Dr Artur J Majewski

School of Chemical Engineering
Associate Professor in Hydrogen/Hydrogen-Based Energy Technology

Contact details

Telephone
(+44) (0) 121 414 8641
Email
a.j.majewski@bham.ac.uk
Address
School of Chemical Engineering
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham B15 2TT
UK

Qualifications

  • Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy - in recognition of attainment against the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and learning support in higher education, University of Birmingham - 2018
  • PhD - technical science; Environmental Engineering, Koszalin University of Technology, Poland - 2007
  • MEng - Environmental engineering; water, sewage and waste technology, Koszalin University of Technology, Poland - 1999

Teaching

  • Hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels
  • Hydrogen Safety
  • High-Temperature Fuel Cells
  • Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technology
  • Fuel Cell Technologies
  • Efficient Use of Energy
  • Sustainable Process Engineering
  • Energy Storage
  • Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Laboratory
  • Ammonia Course

Postgraduate supervision

PhD opportunities

Dr Majewski is offering a doctoral opportunity for Home and EU applicants with Settled Status.

About the Project

Development and evaluation of novel materials for proton-conducting ceramic electrolysers.

Duration of the project: 4 years

Protonic ceramics represent an emergent class of materials that have potential utility in several intermediate-temperature electrochemical applications, including the production of “green” hydrogen. Renewable-derived electricity can be used to drive steam electrolysis to form H2 and O2 products in a proton-conducting ceramic electrolyser (PCCEL). However, like any emerging technology, they face several challenges.

Finding materials that can withstand the harsh operating conditions of PCCELs, including high temperatures and corrosive environments, without degrading is a significant challenge. This includes materials for electrodes, electrolytes, seals, and interconnects. Ensuring the long-term durability and stability of PCCEL systems is crucial for commercial viability. Therefore, developing durable materials and improving system design to mitigate degradation is essential. This project will explore novel materials for electrodes and the electrolyte of PCCEL investigating activity and durability. Material syntheses and characterisations will be carried out to verify the credibility of the system.

The project will support the activities of the Global Hydrogen Production Technologies (HyPT) Center. HyPT is a consortium of Arizona State University, University of Adelaide, University of Toronto, and within the UK, Universities Cranfield, Birmingham, Cambridge, Imperial College London, and Newcastle. The HyPT will develop hydrogen production technologies with net-zero emissions of carbon dioxide for real-world applications embodying technical innovation, socio-economic factors, and water-energy resource management.

Aims, Objectives and Methodology

  • Conduct a comprehensive review of existing research on materials for PCCELs, including synthesis methods, performance evaluation, and degradation mechanisms.
  • Develop synthesis methods for producing new materials with tailored properties optimised for PCCEL applications, focusing on factors such as conductivity, stability, and compatibility.
  • Develop and optimise synthesis routes for selected materials, utilising techniques such as solid-state synthesis, sol-gel methods, and chemical vapour deposition. Characterise the synthesised materials using various analytical techniques, including X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and impedance spectroscopy.
  • Identify promising candidate materials based on their properties, such as proton conductivity, chemical stability, thermal resistance, and cost and evaluate the performance of such materials through comprehensive electrochemical testing, including impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and durability studies under realistic operating conditions.
  • To develop novel materials with improved performance and durability for use in PCCELs to enhance their efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
  • Fabricate prototype PCCEL cells incorporating the synthesised materials as electrodes, electrolytes, and other components. Evaluate the electrochemical performance of the cells under relevant operating conditions, including temperature, pressure, and gas composition.
  • Investigate the degradation mechanisms of materials in PCCELs through accelerated stress tests and post-mortem analysis.
  • Assess the scalability and manufacturability of promising materials and fabrication processes for potential commercialisation and scale up the fabrication processes to produce larger quantities of materials for further testing and validation.

Funding Notes

The studentship is open to UK and EU applicants with settled status applicants and will cover both the cost of tuition fees and a yearly stipend (at UKRI rate) over the course of the PhD programme.

General Eligibility requirements

  • An undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering, Physics, Material Science, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or other related disciplines, with at least 2(i) honours or equivalent.
  • An interest in interdisciplinary sciences and engineering,
  • No prior knowledge of proton-conducting ceramic electrolysers is required.

All project-related inquiries should be sent to the project supervisor, Dr Artur Majewski (a.j.majewski@bham.ac.uk).

