This conference is a follow up from the first such international conference held in Wuhan, China in December 2016. A lot has happened since. This conference will cover recent advances in membrane chemistry, processing, transport mechanisms, new processes such as ammonia synthesis, CO2 reduction, fuel cells and inexpensive water splitting at scale. Subjects will include materials, i.e., Polymer electrolytes, electrocatalysts, transport models, novel processes and new device designs etc. Emphasis will be made on enabling lively discussions and introduction to new techniques and methods.

Saturday, December 7 – Day One
8:15    Registration, check-in and continental breakfast / social

Materials Innovation in Membranes and Ionomer

9:00    Opening Remarks & Welcome:  Sanjeev Mukerjee, Northeastern University, USA
9:05    Yushan Yan, University of Delaware, USA
            Design of novel membranes based on polypiperidine architecture
9:45    John Varcoe, University of Surrey, UK
            Radiation-grafted membranes for fuel cells and reverse electrodialysis
10:25  Lin Zhuang, Wuhan University, China
            Progress and challenges of alkaline membrane technologies
11:05  Refreshment break
11:20 Chulsung Bae, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA
           Molecular engineering of quaternary ammonium aromatic polymers for anion exchange membrane fuel cells
12:00  Tae-Hyun Kim, Incheon National University, Korea
            Development of highly conductive and alkaline stable anion exchange membranes for alkaline fuel cell applications: polymer backbone and conducting head group approach
12:40  Lunch (on site)

Catalysts and Interface

1:20    Yu-Seung Kim, LANL, USA
            Impact of Anode Ionomer-Catalyst Interaction on AEMFC performance and Durability
2:00    Kenji Miyatake and Junji Inukai, University of Yamanashi, Japan
            Sublayered structures of thin films of hydrated nafion and anion exchange ionomers cast on Pt substrates analyzed by neutron reflectometry under controlled temperature and humidity
2:40    Qingying Jia, Northeastern University, USA
            Fundamental aspects of HOR/HER in alkaline pH

3:20    Refreshment break
3.35    Ian Kendrick, Northeastern University, USA
            Designer PGM-free catalyst for HER/OER
4.15    Yushan Yan, University of Delaware, USA
            HER mechanistic aspects/techno-economics
4.55    Huong Doan, University of Grenoble, France
           PGM free HER catalysts
5.35    Jiayu Peng, MIT, USA
            Bismuth substituted strontium cobalt perovskites for catalyzing oxygen evolution
6.15    Networking reception (on site)
Reception is sponsored by:

7:00    End of Day One

Sunday, December 8 – Day Two

8:45    Continental breakfast / social
9:15    Dario Dekel, Technion University, Israel
            Improving performance stability of anion-exchange membrane fuel cells
9:55    Marian Chatenet, University of Grenoble, France
            Borohydride oxidation reaction mechanism on nickel electrodes
10:35  Refreshment break
10:50  Carsten Cremers, ICT Fraunhofer, Germany
            Electrochemistry of hydrogen peroxide in alkaline and acidic media
11:20  Travis J. Omasta, University of South Carolina, USA
            Understanding how electrodes influence AEMFC behavior: lower flowrates, 3.5 W/cm2 peak power, 1000+h stability and CO2
12:00  Lunch (on site)
1:00    Joe Dorsheimer, Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA
            Advanced instrumentation for materials research: Applications and Techniques
1:15    Discussion 1:                       Moderator – Yushan Yan
            Innovations in membrane ionomer chemistry
            What is next on the innovation radar?
2:45    Refreshment break
3:00    Discussion 2:                       Moderator – Carsten Cramers
            Catalyst-ionomer interface and innovations in AEM devices and processes
4:30    Concluding remarks – Sanjeev Mukerjee