The world is facing a climate crisis and to be able to solve it society needs to decrease the use of fossil fuels and find renewable alternatives. Solar energy is a great contender for a renewable energy source since it can be harvested for eternal time. One of the problems with the solar cells available today is that they are more expensive than fossil alternatives, and the process of making them still uses a lot of resources and energy. However, in the last decade an alternative has arisen; perovskite solar cells. Due to the fact that perovskite solar cell production uses less energy and resources than the current silicon solar cell, perovskite solar cells are more cost effective. The main problem with perovskite solar cells is that they are too unstable and do not last very long. One way to stabilize them is to introduce one more cation and make hybrid perovskites. The purpose of this project was to synthesize a perovskite material with the chemical formula AA’PbI3 (A = Cs, A’ = dimethylammonium or ethylammonium) to see if any of the compositions would generate a stable black cubic phase, which is the optimal phase of the perovskite. Mesoporous N-I-P solar cells were created by a layer by layer deposition method. The perovskite layer was added using a spin-coater to deposit the perovskite solution. The films were then characterized using XRD and UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy. Due to the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, the hole transport material and gold electrode were not added to the solar cell. As a consequence of this, not all of the compositions were synthesised which also means that the results are not conclusive. It was observed that all of the films were yellow, which indicates that none of the perovskites achieved a cubic structure. An explanation could be that some parts of the synthesis needs to be done inside a glove box where the environmental variables like humidity could be controlled. The XRDs show that some films had the expected perovskite composition, while some perovskites had decomposed into its starting materials. For hybrid components and pure ethylammonium perovskite film it was harder to confirm our conclusion since no characterization of single crystals was available for these components. However, it was determined that the addition of cesium did make the perovskites more stable.

In the Swedish concept for final disposal of spent nuclear fuel, referred to as KBS-3, a three-layered protection system is used. The system consists of a copper canister holding the spent nuclear fuel deposited 500 meters in a repository built in groundwater saturated granitic rock. The copper canisters are placed in deposition holes, buffered and backfilled by bentonite clay. One of the challenges associated with this system is the long-term exposure of the engineered barriers i.e. the canister including the spent fuel and the cast iron insert as well as the bentonite buffer to ionizing radiation. The possible effects of radiation on the materials in the engineered barriers have been studied not only by the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Co (SKB), but also by academia nationally and internationally. In this work, literature studies have been carried out to investigate whether all possible/potential effects of ionizing radiation from the spent nuclear fuel on the engineered barriers have been considered by SKB. Apart from a general summary of the relevant issues in chapter one, regions within the KBS-3 design where enhanced radiation may occur have been identified and the related radiation induced processes have been summarized in chapter two. These issues include effects of water-radiolysis on the spent fuel, the cast-iron insert and other ferrous materials, the copper shell and the bentonite buffer. Three types of possible damages have been identified: the microstructural defects in the ferrous materials by direct radiation, the radiation-induced microstructural alterations of the spent fuel and the bentonite and radiation-induced oxidation i.e. dissolution of the fuel and corrosion of the ferrous metals and the copper. The relevant SKB documents have been identified (in chapter 3) to be the SR-Site main report, the underlying Process reports and reports of FUD-programs. Apart from these documents, other SKB technical reports and open literature are used as basis for assessing whether all the issues mentioned in chapter two of this study have been considered by SKB.  According to the assessment, most of the significant issues mentioned in chapter two have been mentioned and discussed in the identified SKB documents. In the main safety assessment, i.e. the SR-Site project, the significance of most of the radiation processes has been based on dose levels expected at the different regions within the KBS-3 design. Irrespective of the assessments in SR-Site though, the current understanding of the relevant issues and plans for future research efforts summarized in FUD-programs reflect the research developments. However, the recent developments in understanding of radiation-induced effects on montmorillonite and the corrosion of copper in argon atmosphere need to be given due importance in coming FUD-programs. A separate investigation of radiation effects on FSW-joints may contribute to removal of the remaining uncertainties. In addition, mechanism involved in radiation-induced fuel dissolution and copper corrosion may require more research efforts than