Research

Research themes

  • hydrogen (production, distribution, storage, etc.)
  • biofuels, renewable synthetic fuels
  • solid oxide cells
  • catalysis
  • hydrocarbons reforming
  • fuels for SOFC

Current research

  • HyPT logo
    The Global Hydrogen Production Technologies (HyPT) Center establishes an international partnership of six countries – US, Australia, Canada, UK, Egypt, and Germany – to formulate a pathway to low-cost large-scale net-zero hydrogen production. The University of Birmingham team is working on the development of novel materials and cells for high-temperature electrolysis and co-electrolysis.

 

  • A Greek colosseum style building with H2 in the middleThe European Hydrogen Academy is building a network of over 100 universities that offer qualifications, specialisations, and degrees in hydrogen technologies, and a network of over 500 schools to integrate hydrogen topics in their science teaching. 

    The University of Birmingham team is coordinating activities to Prepare the Net-Zero Hydrogen Academy including activities on: Vocational Education and Training (VET) in the basics of hydrogen technologies and preparing the structure, and curriculum; establishing Micro-Credentials system; developing online VET materials (short courses) for the MicroCredentials; and preparing a number of online pilot courses.

  • Green Fles Jet logoProject Manager of a consortium of 12 industrial and academic partners in the EU H2020 GreenFlexJET project (€19m). The GreenFlexJET project is constructing a pre-commercial demonstration plant to produce advanced aviation biofuel (jet fuel) from waste vegetable oil and organic solid waste biomass, demonstrating the SABR-TCR technology i.e., transesterification, hydrodeoxygenation and hydrocracking/isomerisation, and Thermo-Catalytic Reforming combined with hydrogen separation through pressure swing adsorption to produce a fully equivalent jet fuel.

  • Ammogen logoThe Ammogen project aims to design, build, commission, and operate the world’s largest and most efficient ammonia-to-hydrogen conversion unit of its kind. Based on innovative technology developed by H2SITE. Ammogen will deliver 200 kg/day of transport-grade hydrogen to an existing and co-located hydrogen refuelling station at Tyseley Energy Park.

 Past reseach accomplishments

  • Sustainable Hydrogen, Naphtha, Aviation Fuel and Diesel from Scrap TyresEPSRC IAA project. The project has been carrying out research in close collaboration with the industry in the development of drop-in transport biofuels via hydrogenation of bio-oil obtained from pyrolysis of end-of-life tyres.
  • Energy Materials and Devices Hub (JUICED) project. The project was carrying out research in close collaboration with industry in the development of energy materials up to the demonstrator level (research on nano-enabled energy materials).
  • The Demonstration of Waste Biomass to Synthetic Fuels and Green Hydrogen (TO-SYN-FUEL) EU H2020 project (led by Fraunhofer UMSICHT) has been demonstrating the conversion of organic waste biomass (sewage sludge) into biofuels. The pre-commercial scale 500 kg/h TCR plant is under construction in Germany. The project implements an integrated process combining Thermo-Catalytic Reforming (TCR), with hydrogen separation through pressure swing adsorption, and hydrodeoxygenation, to produce a fully equivalent gasoline and diesel substitute and green hydrogen for use in transport.
  • Power-to-Gas energy storage concept tailored for developing countries - funded by GCRF/UoB.
  • Demonstration of Catalytic Properties of Char from Thermo-Catalytic Reforming (TCR) of Deinking Sludge project (funded by EPSRC, UK) has been demonstrating advanced utilisation of wastes from paper mills with an additional benefit in the production of bio-oil, syngas, and char.
  • Biogas to energy - a catalyst for biogas combined steam/dry reforming - EPSRC Global Challenges Research Fund. In this project, we aimed to develop a more economically viable method for producing hydrogen from biowaste. Our project aimed to develop a novel catalyst able to convert biogas into H2 and CO.
  • The project “Working towards Mass Manufactured, Low-Cost and Robust SOFC stacks” (funded by FCH JU, EU) addressed a novel design solution for lightweight SOFC stacks that decouples the thermal stresses within the stack and at the same time allows the best sealing and contacting.
  • Sofc Apu for Auxiliary Road-truck Installations (SAFARI) project aimed to design, optimise and build 100 W solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) stacks, and to integrate them into truck cab power systems (auxiliary power unit). The system comprised units from industrial partners ALMUS (Switzerland) and ADELAN (UK) with a battery found in a truck.
  • The project “Rural hybrid energy enterprise system” (funded by EPSRC, UK) goal was to hybrid renewable energy systems at a scale suitable for rural communities. It was a consortium of six universities from the UK and eight universities from India.
  • Supply Chain Research Applied to Clean Hydrogen project (funded by EPSRC, UK). The goal was to develop a fuel cell system, from hydrogen production, and storage, to utilisation and application.
  • Project “Squeezing hydrogen out of biomass; new catalysts for clean energy generation” (funded EPSRC, UK). A Ru-based system was developed for catalytic hydrogen generation from formic acid. The main goal was to design a rector with a continuous feed system that could produce up to 1 kg of H2 per day.
  • European Commission Framework 6 Project "Real SOFC". It was one of the biggest fuel cell-related projects in Europe with 39 industrial and academic partners. The project aimed at solving the problems of ageing with planar SOFC in industrial applications. That included gaining a full understanding of degradation processes, finding solutions to reduce ageing, and producing improved materials.

