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Graham Smith

Graham Smith

Principal scientist

Graham leads the Electrochemistry Group’s work on electrochemical technologies including fuel cells, electrolysers, redox flow batteries and emerging industrial processes. His research sits between academia and industry, focusing on supporting the development of better electrochemical technologies, primarily in the energy, chemistry and materials sectors.

Areas of interest

Graham is interested in supporting technologies of any degree of maturity and is experienced in working across the value chain, from materials development to prototype systems. His principal interests include:

  • Water electrolysers of all types, including alkaline (AWE), polymer electrolyte membrane (PEMWE) and anion exchange membrane (AEMWE) electrolysers
  • Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), including those operating at high temperature (HT-PEM)
  • Emerging electrolytic techniques for bulk chemical transformations and industrial processes
  • Novel redox flow batteries

Graham and his team work on a range of activities and can rapidly stand up capability to support partners as required. Typical projects include:

  • Working with large industry partners to rationally develop next-generation materials and devices
  • Working with SMEs to validate the performance and durability of all types of devices, from single cells to short stacks
  • Working with academia to develop novel in situ characterisation techniques and demonstrate proof-of-principle electrochemical processes

Graham is an academic visitor at Oxford University Materials Department and Industrial Representative on the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Electrochemistry Committee. He is also chair of the UK committee on fuel cell standards (BSI/GEL/105) and is an expert on a number of international standards committees (ISO/IEC). He co-supervises PhD students at the University of Strathclyde and Imperial College London, and gives occasional guest lectures. Graham is interested in all industrial and academic collaborations and is happy to chat regardless of background or immediate need.

Biography

After an MSci and PhD at Imperial College London, Graham carried out post-doctoral research at the University of Southampton and the University of Cape Town. Prior to joining NPL, Graham worked as a researcher in the New Energy Solutions Group at SINTEF (Norway).

Selected Publications

  1. “Assessing potential profiles in water electrolysers to minimise titanium use, H. Becker, E.J.F. Dickinson, X. Lu, U. Bexell, S. Proch, C. Moffatt, M. Stenström, G. Smith, G. Hinds, Energy Environ. Sci. 15, 2508-2518 (2022).”
  2. Operando characterisation of the impact of carbon monoxide on PEMFC performance using isotopic labelling and gas analysis, H. Becker, T. Bacquart, M. Perkins, N. Moore, J. Ihonen, G. Hinds, G. Smith, J. Power Sources Advances 6, 100036 (2020)
  3. Modelling the Proton-Conductive Membrane in Practical Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) Simulation: A Review, E.J.F. Dickinson, G. Smith, Membranes 10, 310 (2020)
  4. Electronic metal-support interaction enhanced oxygen reduction activity and stability of boron carbide supported platinum, C. Jackson, G.T. Smith, et al., Nature Commun. 8, 15802 (2017)
  5. Thin solid state reference electrodes for use in solid polymer electrolytes, G. Smith, C.M. Zalitis, A.R.J. Kucernak, Electrochem. Commun. 43, 43-46 (2014)