those planned. / Det svenska konceptet för slutförvar av använt kärnbränsle, KBS-3, består av tre barriärer som är tänkt att skydda omgivningen mot joniserande strålning från använt kärnbränsle. Systemet består av specialtillverkade kopparkapslar som innehåller det använda kärnbränslet. Kapslarna förvaras i deponeringshål 500 meter ner i berggrunden och är inneslutna i bentonitlera. En av frågeställningarna associerade med djupt geologiskt förvar av kärnbränsle är hur de konstruerade barriärna, alltså kopparhöljen som omsluter gjutjärninsatsen och det använda kärnbränslet samt bentonitleran, kan påverkas av joniserande strålning från det använda kärnbränslet. Möjliga strålningseffekter på de skyddande barriärna har studerats nationellt och internationellt. Syftet med denna studie var att utvärdera huruvida SKB har i sina säkerhetsanalyser av slutförvaret tagit tillräcklig hänsyn till effekter av joniserande strålning på de konstruerade barriärna. Studien består av tre kapitel där kapitel 1 utgör en generell sammanfattning av frågeställningar kopplade till KBS-3 barriärer. I kapitel 2 har områden i och omkring de konstruerade barriärna där joniserande strålning från använt kärnbränsle kan förekomma identifierats och möjliga strålningsinducerade processer i dessa områden sammanfattats. Tre typer av möjliga strålningsinducerade skador har identifierats: 1) strålningsinducerade mikrostrukturella defekter i metaller som förekommer i systemet, 2) strålningsinducerade mikrostrukturella förändringar i använt kärnbränsle och i bentonitleran samt 3) strålningsinducerad oxidation, dvs. upplösning av det använda kärnbränslet och korrosion av metaller som förekommer i systemet. SKB-dokumenten som identifierats (i kapital 3) som relevanta för utvärderingen i denna studie är följande: Säkerhetsanalysen (SR-Site), tekniska rapporter som ligger till grund för SR-Site och FUD-programmen. Enligt bedömningen i denna studie har SKB tagit hänsyn till de flesta relevanta frågeställningarna kopplade till strålningsinducerade effekterna på de konstruerade barriärna. I SR-Site har de flesta bedömningar relaterade till och om signifikansen hos de strålningsinducerade processerna baserats på doser och dosrater som förväntas förekomma i och omkring de konstruerade barriärna. Oavsett bedömningarna i SR-Site har dock de mest relevanta frågeställningarna tagits upp i FUD-programmen och framtida forskningsinsatser i enlighet med det som av SKB har uttryckts som behov av en utökad processförståelse. Dessa frågeställningar reflekterar väl de mest signifikanta utvecklingarna som rapporterats i öppna vetenskapliga studier om strålningsinducerade processer som kan förekomma i ett djupt geologiskt förvar för använt kärnbränsle. De senaste rapporterade observationerna om strålningseffekter på montmorillonit och kopperkorrosion i argonatmosfär måste dock tas upp och diskuteras i de kommande FUD-programmen. Separata studier av strålningseffekter på koppardelar som har behandlats med FSW-teknik rekommenderas. För att uppnå en bättre och djupare förståelse för de förekommande mekanismerna i strålningsinducerad upplösning av använt kärnbränsle krävs sannolikt mera forskningsinsatser än de planerade.

Fosfoniumjonvätskor har tidigare studerats som potentiella nya avancerade smörjmedel på grund av sina unika fysikaliska egenskaper och fördelar jämfört med både traditionella smörjmedel och andra typer av jonvätskor. Dessa studier har uppvisat lovande resultat med avseende på reducering av nötning och friktion såväl som kontroll av dessa parametrar med en pålagd elektrisk potential. En multitud av frågor återstår dock att besvara om strukturering av jonarter i den skyddande gränssnittfilmen som bildas och kopplingen mellan strukturella drag i de involverade jonarterna och den skyddande funktionen av gränsnittsfilmen. I denna avhandling studeras ett flertal mono och dikatjon fosfoniumjonvätskor med icke halogena bis(oxalato)borat anjoner såväl som en binär blandning av dessa av intresse som nya avancerade smörjmedel och som additiv med neutronreflektometri vid ett elektrifierat elektrodgränssnitt med syfte att studera strukturella egenskaper av den gränsnittsfilmen som bildas samt elektroresponsiviteten av denna film. Resultaten av detta uppvisar egenskaper om både struktureringen av jonarterna och deras elektroresponsivitet av intresse för den fortsatta utvecklingen av avancerade smörjmedelslösningar med fosfoniumjonvätskor. / Phosphonium ionic liquids(ILs) has previously been investigated as advanced novel lubricants because of their physical unique properties and advantages compared to traditional lubricants and other ILs. These studies have showed promising results in wear and friction reduction as well as the tribotronic control of those properties. A multitude of questions however remain about the interfacial structuring of these protective films and the connection between structural features in the ionic species to the protective function of the interfacial film.In this thesis multiple non-halogenated mono- and di-cationic phosphonium ionic liquids with bis(oxalato)borate anion as well as a binary mixture of interest for advanced neat lubricants or additives has been studied by neutron reflectometry at an electrified electrode interface to investigate interfacial properties and electroresponsiveness of the species. The results elucidate properties of the structuring of key to the further development of phosphonium ILs for use in advanced lubrication formulations.

