Education

• Ph.D., Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2002.
• B.Sc., Nuclear Engineering, Hacettepe University Ankara, Turkey , 1999.

Positions Held

• Nuclear Engineer, Argonne National Laboratory, 09/2004 – 08/2007
• Postdoctoral Research Associate, Electrochemical Energy Laboratory, and the Center for Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems, MIT, 01/2003 – 08/2004

Research Interests

Dr. Yildiz’s research focuses on understanding the interplay between structure, properties, and performance in electrochemically active material interfaces in nuclear technologies. Of particular interest are the two areas of study: 1) conducting oxides for enhanced activity and durability in high temperature electrochemical cells for hydrogen production/utilization devices, and 2) alloy structures for improved resistance against corrosion in nuclear materials. A common theme in Dr. Yildiz’s research areas is the fundamental study of the surface/interface chemistry. The surface chemistry in electrochemical interfaces can be dramatically influenced by the presence of nanoscale grains, specially tailored grain boundaries and hetero-interfaces, and special crystallographic structures at the interfaces. These, all together, control the reactivity, transport properties, and durability of the interface of interest. 

Understanding the properties of such interfacial materials requires a multidisciplinary approach. Dr. Yildiz aims to use new spectroscopic techniques, analytical theory, and simulations to probe the interface reactivity and material properties at a molecular level in the areas for hydrogen production and alloy corrosion.

One example is represented in Fig. 1 (below), which shows the unique in situ x-ray characterization set-up that Dr. Yildiz and her colleagues in Argonne National Laboratory have developed for high temperature electrocatalytic materials. The results obtained from these experiments have for the first time indicated that the cation (e.g. La in La_0.8Sr_0.2MnO₃) migration to/from the surface under electrical polarization is correlated by an improvement in the activity of the electrode material.

Figure 1. (a) The in situ x-ray absorption spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy characterization set-up for high-temperature oxygen electrodes. Set-up established at the Advanced Photon Source – MR-CAT beamline [Ref.1]; (b) La LIII edge XANES intensity for surface of the dense thin film LSM electrode at 700°C, showing the segregation of La to the surface under anodic electrochemical polarization (EP) over time (t) [Ref.1].

 

Awards/Honors/Professional Societies

• Pacesetter Award, Argonne National Laboratory (08/2006)
• Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, MIT (05/2002)
• Sigma Xi - The Scientific Research Society
• American Nuclear Society
• The Electrochemical Society
• Materials Research Society

Selected Publications

1. B. Yildiz, K.-C. Chang, D. Myers, J.D. Carter, and H. You, “In situ X-ray and Electrochemical Studies of the Solid Oxide Fuel and Electrolysis Cell Electrodes” Proc. 31st International Conference on Advanced Ceramics and Composites, January 2007, Daytona FL, to be published in August 2007.
2. B. Yildiz, G.J. La O’, Y. and Shao-Horn, “Oxygen Reduction Kinetics at Sr-doped LaMnO3 Supported on Ytrria Stabilized Zirconia: An Electrochemical Kinetics Modeling Study,” submitted to the J. Electrochem. Soc. (2007).
3. G.J. la O’, B. Yildiz, S. McEuen, and Y. Shao-Horn, “Probing Oxygen Reduction Reaction Kinetics of Sr-doped LaMnO3 Supported on Yttria Stabilized Zirconia: An Electrochemical Impedance Study of Dense, Thin-Film Microelectrodes,” J. Electrochem. Soc. 154, B427-B428 (2007).  
4. J. D. Carter, A. Call, M. Ferrandon, A. J. Kropf, V. A. Maroni, J. Mawdsley, D. J. Myers, B. Yildiz, “Post-Test Evaluation of a Solid Oxide Electrolysis Stack”, ANS Transactions, Proc. Safety and Technology of Nuclear Hydrogen Production, Control and Management at American Nuclear Society Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, USA, June 2007.
5. B. Yildiz, T. Sofu, “Modeling and Performance Study of Planar Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells”,  ANS Transactions, Proc. Safety and Technology of Nuclear Hydrogen Production, Control and Management at American Nuclear Society Annual Meeting, Boston, MA USA , June 2007.
6. Botterud A., Yildiz B., Conzelmann G., Petri M.C., “The Value of Product Flexibility in Nuclear Hydrogen Technologies”, ANS Transactions, Proc. Safety and Technology of Nuclear Hydrogen Production, Control and Management at American Nuclear Society Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, June 2007.
7. B. Yildiz, K.-C. Chang, D. Myers, J.D. Carter, and H. You, “In situ X-ray, Electrochemical, and Modeling Investigation of the Oxygen Electrode Activation,” Proc. 7th European Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Forum, Luzern Switzerland (2006).
8. Yildiz, B., Hohnholt, K. J., Kazimi, M. S., “Hydrogen Production Using High Temperature Steam Electrolysis Supported by Advanced Gas Reactors and Supercritical CO2 Cycles”, Nuclear Technology, Vol. 155 (1), 2006.
9. Petri, M.C., Yildiz, B., Klickman, A., “US Work on Technical and Economic Aspects of Electrolytic, Thermochemical, and Hybrid Processes for Hydrogen Production at Temperatures Below 550°C”, Int. J. Nuclear Hydrogen Production and Application, Vol. 1 (1), 2006.
10. Yildiz, B., Kazimi, M. S., “Efficiency of Hydrogen Production Systems Using Alternative Nuclear Energy Technologies”, Int. J. of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 31 (1), 2006.