Exploring hydrogen routes
Elena Colombo
- Thesis title: Understanding and mitigating degradation of PEMFC caused by real automotive operation
- PhD Tesi Supervisors: Andrea Baricci
- Phd: STEN, 35° cycle (starting year 2019)
- M. Sc: 2016, Energy Engineering, Politecnico di Milano
- B. Sc: 2019, Energy Engineering, Politecnico di Milano
Tell us something to introduce yourself
I’m Elena and I come from Dairago, a small town not far from Milan. I had lived in the province for many years but I felt the necessity of a more dynamic environment and being a student and a PhD fellow here, in Politecnico di Milano, matched with this desire. I am also concluding an experience of three-years community life with some young people that made me share everyday life and trained me in listening to others. In addition, I organized with this group lot of nice cultural events that were the occasion of meeting and exchange. I am now managing a very intense period of life and I have lot of projects in my mind: I am a hard-worker and I am determined in learning, developing new skills and pushing my limits a little further.
What are you working on at the moment?
My research is about the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) degradation caused by real automotive applications. Understanding the origin of components ageing under realistic dynamics is a key frontier for overcoming the issues of the technology and favoring its widespread in the sector. At the moment, I’m working on the loss of the catalyst active surface area. Indeed, the PEMFC catalyst typically consists of platinum nanoparticles. However, these particles are not stable and they are prone to dissolve under the harsh conditions which occur during system functioning. It’s a problem that have been studied from many years, but there are still lot of aspects to clarify: the idea is to understand enough about the fundamentals of the ageing mechanisms, as well as how they are stressed by operating parameters, in order to suggest mitigation strategies useful for stacks. As an engineer, I would like to build some bridges between basic comprehension and application.
What are the challenges of your research?
Researching implies lot of challenges. When I started working on the topic of PEM fuel cell degradation, I had a plan. However, I obtained some unforeseen results, that re-orientated what I was, and I am, doing. I think the researcher should be flexible enough to re-adapt, but not only: one should take advantage from deviations, without considering the unexpected as a drawback but as an opportunity to make further interesting steps into knowledge.
Why did you choose to start this experience and why did you choose Polimi? (Did your expectations have become reality?)
When I was a student at Polimi, I was very positively impressed by the electrochemistry field. The fuel cell technology immediately fascinated me and I wanted to get into its details and potentiality. In addition, I am a person prone to the deep comprehension of things and I started thinking about PhD during my first Master of Science year. I asked for a M.Sc. thesis at MRT Fuel Cell & Battery lab of the Energy Department and, luckily, they gave me this possibility. Working here confirmed my desire to become a PhD fellow: I met a very nice working environment, a fantastic team and I had no doubts at all about my choice.
How would you describe this period of your life with three adjectives?
The first adjective is collaborative: I really like having discussion with my colleagues. I think sharing ideas and opinions is a fundamental part of the research. Putting findings and doubts in common allows to make progress faster, as well as to overcome difficulties easier. And, last but not least, it makes you have fun in everyday life! The second word is enriching. The PhD path is rich of experiences and activities that make me grow and learn every single day. I’m developing lot of transversal competencies, in addition to the technical aspects: organizing activities, speaking in public, communicating scientific results, discussing with international researchers, teaching and coordinating students’ work.
Finally, the PhD years are very fast-moving. They run away much faster than I expected: time is never enough for doing everything I have in mind and I would like to discover, even though the hours of the day spent (and some of the night too). Furthermore, the context is very dynamic and in continuous evolution: I feel lucky to be part of the changes due to energy transition and to work on topics of high current interest.
What are your plans after the end of the PhD?
At the moment, I cannot imagine my future in something different from research. I am very enthusiastic of the work I chose as well as of the academic world, in spite of all the difficulties I met. I am very curious about the future and open to evaluate all the possibilities that there will be. But… let’s proceed step by step.
Which advice would you give to new engineers that are pondering about PhD in Polimi?
I would say to new engineers that if the researching approach is in their wheelhouse, they should go for it. People are usually scared by the years they must spend. But if you would like to do R&D activities, also in the industry, this is the right route to develop deep competences and a high-level profile. Moreover, do not consider these years as a “study period” only: what you are asked for is very different from a student. Be ready to spend lot of effort, but you will be repaid by great satisfaction!
Which personal experience (trip, meeting of a person, book, movie, etc..) mostly affected the way you see things?
I think that traveling and meeting different people are the keys for seeing things in a new perspective, not being autoreferential and putting myself into discussion in a constructive way. Breaking out of my bubble is challenging, but it always gives me the opportunity to improve myself. This happened every time I had the possibility to study and work abroad: during my Erasmus in Denmark as a M.Sc. student, but also when I did some researching activities away, like in Grenoble at CEA, or in the frame of European project meetings. These experiences opened my mind to new approaches and gave me lot of hints.
