DIT PhD Project
Supervisor name & contact details:
Dr. Suresh C. Pillai, PhD, FRMS, FIMMM
Email suresh.pillai@dit.ie
Supervisors Profile:
Research Centre:
CREST
The Centre for Research in Engineering Surface
Technology is the only dedicated surface
coatings laboratory in Ireland. The major
research activities of the group are in the areas
of nanotechnology, ceramics for functional
applications semiconductors, photocatalysis,
self-cleaning probes and anti-bacterial
functional coatings.
Research Centre website:
www.crestdit.com
Supervisors Publications:
http://arrow.dit.ie/cenres/
Title of the Project : Development of novel nano-materials for solid-state hydrogen
storage
Project Summary: As a clean and green fuel, hydrogen has found applications for
powering motor vehicles and air planes. It is estimated that by 2020, over 20% of the
vehicles will be powered by fuel cells. However, the major challenges of this technology
are the storage of hydrogen. There is tremendous potential in developing innovative
ways for hydrogen storage. The PhD student appointed will develop state-of-the-art
synthetic techniques to improve the hydrogen storage efficiency. The research will be
carried out as part of the EU funded COST action MP1103, where the proposed
supervisor is the Irish national delegate. Various materials such as metal hydrides (e.g
MgH2), hydrocarbons and liquid organic hydrogen carriers will be developed using novel
experimental techniques. The subject is inter-disciplinary with various strands involving
the chemical synthesis, materials analysis and testing and device integration.
The major objectives of the proposed project is

To develop novel and unexplored ways for the synthesis solid state hydrogen storage by
novel techniques.

To train a PhD student in multi-disciplinary areas such as nanoparticle synthesis, energy
materials, hydrogen economy, spectroscopy, electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and
X-ray photo electron spectroscopy.

To publish the work in high impact journals.
Ciência sem Fronteiras / Science Without Borders Priority Area:
Nanotechnology and New Materials