Final Report Summary - PROTONICS (Mechanistic aspects of protons in hard materials for clean energy applications)
Overall the project has progressed well and the research team, including myself and to date four PhD students, have achieved most of the objectives for the period of interest with only quite small deviations from the original working plan. In particular, on the basis of additional funds from Swedish sources, I have been able to expand on the initial aims of the project. A key scientific result is the elucidation of the short-range structure and dehydration mechanism of the proton conducting oxide Ba2In2O5, using a combination of neutron scattering and vibrational spectroscopy, as published recently in two important papers recently. Another recent key result is the observation of rotational motions of pyramidal SiH3- ions in the two silanid materials KSiH3 and RbSiH3, using quasielastic neutron scattering. The advancement of the compositon-structure-dynamics relationships in perovskite type oxides and in alkali silanides are central to those of solid-state ionic conductors generally, and an understanding of such relationships is expected to provide insights on other hydrogen-containing materials, such as complex metal hydrides, for example. Similar issues concerning the local structure and dynamics of hydrogen in solid materials are central to the properties of related solid-state compounds used in for example solar cells, water splitting reactions, and batteries, to mention a few. Furthermore, I have, during the course of the project, been actively involved in a wide range of teaching, dissemination, and outreach activities. Examples include the teaching and development of new courses, presentations at conferences and workshops, peer-reviewing of research proposals and papers, and engagement as board member or chair of several committees. In sum, these results and activities have allowed me to build further on my academic career.