Sarah Blair joined NREL’s Chemistry and Nanoscience Center in December 2022 as a postdoctoral researcher. Her research in the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells group focuses on identifying degradation mechanisms in proton-exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers during long-term, start/stop durability testing. Applying reference electrode measurement techniques in PEM electrolyzer cells will allow for decoupling anode and cathode degradation mechanisms; and the development of accelerated stress tests for start/stop electrolyzer operation will facilitate the establishment of shutdown mitigation strategies. Sarah brings experience employing in situ characterization techniques toward developing a fundamental understanding of electrode-electrolyte interfaces in order to rationally design sustainable systems that can be coupled to renewable sources of electricity.

For additional information, see Sarah Blair’s LinkedIn profile.

Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed on LinkedIn are the author’s own, made in the author's individual capacity, and do not necessarily reflect the views of NREL.

Research Interests

Low-temperature electrolysis

Electrochemical nitrogen reduction

Electrode-electrolyte interfacial structures

Education

Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Stanford University

M.S., Chemical Engineering, Stanford University

B.S., Chemical Engineering, University of New Mexico

Featured Work

Development of a Versatile Electrochemical Cell for In Situ Grazing-Incidence X-Ray Diffraction During Non-Aqueous Electrochemical Nitrogen Reduction, Journal of Synchrotron Radiation (2023)

Combined, Time-Resolved, In Situ Neutron Reflectometry and X-Ray Diffraction Analysis of Dynamic SEI Formation During Electrochemical N2 Reduction, Energy & Environmental Science (2023)

Lithium-Mediated Electrochemical Nitrogen Reduction: Tracking Electrode-Electrolyte Interfaces via Time-Resolved Neutron Reflectometry, ACS Energy Letters (2022)

Electrolyte Engineering for Efficient Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia on a Titanium Electrode, ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering (2020)

Unexpected Radiation Resistance of Core/Shell Ceramic Oxide Nanoparticles, Materials Today Communications (2018)

Awards and Honors

Chemical Engineering Graduate Research Fellowship, National Science Foundation (2018–2021)

Chemical Engineering Service Award, Stanford University (2021)