1. NSF- Europe Materials Collaboration: Self-Organized Nanostructured Thin Films for Catalysis in Perovskite Related Membrane Reactors Jagannathan Sankar, North Carolina A&T, DMR 0502765 EELS mapping of elements shows that Ni and La do not overlap in the coating indicating that Ni is not embedded in B-site of La(Sr)CrO 3-  perovskite SiO 2 Si Porous layer TEM image Structure of La(Sr)CrO 3-  layer annealed at different conditions No degradation is observed Embedding Ru nanoparticles into porous La(Sr)CrO 3 perovskite layer deposited on La 0.5 Ba 0.5 FeO 3-  membranes improves surface exchange kinetics and reduces the activation energy of oxygen permeation process. Nanoporous structure of catalytic layer was stable during 150 hours operation in reducing atmosphere at 900ºC. Intellectual merit The third year of collaborative research between NC A&T SU, UCF and the University of Aveiro (Portugal) is focused on study of porous catalytic coatings for oxygen-permeable membranes for oxygen separation and partial oxidation of hydrocarbons. Microstructural evolution of La(Sr)-Cr(Ni, Mg)-O amorphous thin films leads to highly porous catalytic surfaces. This process was studied at different environments (oxidative, inert, reductive) at temperatures RT-1000ºC using XRD and micro-Raman. Thin film deposition and annealing conditions were optimized to create porous catalytic coatings with controlled nanoporosity. TEM study revealed that Ni atoms do not embed in LaCrO 3 cell and create catalytic nanoparticles on the membrane surface. Intellectual merit The third year of collaborative research between NC A&T SU, UCF and the University of Aveiro (Portugal) is focused on study of porous catalytic coatings for oxygen-permeable membranes for oxygen separation and partial oxidation of hydrocarbons. Microstructural evolution of La(Sr)-Cr(Ni, Mg)-O amorphous thin films leads to highly porous catalytic surfaces. This process was studied at different environments (oxidative, inert, reductive) at temperatures RT-1000ºC using XRD and micro-Raman. Thin film deposition and annealing conditions were optimized to create porous catalytic coatings with controlled nanoporosity. TEM study revealed that Ni atoms do not embed in LaCrO 3 cell and create catalytic nanoparticles on the membrane surface.

2. NSF-Europe Materials Collaboration: Self-Organized Nanostructured Thin Films for Catalysis in Perovskite Related Membrane Reactors Jagannathan Sankar, North Carolina A&T, DMR 0502765 Results on phase transitions and mechanical property study of (La 0.9 Sr 0.1 ) 0.95 Cr 0.85 Mg 0.10 Ni 0.05 O 3-  (LSCMN) ceramics for membrane reactor were presented by Kristofer Gordon (MS African American minority student) at the 2007 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (November 11-15, Seattle, WA) and published in the conference proceedings. Gordon also presented study of controlled nanopore formation in LSCMN films at the 32nd International Daytona Beach Conference & Exposition on Advanced Ceramics and Composites (Jan. 27- Feb.1, 2008). Svitlana Fialkova (MS female student) spent 2 months at the University of Aveiro (Portugal) to perform research on oxygen permeability of surface modified membranes. Fialkova also presented her study on ANM-2 International Conference (June 22- 25, 2008, Mira, Portugal). Graduate students Kristofer Gordon and Devendra Ray received MSME degrees based on their research on this project. Results on phase transitions and mechanical property study of (La 0.9 Sr 0.1 ) 0.95 Cr 0.85 Mg 0.10 Ni 0.05 O 3-  (LSCMN) ceramics for membrane reactor were presented by Kristofer Gordon (MS African American minority student) at the 2007 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (November 11-15, Seattle, WA) and published in the conference proceedings. Gordon also presented study of controlled nanopore formation in LSCMN films at the 32nd International Daytona Beach Conference & Exposition on Advanced Ceramics and Composites (Jan. 27- Feb.1, 2008). Svitlana Fialkova (MS female student) spent 2 months at the University of Aveiro (Portugal) to perform research on oxygen permeability of surface modified membranes. Fialkova also presented her study on ANM-2 International Conference (June 22- 25, 2008, Mira, Portugal). Graduate students Kristofer Gordon and Devendra Ray received MSME degrees based on their research on this project. Svitlana Fialkova explains her results during the poster session at ANM-2 International Conference Studies on slow thermal and stress-induced phase transitions in scandia stabilized zirconia (Svitlana Fialkova) and characterization of nanoporous catalytic membranes for oxygen permeable reactors (Kristofer Gordon) were presented on Spring MRS meeting in San-Francisco (March 23-27, 2008). Dr. Sergey Yarmolenko visited University of Aveiro to discuss current results and work on the paper. Yarmolenko also presented the membrane oxygen permeability results at ANM-2. Studies on slow thermal and stress-induced phase transitions in scandia stabilized zirconia (Svitlana Fialkova) and characterization of nanoporous catalytic membranes for oxygen permeable reactors (Kristofer Gordon) were presented on Spring MRS meeting in San-Francisco (March 23-27, 2008). Dr. Sergey Yarmolenko visited University of Aveiro to discuss current results and work on the paper. Yarmolenko also presented the membrane oxygen permeability results at ANM-2.