Solar Army: West Virginia Brigade

CEE

Bite of Science

March 27, 2019

What excites me?

Learning, students, collaborations,

light and matter, solar energy, sustainability

My story?

Hillsboro, Wellesley, Caltech, Mankato, Fairmont

Solar Army: West Virginia Brigade

Statewide

solar energy

research

collaboration

Fossil Fuel Use Raises CO2 & Temp

C8H18 + 12.5 O2 8 CO2 + 9 H2O

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming; See also a helpful interactive resource at:

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-whats-warming-the-world/

Hydrogen = A Carbon-Free Fuel

2 H2(g) + O2(g) ➔ 2 H2O(l) + energy

Water and sunlight replace gasoline!

Split water to get the H2: sunlight (energy)+ 2 H2O(l) ➔ 2 H2(g) + O2(g)

● Need to speed it up. ● “photoelectrocatalyst”

Welcome to the Solar Army

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bQhvIHm_Ss

Commanding General, Harry Gray

NSF Center for Chemical Innovation in Solar Fuels (CCI Solar)

2013-2018 $7.1 x 106

Criteria for a Good Catalyst

X X X X X X X X X X X X

X X

• NON-TOXIC

• INEXPENSIVE

• ABUNDANT

How many combinations are possible?

36 possible metals…Three metals at a time… C = n!/(r!(n-r)!) = 36!/(3!(36-3)!)

= 7140 possible combinations INFINITE ratios of each combination

Cu

K

Mg

Fe

Cu

Cu

Cu K Mg

K Fe

Fe Mg

K Mg Fe

Ni

Ni K Mg

Ni Cu Mg

Ni K Fe

Ni

Ni

Cu

Fe Mg

Cu Fe

Ni K

Middle School classroom

+

First 2 Network Internship

May-June, 2018

WV Brigade Supporters 1. Jennifer Schuttlefield Christus, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 2. Laurie King, Lenore Kubie, Bruce Parkinson, University of Wyoming 3. Michelle Deboever, Sam Johnson and Harry Gray, Caltech 4. Dennis Mitchell, Todd Ensign, 3D Printing 5. Seneca Designs, Elkins, WV, screen-printing 6. Jeff Greenham, Fairmont State, plate firing 7. NASA WV Space Grant Consortium grant support, 2014-8 8. Dominion Hope grant for Solar Energy Research and Learning, 2015-6 9. Learning Options, Inc., WV Division of Culture and History, Benedum Foundation 10. National Science Foundation – INCLUDES: First 2 Network, 2016-present 11. ESS Passport Program – Dr. Deb Hemler

Visit us at

www.fairmontstate.edu/SolarArmyWV

Prepare Samples

● Choose three metal nitrate salts to combine. ● Use iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) as standards. ● Apply metal salts to conductive glass plates:

Drop method

Metal nitrates available (choose 3):

● iron: Fe(NO3)3

● copper: Cu(NO3)2

● magnesium: Mg(NO3)2

● aluminum: Al(NO3) 3

● nickel: Ni(NO3)2

● sodium: Na(NO3)

● calcium: Ca(NO3)2

● chromium: Cr(NO3) 3

● zinc: Zn(NO3)2

● potassium: KNO3

● strontium: Sr(NO3)2

● lanthanum: La(NO3)3

● cobalt: Co(NO3)2

Ratio Planning:

Plate # Record Etched Plate Number ______________

Fe standards Cu standards

Column

1 2 3 4 5 6

Column:

Circle one metal on each line: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Metal 1: Ca Fe Co Cu Mg Al Ni Cr Zn K Sr La Na iron (Fe)

standards

copper

(Cu)

standards Metal 2: Ca Fe Co Cu Mg Al Ni Cr Zn K Sr La Na

Metal 3: Ca Fe Co Cu Mg Al Ni Cr Zn K Sr La Na

Record your planned drop ratios

above.

Drop Template

X

1

1

1

2

3

4

1

2

3 1

1

4

Fire and analyze

● Fire plates in a kiln at 500o Celsius to oxidize metal nitrate salts to metal oxides

● Test plates for photocurrent and oxygen evolution.

Data Acquisition: SEAL Solar Energy Activity Laboratory (SEAL)

Developed by the California Institute of Technology

Data Visualization http://solararmy.fsuhosting.com/

Data Acquisition: SHArK Solar Hydrogen Activity Research Kit (SHArK) Dev. by University of Wyoming – Parkinson Group

Data Acquisition: SHArK Solar Hydrogen Activity Research Kit (SHArK)

Data Acquisition: HARPOON Heterogeneous Anodes Rapidly Perused for Oxygen Overpotential

Neutralization Collaboration with University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh

● Green glow under blacklight where oxygen is produced

● False color - Image processing software

Data Acquisition: HARPOON Heterogeneous Anodes Rapidly Perused for Oxygen

Overpotential Neutralization Collaboration with University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh

Data Acquisition: HARPOON Heterogeneous Anodes Rapidly Perused for Oxygen

Overpotential Neutralization Collaboration with University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh

The WV Brigade is recruiting!

· What STEM skills and knowledge do you actively need to be successful in your job?

Lifelong dream: Home solar system (23 panels, 2019, yesterday morning)

Home system (23 panels, 2019)

Growth mindset! • Everyone can get smarter. • Everyone can learn. • Learning happens through practice and hard work. • Being challenged feels good. • Failure is an essential part of learning. • Getting help is an essential part of learning. College science courses have MATH prerequisites. Problem solving can be learned.

What can teachers do to support students

interested in your career field or organization?

Energy Comparisons American home: ● 30 kWh per day WV home: ● 36 kWh per day Fairmont State Library: ● 3400 kWh per day 16 Panels – Ground-Mount: ● 14 kWh per day (0.4%) 8 Panels – Roof-Mount: ● 7 kWh per day (0.2%) 17 kWh for 50 mile drive in electric vehicle (Honda Clarity)

US Energy Information Administration (Dept of Energy)

https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=97&t=3

Kill-a-Watt meters

WVSTA Conference, Workshops – Energy theme for 2019 NASA Educator Resource Center (kits, workshops) First2 Network: https://first2network.org/

• 2-week research internships for rising college freshmen – applications being accepted now for this summer

• Teacher involvement also • NSF INCLUDES Alliance, 2018-23, HRD-1834575 – Fairmont State University

(+ 4 other awards to collaborators statewide)

Solar Army - WV Brigade: http://fairmontstate.edu/SolarArmyWV

HSTA Collaborations

Resources to support teachers or outreach programs for students and teachers to explore your research area or STEM field?