1. The Electrochemical Innovation Lab - Fuel Cell Innovation -
Dr. Dan Brett
Electrochemical Innovation Lab
Department of Chemical Engineering
UK-Japan Energy Technology Innovation Showcase
Oct 2014

2. University College London (UCL)
Founded in 1826
Top 10 universities in the world
- 5th QS World League Tables
The first to admit students regardless of class, race or religion
The first to admit women students on equal terms with men
Third oldest University set up as an alternative to Oxbridge
Previously university education only available to one group of society

3. University College London (UCL)
- Alumni

4. University College London (UCL) - Links with Japan
150th Anniversary of Japan’s Choshu Five
Hirobumi Ito, the father of the Japanese Constitution and the first Prime Minister of post Meiji-Japan.
Kaoru Inoue became Japan’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
Kinsuke Endo was the founding Master of the Japanese Mint Bureau
Masaru Inoue became the founding President of the Japanese Board of Railways
Yozo Yamao became Secretary of State in Japan’s Ministry of Industry and established Japan’s first Institute of Technology

5. What is electrochemical technology?
Overview
What is electrochemical technology?
The Electrochemical Innovation Lab (EIL) concept.
An example of EIL open innovation
Amalyst Ltd. spin-out
The Flexi-Planar Fuel Cell

6. What is Electrochemical Technology?
Electrochemistry: n. The science of the interaction or interconversion of electric and chemical phenomena.

7. What is Electrochemical Technology?
Modern Innovative Technology
Established Technology
Fuel cells
Advanced batteries
Solar cells
Supercapacitors
Electrolysers (hydrogen production)
Advanced sensors
CO2 conversion
Nuclear reprocessing
Chlor-alkali process
Aluminium electrolysis
Anodising
Electroetching / deposition
Corrosion prevention
Wastewater treatment
Waste electronics treatment
Electrosynthesis

8. The Electrochemical Innovation Lab
- Concept
Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Lab R&D
Pilot plant
trials
Industrial
Electrochemical
Engineering
Fundamental
Electrochemistry
Electrochemical
Technology
Electrodes
Interfaces
Electrolytes
Potential distribution
Current distribution
Hydrodynamics
Mass transport
Reactor geometry
Reactor components
Reactor performance
Process design
Commissioning
Maintenance
Testing
Fabrication
Marketing

9. The Electrochemical Innovation Lab
- Concept
Fundamental
Electrochemistry
Electrochemical
Technology
Industrial
Engineering
Pilot plant
trials
Lab R&D
Technology Readiness Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Electrodes
Interfaces
Electrolytes
Potential distribution
Current distribution
Hydrodynamics
Mass transport
Reactor geometry
Reactor components
Reactor performance
Process design
Commissioning
Maintenance
Testing
Fabrication
Marketing

10. The Electrochemical Innovation Lab
- Concept
Industrial experience / input.
Commercial thinking embodied in research phase
Cost and market modelling.
Scale-up and scale-out consideration.
Reality checks.
Builds new research programmes to accelerate the science into commercial products
Most university research is here…
…and never goes any higher.
Technology Readiness Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Lab R&D
Pilot plant
trials
Industrial
Electrochemical
Engineering
Fundamental
Electrochemistry
Electrochemical
Technology

11. (UCL Chem. Eng. and Amalyst)
The Electrochemical Innovation Lab
- People (Management Team and IAG)
Dan Brett
(UCL Chem. Eng.)
Jawwad Darr
(UCL Chemistry)
Tim Fishlock
(UCLB)
Paul Shearing
(UCL Chem. Eng.)
MANAGEMENT TEAM
David Hodgson
(Vallontia)
Richard Bucknall
(UCL Mech. Eng.)
Nick Milligan
(pV3)
Chris Gibbs
(UCL Chem. Eng. and Amalyst)
Stef Simons
(UCL Australia)

12. The Electrochemical Innovation Lab
- Partners and Sponsors

13. Facilities

14. Excellent facilities: over £11million of current funding
The Electrochemical Innovation Lab
- World class facilities
Excellent facilities: over £11million of current funding
"Zeiss-UCL Lighthouse Centre on Correlative Microscopy" best university-based suite of ion beam and high res X-ray microscopes in the world

15. Spent nuclear fuel processing
The Electrochemical Innovation Lab
- Commercial Pipeline
Down stream
Spent nuclear fuel processing
High temperature sensors for crude oil characterisation
Novel battery materials
Methods for making nanomaterials
Fuel cells made from printed circuit boards
Novel Pt-free electrocatalyst

