Electrochem.Sys., 5, 2002. 15-23.

Y. S. Kim, F. Wang, M. Hickner, T. A. Zawodzinski and J. McGrath, Direct polymerization of sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) random (statistical) copolymers: candidates for new proton exchange membranes, J. Memb. Sci., 197, 2002, 231-242.

T. E. Springer, T. Rockward, T. A. Zawodzinski and S. Gottesfeld, Model for polymer electrolyte fuel cell operation on reformate feed - Effects of CO, H-2 dilution, and high fuel utilization, J. Electrochem. Soc., 148, 2001, A11-A23.

A. P. Saab, F. H. Garzon, and T. A. Zawodzinski, Determination of ionic and electronic resistivities in carbon/polyelectrolyte fuel-cell composite electrodes J. Electrochem. Soc., 149, 2002, A1541-A1546.

Asaki MLT, Redondo A, T. A. Zawodzinski and A. J. Taylor, Dielectric relaxation of electrolyte solutions using terahertz transmission spectroscopy J Chem. Phys. 116, 2002, 8469-8482.