Dr Denis Cumming

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

Senior Lecturer

Deputy Director Student Support

Postgraduate Research Progression Tutor

d.cumming@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 9609

Room G18, Sir Robert Hadfield Building

Full contact details

Dr Denis Cumming
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Room G18
Sir Robert Hadfield Building
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD

Profile

I received a B. Applied Science (Materials Science) from the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia in 2001.

After moving to the UK, I began working with the Imperial College fuel cell spin-out, Ceres Power. During my time at Ceres Power I worked on a range of material problems related to the development of metal-supported intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). My main interests during this time was the optimisation of existing anode composite structures and the development of new anode materials for SOFCs.

In 2009 I was awarded a PhD from Imperial College, London. My doctoral work was focused on the development and characterisation of novel ceramic anode materials for SOFC. This work also led to other, closely related, research interests in reduction-oxidation (redox) tolerance and sulfur tolerance of metal-ceramic anode materials in SOFC.

In 2010 I joined the electroceramics group in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Sheffield working of the development of novel high Curie temperature piezoelectric materials and processing into multilayer, co-fired actuators.

In 2012 I joined the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and resumed research on high-temperature solid oxide cells (SOCs) for use in the electrolysis of steam and carbon dioxide for syngas production. I worked as part of the 4CU team and I was involved in the fabrication and in-situ characterisation of operational SOCs using vibrational spectroscopy techniques such as DRIFTS and Raman.

Since December 2014, have been a lecturer in the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department at the University of Sheffield.

Research interests

My current research interest focus on development of stable nano-sctructured materials for improved high temperature electrochemical electrodes and catalysts. This involves materials development as well as techniques to investigate changes in structure and reactivity. Applications for this research are aimed at improvements to fuel cells and electrolysers, electrochemical sensors, gas separators and heterogeneous catalysis. Key areas of interest include:

Electrode design development
Infiltration
Mixed conducting ceramics for functional devices
3D microscopy using advanced tomographic techniques
High temperature in-situ spectroscopic and chemical characterisation
Electrochemical sensors and separators
Carbon measurement and control at high temperature
Gas-Solid interactions at high temperature
Mesoporous materials for high temperature applications

