Ai-Yu Liou

Background

I did my BSc in Materials Science and Engineering at National Tsing-Hua University, Taiwan. Later, I studied my MSc in Materials Science and Engineering at TU Delft, with the focus on materials for sustainable development. During my master thesis, I worked with TWTG to develop electrochemical sensors for detecting heavy-metal ions in the industrial waste solutions. This experience brought me into the world of electrochemistry. After graduation from TU Delft in 2020, I moved back to Taiwan and worked in a Taiwanese star-up (SolidEdge Solution) on the development of solid-state lithium-ion battery for electric vehicles. Afterwards, I changed my position to the national research institution in Taiwan (Industrial Technology Research Institute) and conducted research on ionic liquid synthesis for energy-saving air-conditioning system.

To further develop my career in sustainable technology, I decided to come back to the Netherlands and seek opportunities. In September 2023, I started my PhD in the Transport Phenomenon group, specifically the Electrochemical Flow System Lab.

Research

During my PhD, I will be working on the hydrogen generation via direct seawater electrolysis. To integrate the seawater electrolyser with offshore sustainable energy, various issues must be solved, including the poisoning of the electrode due to the chloride ion in seawater. In addition, the degradation and corrosion of catalysts hinders the faraday efficiency of hydrogen generation and the lifetime of the electrolyser. Designing a seawater electrolyser on the offshore platform requires the consideration of all aspects, which include system selection, membrane selection, process flow design of the electrolyser, and electrode engineering. In this project, the performance of membrane-based seawater electrolyser and the use of bipolar membrane in the electrolyser will be evaluated.