Materials for Equilibrium busting Thermodynamically-Reversible Memory Reactors

We have recently reported the first thermodynamically reversible chemical reactor – the memory reactor – which allows one to perform reversible chemical reactions beyond the normal limits imposed by chemical equilibrium. In one application the reactor can produce pure streams of hydrogen from the water gas shift reaction. The performance of the reactor relies on a gradual change in oxygen content of a so-called oxygen carrier material (OCM), for which we use a non-stoichiometric perovskite whose composition can vary between ABO3 and ABO2.75 as the reactor operates. Total scattering studies on POLARIS will help us understand the key changes in the local structure of the OCM during reactor operation, help us understand the operating limitations of different OCM materials, allow us to design better OCMs and to optimise the reactor's performance.