Yuto Shirase, second-year PhD student and Ryuji Ohno, second-year master student received the Best Student Presentation Award at the 91th Electrochemical Society of Japan Annual Meeting.

Yuto Shirase, a second-year PhD student (Supervisor: Prof. Junji Inukai of the Clean Energy Research Center) and Ryuji Ohno, a first-year PhD student (Supervisor: Prof. Katsuyoshi Kakinuma of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Nanomaterials Center) of the Energy Materials Science Course of the Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, Engineering and Agricultural Sciences received the Best Student Presentation Award at the 91th Electrochemical Society of Japan Annual Meeting held at Nagoya University between March 14 (Thu.) and 16 (Sat.), 2024. This award was given to students for their excellent presentations that contribute to the development of electrochemistry and the Electrochemical Society of Japan.
　Shirase awarded with the subject of “Relationship between Power Generation Characteristics of Anion Membrane Fuel Cells and Anion Membrane Water Content Behavior and Structure”. In this study, he focused on the complex water distribution associated with electrode reactions, which is a challenge for improving the power generation performance of anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs), and on the water content behavior and structural changes of anion exchange membranes (AEMs) as an approach to improving the electrical conductivity of AEMs based on techniques using X-rays and neutron beams. The award committee highly evaluated Shirase’s oral presentation, Q&A session, and the use of analytical techniques at various scales to elucidate the water content behavior in the AEMs and provide guidelines for improving the AEMFC performance, which led to his receiving the Best Student Presentation Award.
　Ohno’s awarded subject is “Preparation of Ta-TiO₂/Nafion composite membranes and their application to fuel cells.” In his study, he focused on the improve the proton conductivity of polymer electrolyte membranes of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) in high temperature environments, composite membranes with hydrophilic oxide nanoparticles prepared in this laboratory were prepared in polymeric membrane, and their physical properties were evaluated and applied to fuel cells. The award committee highly evaluated Ohno’s oral presentation, Q&A session, improved power generation performance at high temperatures and the elucidation of the mechanism of proton conductivity enhancement.
　Shirase said, “I am very happy to receive the Best Student Presentation Award of the Electrochemical Society of Japan. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Prof. Junji Inukai and other professors, researchers, and students. We will continue our best to work hard for the further development of fuel cells. I also hope that this will motivate the students in our laboratory to continue their future efforts. Ohno said, “I am very happy to receive the Best Student Presentation Award of the Electrochemical Society of Japan. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Prof. Kakinuma and all the other professors and researchers. I will continue to strive to improve the performance of fuel cells toward the realization of a decarbonized society.  (The students’ school year and the professors’ affiliations are as of April 2024)