The launching ceremony of National Significant Research Project, Study of Electrocatalytic Systems with Nano-Meso-Macro Multiscale Architectures for Vehicle Fuel Cells was held on June 12-14, 2015, in Xiamen. iChEM Director, Zhong-qun Tian, is the chief scientist of this project. The project converges the significant works from different fields within iChEM, and acts as an example of effective collaboration lead by iChEM. Around 80 of them attended the ceremony, including Director Jinding Yan of fundamental research management center in the Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr. Debao Liu from Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Division, Deputy Director Xiao-dong Sun of System Innovation at Xiamen Science and Technology Bureau, and the project expert group members.

The ceremony was hosted by deputy director Hantao Zhou of Department of Science and Technology in Xiamen University. Jinding Yan emphasized the purpose of the project and also requested to prioritize innovation in the first place. Debao Liu made his wish clear as scientists in the project should not only pursue for the scientific achievements but also provide a good example of management pattern for talent training.

Prof. Zhong-Qun Tian presented the investigation contents and team members of the project briefly, and reported the research plan as well as solutions in detail. Prof. Zhao-Xiong Xie from XMU, Prof. Changzheng Wu from USTC, Prof. Wen-Bin Cai from FDU and Prof. Peikang Shen from Sun Yat-Sen University introduced their research plans and some preparation works individually.

During the meeting, expert group of the project had some thoughtful discussion with the researchers in the project, and gave a lot of suggestion during the conversation. Expert group encouraged the team to continue their special research features and collaboration pattern, also requested the team to enhance communication and technology exchange to achieve more innovative research result in the future.

General introduction about the project:

This project is to develop electrocatalysis nano-materials with identical structure and investigate new methods for controllable design of electrocatalysts. Based on the demand of vehicle fuel cell development, this project will design a new generation of fuel cell materials with application value and superior performance, reveal the internal relation of nano-meso-macro multiscale vehicle fuel cell, investigate the kinetics process in the electrocatalysts, demonstrate the complicated electrode interface mechanism, establish related theory model, and develop new electrocatalysts materials with low Pt content.