Publications

Up to date:  Google Scholar, Scopus

  1. O Omoregbe, AJ Majewski, R Steinberger-Wilckens, "CO2 Methanation over an Ni/YSZ Catalyst: Impact of Altering the Catalyst Bed Ratio in Two Reactors in Series", Electrochemical Society Meeting Abstracts, 2023, 243, 2841-2841
  2. F. Gruttola, H. Jahangiri, M. Sajdak, A.J. Majewski, D. Borello, A. Hornung, M. Ouadi, "The Thermo-catalytic reforming (TCR) of waste solid grade laminate", Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 419, 2023, pp. 138276
  3. Sajdak, M.; Majewski, A.; Di Gruttola, F.; Gałko, G.; Misztal, E.; Rejdak, M.; Hornung, A.; Ouadi, M. Evaluation of the Feasibility of Using TCR-Derived Chars from Selected Biomass Wastes and MSW Fractions in CO2 Sequestration on Degraded and Post-Industrial Areas. Energies, vol 16, pp 2964, 2023
  4. O. Omoregbe, A.J. Majewski, A. El-kharouf, R. Steinberger-Wilckens, “Investigating the effect of Ni -loading on the performance of yttria-stabilized zirconia supported Ni catalyst during CO2 methanation”, Methane, vol. 2, 86-102, 2023
  5. M. Nieberl, A. Hornung, M. Sajdak, A.J. Majewski, M Ouadi, “Application and recycling of tantalum from waste electric and electronic equipment – A review”, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Vol. 190, pp 106866, 2023
  6. A.J.Majewski, A. Khodimchuk, D. Zakharov, N. Porotnikova, M. Ananyev, I.D. Johnson, J.A. Darr, P.R. Slater, R. Steinberger-Wilckens, “Oxygen surface exchange properties and electrochemical activity of lanthanum nickelates”, Journal of Solid State Chemistry, pp.123228, Volume 312, 2022
  7. M.A. Bashir, S. Lima, H. Jahangiri, A.J. Majewski, M. Hofmann, A. Hornung, M. Ouadi, “A step change towards sustainable aviation fuel from sewage sludge”, Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, pp 105498, Volume 163, 2022
  8. Majewski A.J., Ouadi M., Hornung A., Hofmann M., Daschner R., Apfelbacher A., Schinhammer M., Contin A., Righi S., Macrelli S., Bacchelli G., Tuck C., Langley M., Pickard M., Hygate J., Hilditch P., Lima S., Askey-Wood J., Stent P., Lieftink D., Heijnen L., Capaccioli S., Grassi A., Cocchi M., Meijerink O., Beunis R., Dwek D., Claret A., Julia F., Álvarez R., Blakey S.G., Lewis C., Governale A., Marino G., Cascio V. “GreenFlexJET to produce advanced sustainable aviation biofuel”, EUBCE-2022 Conference Proceedings, 2022
  9. Hornung, A.; Daschner, R.; Eder, S.; Apfelbacher, A.; Ouadi, M.; Jahangiri, H., Majewski, A.J.; Graute, L.; Zhou, J.; Lieftink, D.; Grassi, A.; Capaccioli, S.; Contin, A.; Righi, S.; Marazza, D.; Lama, V.; Macrelli, S.; Rapone, I.; Chiaberge, S.; Langley, M.; Tuck, C.; Claret Carles, A. “TO-SYN-FUEL project and the sustainable process for waste biomass conversion”, EUBCE-2022 Conference Proceedings, 2022
  10. A.J. Majewski, S.K. Singh, N.K. Labhasetwar, R. Steinberger-Wilckens “Nickel-molybdenum catalysts for combined Solid Oxide Fuel Cell internal steam and dry reforming”, Chemical Engineering Science, pp 116341 Volume 232, 2021
  11. A.J. Majewski, P.R. Slater, R. Steinberger-Wilckens “Understanding the effect of water transport on the thermal expansion properties of the perovskites BaFe0.6Co0.3Nb0.1O3-d and BaCo0.7Yb0.2Bi0.1O3-d“, Journal of Materials Science, pp 13590-13604, volume 55, 2020
  12. Fivga, H. Jahangiri, M.A Bashir, A.J. Majewski, A. Hornung, M, Ouadi “Demonstration of catalytic properties of de-inking sludge char as a carbon-based sacrificial catalyst“, Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, pp 1-12, Volume 146, 2020
