Descripción del proyecto
Nuevos modelos servirán para descargar una situación electrizante y proporcionar claridad
Los electrolitos son compuestos químicos que se disocian en forma de iones, especies cargadas cuyo movimiento genera una corriente. Este fenómeno se captura en electroencefalogramas y electrocardiogramas, es la característica que define las baterías y celdas de combustible y, además, es fundamental en multitud de procesos medioambientales, químicos e industriales. A pesar de ello, los modelos termodinámicos que nos ayudan a comprender los sistemas electrolíticos y su comportamiento todavía se basan mayoritariamente en evidencias y requieren muchos datos. El proyecto ElectroThermo, financiado con fondos europeos, pretende cambiar esta situación mediante un plan ambicioso para resolver carencias, aclarar malentendidos en la termodinámica de los electrolitos y trazar un camino claro y bien definido para las soluciones de electrolitos.
Objetivo
The project’s overall target is to arrive at a fundamental understanding of electrolyte thermodynamics and thus enable the engineering of a new generation of useful, physically sound models for electrolyte solutions. These models should be general and applicable to a very wide range of conditions so that they can be potentially used for a wide range of applications.
Electrolyte solutions are present almost anywhere and find numerous applications in physical sciences including chemistry, geology, material science, medicine, biochemistry and physiology as well as in many engineering fields especially chemical & biochemical, electrical and petroleum engineering. In all these applications the thermodynamics plays a crucial role over wide ranges of temperature, pressure and composition. As the subject is important, a relatively large body of knowledge has been accumulated with lots of data and models. However, disappointingly the state-of-the art thermodynamic models used today in engineering practice are semi-empirical and require numerous experimental data. They lack generality and have not enhanced our understanding of electrolyte thermodynamics. Going beyond the current state of the art, we will create the scientific foundation for studying, at their extremes, both “primitive” and “non-primitive” approaches for electrolyte solutions and identify strengths and limitations. The project is based on the PI’s many years of experience in thermodynamics. The ambition is to make new advances to clarify major questions and misunderstandings in electrolyte thermodynamics, some remaining for over 100 years, which currently prevent real progress from being made, and create a new paradigm which will ultimately pave the way for the development of new engineering models for electrolyte solutions. This is a risky, ambitious and crucial task, but a successful completion will have significant benefits in many industrial sectors as well as in environmental studies and biotechnology.
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ERC-ADG - Advanced GrantInstitución de acogida
2800 Kongens Lyngby
Dinamarca