In this work 23Na MAS NMR was validated as a successful quantitative method for studies of exchanging sodium in bentonites useful, in particular, for studies of ion-exchange kinetics. Na-enriched bentonites equilibrated in a re-circulated process water at iron-oxide pelletizing plants may acquire properties of Ca-bentonites after already 20 minutes of the equilibration time, since >50 % of sodium ions will be exchanged by calcium ions during first minutes of bentonite placed in contact with the process water. It was shown that all sodium activated bentonites used in this study exchange >50% of sodium in Na+/Ca2+ and ca 20 % of sodium in binary Na+/Mg2+ systems with the same bentonite/solution ratio and same concentrations of these ions in aqueous solutions as in the process water at a pelletizing plant. In total, approximately 50 % of the exchangeable sodium in original bentonites was exchanged after equilibrating of bentonites in the process water already after 20 minutes. Experimental Na+/Ca2+ exchange curves for ‘model’ Ca2+(aq) solutions and for process water are very similar as Ca2+ is the dominant constituent in the process water. Since bivalent ions (Ca2+ and Mg2+) that present in the process water readily replace Na+ ions, Na-bentonite transforms into Ca- or Mg- bentonite, which have worse rheological, swelling and, therefore, binding properties. This ion-exchange process can influence the binder performance in the pelletizing process. Taking into account that fluorapatite is one of the components present in a blend of minerals processed, possible interactions between orthophosphate (the principal anionic component of apatites) and bentonites in aqueous suspensions are considered. It was found that sorption of orthophosphate on Ca-montmorillonite follows a different pattern from sorption of orthophosphate on aluminum oxides and kaolinite. While there is a small amount of sorption below pH 7, which may involve inner-sphere complexation and precipitation of AlPO4 to Al-OH edge sites on the montmorillonite crystals, most sorption of orthophosphate occurs at higher pH. Both macroscopic sorption measurements and solid-state 31P MAS NMR suggest that above pH 7 there is precipitation of proton depleted calcium phosphate phases. Based on both 31P chemical shifts and 31P chemical shift anisotropies it was concluded that the principal precipitated phased are most likely ‘brushite-like’ phases. Very short spin-lattice T2(31P) relaxation times (≤100 μs) for the orthophosphate/bentonite systems can possibly be explained by the presence of paramagnetic Fe in bentonites. Since there are insufficient concentrations of soluble Fe species in the supernatant solution that may give rise to the observed effects, it is likely that orthophosphate is precipitated as thin layers on the surfaces of montmorillonite crystals, where phosphorus may interact with Fe atoms present in the crystal lattice. PO4-tetrahedra in sorbed species can be also distorted giving rise to a larger 31P CSA than for pure ‘apatite-like phases’. 29Si MAS and 1H-29Si CP/MAS NMR experiments on bentonite samples also performed in this work provide information about impurities of quartz in bentonites, a level of substitution of aluminum by iron atoms in the structure of montmorillonite and about the degree of hydration of montmorillonite. 29Si NMR experiments on bentonite incubated with waterglass in aqueous suspensions at concentrations of sodium silicates as in the process water demonstrated that one can follow the process of polymerization of waterglass in solutions and also detect sodium silicates polymerized on surfaces of bentonites already after 1 hour of incubation. Polymerized waterglass sorbed on bentonite surfaces may also alter rheological, swelling and, therefore, binding properties of sodium-activated bentonites used in pelletization of iron-oxide ores.

The objective of this study is to observe how changing amount or ratio between dried mixes of poly-methyl-methacrylate and poly-styrene change the surface appearance, and how the results might inform future design of Organic photovoltaic cells, whom are based on polymer mixtures and heavenly dependent on the arrangement of polymers. An atomic force microscope was used on glass surfaces coated in a poly-methyl-methacrylate/poly-styrene matrix and dried from either dichloromethane or ethyl-acetate to determine surface appearance. Differing polymer mass-fractions or molecular weights matrices were assessed to determine their potential effects on surface domain and roughness size. In addition, an evaporation test was conducted to compare the solvent’s vapour pressure and how rates of evaporation change with the different polymer blends in solution. The result of atomic force microscope analysis pointed towards about 70% larger domains for ethyl-acetate than dichloromethane in general for the molecular weights samples, within the general trend another could be parsed; poly-styrene length is the major factor compared to poly-methyl-methacrylate for increasing domain size. When it came to mass-fractions, both poly-styrene static and poly-methyl-methacrylate static with varying poly-methyl-methacrylate and poly-styrene respectively was examined. Therein it was found that a fraction increases of poly-methyl-methacrylate shrunk domain size about 10% while increasing poly-styrene fractions grew domain sizes about 32%. However, unlike molecular weights, where surface roughness increased with longer polymers regardless if that was poly-methyl-methacrylate or poly-styrene, mass-fractions roughness always dropped whenever fraction size disparity grew, possibly due to homogenisation of the surface. In conclusion shorter and in excess polymers of poly-methyl-methacrylate produced smaller domains when paired with similar length poly-styrene in an accommodating solvent of high vapor pressure. Although lower vapour pressures are also feasible but at the cost of generally larger domain sizes.