Publications

Journal articles
Chapters
Conference proceedings papers

Journal articles

Lu X, Lian GJ, Parker J, Ge R, Sadan MK, Smith RM & Cumming D (2024) Effect of carbon blacks on electrical conduction and conductive binder domain of next-generation lithium-ion batteries. Journal of Power Sources, 592, 233916-233916.
Bastianini F, Hidalgo AIC, Hook DZ, Smith JA, Cumming D & Dunbar A (2024) Using Ag nanoparticles in the electron transport layer of perovskite solar cells to improve efficiency. Solar Energy, 268, 112318-112318.
Lu X, Lian GJ, Ge R, Parker J, Sadan MK, Smith R & Cumming D (2023) Microstructure of conductive binder domain for electrical conduction in next‐generation lithium‐ion batteries. Energy Technology.
Ge R, Boyce AM, Shui Zhang Y, Shearing PR, Cumming DJ & Smith RM (2023) Discrete element method and electrochemical modelling of lithium ion cathode structures characterised by X-ray computed tomography. Chemical Engineering Journal, 465, 142749-142749.
Entwistle J, Ge R, Pardikar K, Smith R & Cumming D (2022) Carbon binder domain networks and electrical conductivity in lithium-ion battery electrodes: A critical review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 166, 112624-112624.
Grant PS, Greenwood D, Pardikar K, Smith R, Entwistle T, Middlemiss LA, Murray G, Cussen SA, Lain MJ, Capener MJ , Copley M et al (2022) Roadmap on Li-ion battery manufacturing research. Journal of Physics: Energy, 4(4).
Robshaw TJ, Atkinson D, Howse JR, Ogden MD & Cumming DJ (2022) Recycling graphite from waste aluminium smelter Spent Pot Lining into lithium-ion battery electrode feedstock. Cleaner Production Letters, 2, 100004-100004.
Ge R, Cumming DJ & Smith RM (2022) Discrete element method (DEM) analysis of lithium ion battery electrode structures from X-ray tomography-the effect of calendering conditions. Powder Technology, 403.
Boyce AM, Cumming DJ, Huang C, Zankowski SP, Grant PS, Brett DJL & Shearing PR (2021) Design of Scalable, Next-Generation Thick Electrodes: Opportunities and Challenges. ACS Nano, 15(12), 18624-18632.
Copley RJ, Cumming D, Wu Y & Dwyer-Joyce RS (2021) Measurements and modelling of the response of an ultrasonic pulse to a lithium-ion battery as a precursor for state of charge estimation. Journal of Energy Storage, 36.
Entwistle J, Patwardhan S & Cumming DJ (2020) Mechanistic Understanding and Rapid Electrochemical Reduction of Silica for Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes. ECS Meeting Abstracts, MA2020-02(2), 371-371.
Entwistle JE, Booth SG, Keeble DS, Ayub F, Yan M, Corr SA, Cumming DJ & Patwardhan SV (2020) Insights into the electrochemical reduction products and processes in silica anodes for next-generation lithium-ion batteries. Advanced Energy Materials, 10(43).
Aldakheel F, Ismail MS, Hughes KJ, Ingham DB, Ma L, Pourkashanian M, Cumming D & Smith R (2020) Gas permeability, wettability and morphology of gas diffusion layers before and after performing a realistic ex-situ compression test. Renewable Energy, 151, 1082-1091.
Quintana-Gómez L, Shehab A, Al-Shathr A, Ingram W, Konstantinova M, Cumming D & McGregor J (2020) H2‐free synthesis of aromatic, cyclic and linear oxygenates from CO2. ChemSusChem, 13(3), 647-658.
Bugryniec P, Davidson J, Cumming D & Brown SF (2019) Pursuing safer batteries: Thermal abuse of LiFePO4 cells. Journal of Power Sources, 414, 557-568. View this article in WRRO
Bryden TS, Dimitrov B, Hilton G, Ponce de León C, Bugryniec P, Brown S, Cumming D & Cruden A (2018) Methodology to determine the heat capacity of lithium-ion cells. Journal of Power Sources, 395, 369-378.
Mehranjani AS, Cumming DJ, Sinclair DC & Rothman R (2017) Low-temperature co-sintering for fabrication of zirconia/ceria bi-layer electrolyte via tape casting using a Fe2O3 sintering aid. Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 37(13), 3981-3993. View this article in WRRO
Cumming DJ, Thompson AR & Rothman RH (2016) Nickel Impregnated Cerium-Doped Strontium Titanate Fuel Electrode: Direct Carbon Dioxide Electrolysis and Co-Electrolysis. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 163(11), F3057-F3061. View this article in WRRO
Tumilson C, Cumming DJ, Taylor SFR, Call AV, Hardacre C & Elder RH (2015) In-Situ Analysis of Co-Electrolysis Species Via Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS). ECS Meeting Abstracts, MA2015-03(1), 100-100.
Cumming DJ & Elder RH (2015) Thermal imaging of solid oxide cells operating under electrolysis conditions. Journal of Power Sources, 280, 387-392. View this article in WRRO
Manerova J, Cumming DJ, Sinclair DC & Elder RH (2014) In-Situ Raman Spectroscopy Probing of Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells. ECS Meeting Abstracts, MA2014-02(23), 1342-1342.
Elder RH, Cumming DJ, Taylor R & Hardacre C (2014) Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS) for In-Situ Analysis of Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells. ECS Meeting Abstracts, MA2014-02(23), 1360-1360.
He G, Elder RH, Cumming DJ & Allen RWK (2014) Voltage pulsing for performance recovery of yttria-stabilised zirconia membranes in oxygen/sulfur dioxide separation. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 39(28), 15670-15680.
Cumming DJ, Sebastian T, Sterianou I, Rödel J & Reaney IM (2013) Bi(Me)O3-PbTiO3 high TC piezoelectric multilayers. Materials Technology, 28(5), 247-253.
Raengthon N, Cann DP, Sebastian T, Cumming D & Reaney IM (2012) BaTiO -Bi(Zn Ti )O -BiScO Ceramics for High-Temperature Capacitor Applications. Journal of the American Ceramic Society.
Somalu MR, Yufit V, Cumming D, Lorente E & Brandon NP (2011) Fabrication and characterization of Ni/ScSZ cermet anodes for IT-SOFCs. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 36(9), 5557-5566.
Cumming DJ, Kharton VV, Yaremchenko AA, Kovalevsky AV & Kilner JA (2011) Electrical properties and dimensional stability of ce-doped SrTiO 3-δ for solid oxide fuel cell applications. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 94(9), 2993-3000.
Cumming DJ, Kilner JA & Skinner S (2011) Structural properties of Ce-doped strontium titanate for fuel cell applications. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 21(13), 5021-5026.
Brett DJL, Atkinson A, Cumming D, Ramirez-Cabrera E, Rudkin R & Brandon NP (2005) Methanol as a direct fuel in intermediate temperature (500-600 degrees C) solid oxide fuel cells with copper based anodes. CHEM ENG SCI, 60(21), 5649-5662.
Hall BJ, Schaffer GB, Ning Z, McPhee WAG, Miller DN, Drennan J & Cumming DJ (2003) Al/AlN layered composites by direct nitridation of aluminum. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE LETTERS, 22(22), 1627-1630.
Talplacido NC & Cumming DJ () Printed Carbon Black Thermocouple as an In Situ Thermal Sensor for Lithium-Ion Cell. Batteries, 10(3), 78-78.
Sadan MK, Lian GJ, Smith RM & Cumming D () Co, Ni-Free Ultrathick Free-Standing Dry Electrodes for Sustainable Lithium-Ion Batteries. ACS Applied Energy Materials.
Ge R, Boyce AM, Sun Y, Shearing PR, Grant PS, Cumming DJ & Smith RM () Numerical Design of Microporous Carbon Binder Domains Phase in Composite Cathodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
Pardikar K, Entwistle J, Ge R, Cumming DJ & Smith R () Status and outlook for lithium-ion battery cathode material synthesis and the application of mechanistic modelling. Journal of Physics: Energy.
Cumming DJ, Tumilson C, Taylor SFR, Chansai S, Call AV, Jacquemin J, Hardacre C & Elder RH () Development of a diffuse reflectance infrared fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) cell for the in situ analysis of co-electrolysis in a solid oxide cell. Faraday Discussions, 182, 97-111. View this article in WRRO