16. Facilities Expertise Manpower
The Electrochemical Innovation Lab
- Open Innovation Example
INNOVATION
Background IP
Kit / Expertise
Facilities Expertise Manpower
Commercial
Expertise / Network
Complimentary expertise, needs and offerings

17. Facilities Expertise Manpower
The Electrochemical Innovation Lab
- Open Innovation Example
Background IP
Kit / Expertise
Facilities Expertise Manpower
‘Spin in’
Commercial
Expertise / Network
Coming together

18. Facilities Expertise Manpower
The Electrochemical Innovation Lab
- Open Innovation Example
A low-cost, high efficiency catalyst with equivalent performance to Pt
Fuel cells
Electrolysers (hydrogen production)
Background IP
Kit / Expertise
Facilities Expertise Manpower
Background IP
Strengthened
‘Spin in’
Foreground IP
Generated
Commercial
Expertise / Network
Strengthening and generating IP

19. Facilities Expertise Manpower
The Electrochemical Innovation Lab
- Open Innovation Example
Background IP
Kit / Expertise
Facilities Expertise Manpower
Background IP
Strengthened
NewCo
HoT Signed
‘Spin in’
Foreground IP
Generated
PoC
Funding
Commercial
Expertise / Network
Spin out

20. collaboration / pipeline Facilities Expertise Manpower
The Electrochemical Innovation Lab
- Open Innovation Example
Background IP
Kit / Expertise
Ready for new
collaboration / pipeline
Facilities Expertise Manpower
Background IP
Strengthened
NewCo
HoT Signed
‘Spin in’
Foreground IP
Generated
PoC
Funding
NewCo
Formed
1st Round
Investment
Commercial
Expertise / Network
Licence in
Investor/s
Here
Second
Round
Investment and customers

21. The Electrochemical Innovation Lab
- Amalyst Summary
1. Lower cost than Pt at same performance levels in water electrolysers and fuel cells. 2. A true ‘drop-in’ replacement for Pt. 3. Available for evaluation and sale. 4. Second investment round currently open.

22. - Features and architecture
Fuel Cells
- Features and architecture
Main features
High efficiency
Low or no emissions
Quiet, no moving parts, potentially highly reliable
Scalable – applications from mW to MW
Anode
Cathode
Current
Collector e-
Electrode
Fuel
Electrolyte
Air

23. - Features and architecture
Fuel Cells
- Features and architecture
Anode
Cathode
Electrode
Interconnect

24. The Flexi-Planar Fuel Cell
Conventional fuel cell stacks have a problem.
If one cell fails, the whole stack fails.
Anode
Cathode
Electrode
Interconnect
Anode
Cathode
Electrode
Interconnect
Anode
Cathode
Electrode
Interconnect
Anode
Cathode
Electrode
Interconnect
Anode
Cathode
Electrode
Interconnect
Existing stacks must be made from high-spec cells (expensive).

25. The Flexi-Planar Fuel Cell
A new fuel cell technology (with Imperial College, Carbon Trust)
Puts a fuel cell inside a printed circuit board (PCB)
Low cost, high capacity manufacture
Consumer electronics
Micro-CHP
Automotive

26. The Flexi-Planar Fuel Cell
3 patent applications (1 granted)
<$36 / kW cost reduction (independently verified)
Continuous operation for over 2000 hrs hours with no significant degradation

27. The Flexi-Planar Fuel Cell

28. The Flexi-Planar Fuel Cell
15 W modules
Modules combined together to form stacks
Consumer electronics
Micro-CHP
Automotive

29. Process employs existing Printed Circuit Board (PCB) manufacturing

30. The Flexi-Planar Fuel Cell - Summary of benefits
Mass-manufacture.
Simplified stack
- Compression and sealing
Low-cost components
Patented, low-cost copper passivation layer.
High gravimetric power density (3 kW/litre)
Control flexibility of modules with integrated electronics
Conventional fuel cell

31. The Flexi-Planar Fuel Cell - Summary
Simplified system BoP (humidification & heat transfer)
Internal humidification
Flexible design for integration into multiple applications
Currently looking for investment / joint venture for company formation

32. Overall Summary
The UCL Electrochemical Innovation Lab (EIL) is a new model for university-based open innovation
Very well equipped for scientific projects
Particular focus on commercialising our research
Example projects in the area of fuel cells focusing on cost reduction
Amalyst (low cost catalyst)
Flexi-Planar Fuel Cell (low cost stack design)
Opportunities for investment and joint ventures

33. www.ucl.ac.uk/eil ご清聴ありがとうございました www.ucl.ac.uk/ucell ucl eil UCL EIL