Look Who's at the Lab: Frédéric Blanc and Lucienne Buannic (November 2009)
In Look Who's at the Lab, we profile some of the hundreds of scientists who visit our lab every year.
Lucienne Buannic and Frédéric Blanc at the 830 MHz NMR magnet.
Title:
Blanc: Postdoc, State University of New York, Stony Brook
Buannic: Graduate student, State University of New York, Stony Brook
Mag Lab user since:
Blanc: 2008
Buannic: 2009
Number of visits to the lab:
Blanc: 2
Buannic: 2
Dates of most recent experiment:
November 16-20, 2009
Distance traveled: About 1,200 miles / 1,930 km (Stony Brook, New York to Tallahassee)
Research Interests:
We are interested in studying a range of inorganic oxide materials and in particular electrolytes for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) applications in order to understand both the anionic mobility and defect chemistry.
Web site:
Blanc: http://greywebserver.chem.sunysb.edu/index.php/Frédéric_Blanc
Email:
Blanc: frederic.blanc@sunysb.edu
Buannic: l.buannic@gmail.com
Publications
Publications by Frédéric Blanc
Title: Multinuclear NMR study of defects in electrolyte materials.
Other Participants: Clare Grey (principal investigator), State University of New York, Stony Brook.
Synopsis:
"A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is an electrochemical conversion device that produces electricity directly from oxidizing a fuel (often hydrogen or methanol), its only waste output being water, which makes this electrical generator environmentally friendly. SOFCs use a solid oxide material (or ceramic/electrolyte) to conduct negative oxygen ions O2 from the cathode (reduction of O2 to O2-) to the anode (oxidation of a fuel). Therefore, the electrolytes have to be anionic conductors to permit oxygen conductivity. One of the mechanisms by which anions move in a solid is called vacancy mechanism, during which the vacancies (also called defects) hosted by cations are filled with oxygen anions O2-. The research we are performing at the Magnet Lab is related to the search for these defects, which unfortunately could not be observed directly. The use of solid state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is an incredibly useful method for the detection of these solid defects, as NMR is sensitive to the local environment of a nucleus. The very high magnetic field available at the Magnet Lab allows us to separate signals arising from different cations, then identify the vacancies. For example, we are trying to distinguish cation NMR signals that have different coordination numbers. Additionally, we are also looking at the oxygen site via the NMR active 17O isotope in an attempt to identify the oxygen anions O2-. The overall goal at the end is to be able to fully understand the mechanism of conduction and design conductors with higher efficiencies to decrease the operating temperature (700 degrees Celsius) of a SOFC, which is necessary for a large commercial development of fuel cell."
Facility: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Program, Tallahassee.
Equipment: 830 MHz NMR magnet.
Techniques: Solid-state NMR spectroscopy.
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Q:
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Favorite thing about working at the lab:
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A:
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Blanc: I am really enjoying countless days of very high magnetic field spectrometer time – which is clearly unique in the world – and working with so many smart people dedicated to science.
Buannic: Using an up-to-date and well-organized facility with a lot of staff support, excellent scientists and engineers. |
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Q:
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Thing you miss most about home when you’re here:
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A:
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Blanc: Going out.
Buannic: Swimming! |
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Q:
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Your proudest science moment:
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A:
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Blanc: Many of them … every time an experiment works.
Buannic: Getting my first 89Y NMR spectrum on one of our electrolyte materials here at the Mag Lab. |
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Q:
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What keeps you awake at night:
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A:
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Blanc: Mostly my private life.
Buannic: Excellent TV shows like "LOST." |
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Q:
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The most unscientific thing about you:
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A:
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Blanc: Enjoying music and the arts.
Buannic: I love traveling and understanding new cultures. |
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Q:
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Your hero:
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A:
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Blanc: That's a tough one … I'd say the United Nations for everything they are trying to do.
Buannic: Everybody close to me is a hero in some way. I love inspiring myself from friends' and family's lives. |
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Q:
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Last book you read:
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A:
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Blanc: A French book titled Toutes ces choses qu'on ne s'est pas dites (All Those Things We Have Not Talked About) by French novelist Marc Levy. The story reminds me that we should enjoy every second of our life.
Buannic:The Godfather by Mario Puzo. |
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Q:
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Parting thoughts on science today:
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A:
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Blanc: Science has done, and will continue to do, great things.
Buannic: Science has improved so much the way we live and there is still a lot to do out there in so many different areas. I wish I had the time to get involved in many more subjects. |
Date posted: November 2009
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