  13. A.J. Majewski, A. Dhir “Application of silver in microtubular solid oxide fuel cells”, Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy, pp 1-13, volume 7, issue 3, 2018
  14. A.J. Majewski, R. Steinberger-Wilckens, U. Bossel, “Catalytic Reforming System Suitable for Transportation Applications”, Fuel Cells, pp 535-542, volume 18, 2018
  15. A.J. Majewski, A. Dhir, “Direct Utilization of Methane in Microtubular-SOFC”, Journal of The Electrochemical Society, pp F272-F277, Volume 163 No 3, 2016
  16. T.I. Tsai, L. Troskialina, A.J. Majewski, R. Steinberger-Wilckens, “Methane internal reforming in solid oxide fuel cells with anode off-gas recirculation”, International J. Hydrogen Energy, Volume 41, Issue 1, 2016, pp 553–561
  17. L. Milner, A.J. Majewski, R. Steinberger-Wilckens: “In-Situ Measurement of cPOx Catalyst in Microtubular SOFC”; Proceedings of the 12th European SOFC Forum; Publisher-European Fuel Cell Forum; No. of Pages 10, 2016
  18. A.J. Majewski, A. Dhir, “Direct Utilization of Methane in Microtubular-SOFC”, ECS Transactions, pp 2189-2198, volume 68 (1), 2015
  19. H.K. Jung, J.-E. Hong, A. Dhir, A.J. Majewski, B. Hari, R. Steinberger-Wilckens, Y.S. Chung, J. G. Sung, J.S. Chung, and N. M. Sammes, “Preliminary Results on a 5W Portable Butane MT-SOFC Stack as a Battery Charger”, ECS Meeting Abstracts, MA2015-03 (1), 40, No. of Pages 1, 2015
  20. A.J. Majewski, J. Wood: “Tri-reforming of methane over Ni@SiO2 catalyst”, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, pp 12578-12585, volume 39, 2014
  21. A.J. Majewski, J. Wood, W. Bujalski: “Nickel-silica core@shell catalyst for methane reforming”, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, pp 14531-14541, volume 38, 2013
  22. M.D. Redwood, R.L. Orozco, A.J. Majewski, L.E. Macaskie: “An integrated biohydrogen refinery: Synergy of photofermentation, extractive fermentation and hydrothermal hydrolysis of food wastes”, Bioresource Technology, pp 384-392, volume 119, 2012
  23. M.D. Redwood, R.L. Orozco, A.J. Majewski, L.E. Macaskie: “Electro-extractive fermentation for efficient biohydrogen production”, Bioresource Technology, pp 166-174, volume 107, 2012
  24. M.D.Redwood, R.L. Orozco, A.J. Majewski, L.E. Macaskie: “Biohydrogen production by extractive fermentation and photofermentation”. 4th World Hydrogen Technologies Convention, Pages 6, Paper ID: 01372011, 2011
  25. A.J Majewski, D.J. Morris, K. Kendall, M. Wills: “A Continuous-Flow Method for the Generation of Hydrogen from Formic Acid”, ChemSusChem, pp 431-434, Volume 3, Issue 4, 2010
  26. M.D. Redwood, R. Orozco, A.J. Majewski, L.E. Macaskie: “Applications of extractive fermentation and hot compressed water to enhance bioenergy production from food wastes”, Journal of Biotechnology, Volume 150, Supplement, pp 179, 2010
  27. A.M. Anielak, A.J. Majewski: „Removal of nitrogen compounds from infiltration water using direct filtration on filters with zeolite and sand beds”, Gaz Woda i Technika Sanitarna, pp 26-30, volume 4, 2009
  28. A.M. Anielak, A.J. Majewski: „Removal of fulvic acids from surface waters with a modified natural zeolite”, Przemysl Chemiczny, pp 684-688, 84/9, 2005
  29. A.M. Anielak A.J. Majewski: „Modified natural zeolites in surface water treatment” Gaz Woda i Technika Sanitarna, pp 302-306, volume 9, 2004