Chapters

Elder R, Cumming D & Mogensen MB (2015) High Temperature Electrolysis, Carbon Dioxide Utilisation: Closing the Carbon Cycle: First Edition (pp. 183-209).

Conference proceedings papers

Moore J, Cumming D & Brown SF (2018) Investigating organic phase change behavior with thermal photography. Energy Procedia, Vol. 151 (pp 52-56), 11 September 2018 - 12 September 2018. View this article in WRRO
Mehranjani AS, Cumming DJ, Call AV & Rothman R (2015) A Study of 8YSZ/GDC Bi-Layered Electrolyte: The Effect of 2 Mol% Fe2O3 Dopant on Sintering and Conductivity. ECS meeting SOFC-XIV (SOFC Electrolytes, Cells and Stacks)
Thompson AR, Call AV, Cumming DJ, Sinclair DC & Elder RH (2015) Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Data from Solid Oxide Cells Undergoing Co-Electrolysis: The Influence of Rig Inductance. ECS Transactions, Vol. 68(1) (pp 3417-3427)
Elder RH, He G, Cumming DJ & Allen RWK (2013) Separation of sulphur dioxide and oxygen in thermochemical hydrogen production. Fuels and Petrochemicals Division 2013 - Core Programming Area at the 2013 AIChE Annual Meeting: Global Challenges for Engineering a Sustainable Future (pp 204)
Cumming DJ, Taylor R, Manerova J, Sinclair DC, Hardacre C & Elder RH (2013) In-Situ Monitoring of Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells. ECS Transactions, Vol. 58(2) (pp 207-216)
Attryde P (2005) Stacks And Systems Based Around Metal Supported SOFCs Operating at 500–600°C. ECS Proceedings Volumes, Vol. 2005-07(1) (pp 113-122)
Brandon NP, Blake A, Corcoran D, Cumming D, Duckett A, El-Koury K, Haigh D, Kidd C, Leah R, Lewis G , Matthews C et al (2004) Development of metal supported solid oxide fuel cells for operation at 500-600 degrees C. JOURNAL OF FUEL CELL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Vol. 1(1) (pp 61-65)