Our Services
At FCReL, we offer specialized research services for electrochemical energy conversion and storage, with a wide range of state-of-the-art tools and capabilities that are customized for engineering oriented research on fuel cells, water electrolysers, and hydrogen storage materials.
Electrolyser Testing
Unlock the full potential of green hydrogen production with our comprehensive testing services for water electrolysis. Our expert team ensures that your systems are optimized for peak performance, efficiency, and safety, providing you with accurate diagnostics and detailed reports. Whether you're developing new technologies or improving existing systems, our cutting-edge testing capabilities help you innovate with confidence. Trust us to deliver precise results, reduce downtime, and accelerate your hydrogen production goals—powering a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Fuel Cell/Battery Testing
A comprehensive suite of Greenlight Innovation fuel cell and redox flow battery test stations is available at FCReL for both single cell and stack performance and durability testing.
The test stations features a 3-way valve for delivery of facility-supplied hydrogen and air via integrated heaters and humidifiers through insulated tubes to the fuel cell stack manifolds and are equipped with electrochemical potentiostats and gas analyzers.
Micro and Nano X-ray Computed Tomography
Three-dimensional, non-destructive visualization of material structure on the micro and nano scales, using a state-of-the-art multi-length scale X-ray computed tomography facility with customized instruments from ZEISS X-ray Microscopy. The facility includes capabilities for in-situ and in-operando visualization.
Scanning Electron Microscopy & Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy
Our SEM/EDAX Vega3 LMH is a high resolution imaging microscope that is coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy for elemental quantitative detection. This instrument can also provide information about surface topography of the materials.
Raman Spectroscopy
Our Thermo- Fisher DXR2 is an advanced laser based microscope instrument with a high spatial resolution that provides Raman Spectroscopy capabilities for obtaining information about structural molecule fingerprints.
Surface Microscopy
Detailed characterization and quantification of material surfaces using a Keyence VHX 5000 digital microscope that incorporates observation, image capture, and measurement capabilities to the user while providing an on-screen interface for viewing objects and surface of materials. Ability to measure surface topology and roughness profiles at high resolution.
Porous Material Characterization
Our group offers bulk characterization of porous materials and their internal structure and properties using two different, complementary techniques. First, BET surface area and pore size distribution are measured using an Autosorb iQ C-XR, which is a combined chemisorption and physisorption manometry analyzer. Furthermore, for catalyst characterization the station can measure dispersion and active metal surface area, and it is equipped with a temperature programmed analyzer.
Second, the Greenlight Innovation porosimeter analyzes porous structures with pore sizes from 1 nm to 300 micrometers. Using the Method of Standard Porosimetery (MSP), it is capable of measuring porosity, pore size distribution, specific surface area, capillary pressure curves, contact angle, and adsorption/desorption isotherms. The MSP also aims to investigate the structure of samples in a variety of working liquids, such as water, methanol, and other solvents used in fuel cells, electrolysers, and batteries.
Volumetric Gas Sorption Measurement
Our in-house developed volumetric gas sorption analyzer is designed to measure the gas sorption/desorption capacity and kinetics of materials for inert gases, including H2, N2, He, etc., across a wide range of pressures and temperatures. The system is equipped with a molecular turbo pump and a residual gas analyzer.
Gravimetric Gas Sorption Measurement
Our Hiden Isochema XEMIS- Gravimetric analyzer allows the measurement of the gas sorption/desorption capacity and kinetics of materials. The station can operate with various gas and vapour compositions including corrosives and flammables. Furthermore, the station allows working with small sample sizes (5mg-5g) and small uptakes, providing reproducible, high accuracy measurements. The unit can be used to perform isotherm, isobar and high pressure TGA measurements in a single automated analyzer up to 500°C.
High Pressure & Universal Gas Analysis
Our UGA- LT atmospheric gas analyzer is capable of conducting gas mixture analysis by using a mass spectrometer. The station operates between atmospheric pressure level to ultra-high vacuum pressure level. This station is ideal for corrosive gas mixture analysis and is able to measure trace-level contaminants.
Dynamic Mechanical Analysis
The TA Instruments Q800 DMA is equipped with a furnace and an environmental chamber (TA Instruments DMA-RH accessory) and the TA Instruments Discovery DMA 850 is equipped with a cooling accessory to facilite tests at below ambient temperatures. These state-of-the-art tools are used to facilitate a wide range of static and dynamic thermo-mechanical property measurements of fuel cell, electrolyser, and battery materials.
Both instruments can utilize a variety of testing clamps including tension, compression, submersible, 3-point bending, and cantilever. With these clamps, the DMA can conduct a wide range of mechanical and thermo-mechanical testing from dry conditions to fully immersed in the liquid water. The DMA testing capabilities include but are not limited to, Tensile, Compressive, Creep, Stress relaxation, Fatigue-fracture, Hygrothermal swelling and expansion, and Glass transition temperature (Tg).
The DMA-RH Accessory allows mechanical properties of a sample to be evaluated under controlled and/or varying conditions of both relative humidity (0-95%) and temperature (ambient-120°C).
Tensiometry
The force tensiometer measures the forces that are present when a sample of solid is brought into contact with a test liquid. This enables precise characterization of a number of material properties. The tensiometer is capable of the following measurements
- Dynamic contact angle
- Surface/interfacial tension
- Absorption profiles
- Powder wettability of porous materials, fibers, coatings, and solids
Modeling and Simulation
FCReL has comprehensive capabilities for simulating fuel cells and electrolysers. These models include microstructural, reaction and transport property simulations, performance models, and durability models across a wide range of environmental conditions and time scales. We are also equipped with software licenses for commercial Finite Element solvers such as Ansys and COMSOL Multiphysics, as well as vast computing resources at the Digital Research Alliance of Canada.