High-Entropy Alloy Nanoparticle Fabrication and Screening

In this project, we will harness the potential of high-entropy alloy nanoparticles by developing new nanofabrication and optical microscopy paradigms for the creation and composition-function screening of high-entropy alloy nanostructures, with H2 storage and H2 sensors as application areas of choice.

Research question

The first key research question addressed in this project is how to effectively screen the vast parameter space of nanostructured high-entropy alloy materials in terms of composition – targeted function correlations. The second key research question addressed is in which way metallic high-entropy alloy nanoparticles may offer superior performance in terms of, e.g., dynamic range and limit of detection when applied as signal transducers in a plasmonic hydrogen sensor. The third key research question is in which way nanostructured high-entropy alloys may constitute superior solid-state hydrogen storage materials with superior sorption kinetics and storage capacity.

Sustainability aspects

The project relates to SDG 7 since it targets materials to be used in H2 energy technologies envisioned to significantly reduce CO2 emissions. Specifically, the project addressed the aspect that large scale implementation of H2 technologies is planned, but that safety issues are a barrier for this implementation that can be mitigated by the development and implementation of efficient H2 safety sensors. Secondly, the project addresses the aspect that novel safe and cost-effective H2 storage solutions that go beyond pressurized tanks that to-date are made from expensive and hard-to-recycle carbon-fiber reinforced composite materials are necessary both from a cost, safety and storage capacity perspective.