The Diels-Alder is an important reaction that is one of the primary tools for synthesizing cyclic carbon structures, while simultaneously introducing up to four stereocenters in the resulting product. Not only is it a widely explored reaction in organic chemistry, but a vital tool in industry to construct novel compounds for pharmacological applications. Still, a remaining concern is the fact that upon the introduction of stereogenic carbons, the possibility of stereoselective control is greatly diminished. A common solution to the problem of undesirable stereoisomers is to employ chiral auxiliaries and ligands as means to increase the yield of a certain stereoisomer. However, incorporating these types of compounds in order to obtain an enantiomerically pure product increases the amount of synthetic steps to be regulated, implying that one or more purification steps are necessary to obtain the desired result. An accompanying thought leans toward the environmental aspect, as the principles of green chemistry are of great importance. This thesis presents the attempts to explore the possibility of engineering an enzyme that can catalyze an asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction through the use of molecular modeling. Based on previous work, the catalytically proficient enzyme ketosteroid isomerase had been deemed a probable candidate as a Diels-Alderase. To evaluate the enzyme thoroughly, a set of compounds was scored against the active binding site where the best hits against the wild type were saved and evaluated repeatedly after the introduction of rational mutations. Although no conclusive indication of an optimal design could be obtained at the end of this work, valuable insight was retrieved on plausible design strategies, which eventually could help lead to the first catalytically proficient Diels-Alderase. / Diels-Alder är en viktig reaktion då den är ett redskap för att syntetisera cykliska kolstrukturer, samtidigt som uppemot fyra stereocentra introduceras i den resulterande produkten. Reaktionen används inte enbart inom organisk kemi, utan är även ett viktigt redskap inom industriella sammanhang för att ta fram nya preparat som direkt kan tillämpas inom farmakologi. En återstående problematik är faktumet att introduktionen av nya stereogena kol bidrar till att drastiskt minska möjligheten att bibehålla en stereoselektiv kontroll. En vanlig lösning för att undvika oönskade stereoisomerer är att nyttja kirala hjälpmolekyler och ligander för att öka utbytet av en specifik stereoisomer. Dock innebär införandet av dessa hjälpmolekyler i strävan att erhålla en enantiomeriskt ren produkt ett ökat antal syntes-steg att hantera, vilket antyder att ett eller flera reningssteg är nödvändiga för att uppnå önskat resultat. Ur en miljösynpunkt är detta värt att ha i åtanke, då principerna för grön kemi är viktiga. Detta arbete utforskar möjligheterna att konstruera ett enzym som kan katalysera en asymmetrisk Diels-Alder-reaktion, med hjälp av molekylär modellering. Baserat på tidigare arbeten har enzymet ketosteroid isomeras valts ut som en potential kandidat till ett Diels-Alderase. För att noggrant evaluera enzymet så screenades ett set av substrat mot dess aktiva säte, där de bästa träffarna gentemot vildtypen sparades och återevaluerades allteftersom rationella mutationer kontinuerligt introducerades. Trots avsaknaden av klara indikationer på att en optimal design har kunnat tas fram vid slutet av detta arbete, så erhölls värdefull insikt på möjliga design-strategier, vilket skulle kunna bistå sökandet av det första katalytiskt effektiva Diels-Alderase.

This thesis explores the evaporation kinetics of various polymer-solvent and binary solvent mixtures to explore possible connections between the solutions properties and their evaporation process. By looking at the evaporation of polymer-solutions and binary-solvent solutions, through the change in weight as the solvent evaporates and the evaporation rate of the evaporation process, potential connections could be found. The results indicate that the presence of polymers influence the solvent evaporation, with polystyrene (PS) generally accelerating and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) either decelerating or having minimal impact on evaporation rates. Binary solvent mixtures exhibited non-proportional increases in evaporation rates, suggesting complex intermolecular interactions, but no apparent patterns between their properties and deviation in the evaporation process. This would need further research to find possible connections to be able to predict the evaporation process. But these findings highlight the importance of understanding polymer-solvent compatibility and evaporation dynamics to enhance performance and to identify environmentally friendly solvents for organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell fabrication. / Detta examensarbete undersöker avdunstningskinetiken hos olika polymer-lösningsmedel och binära lösningsmedelsblandningar för att utforska möjliga samband mellan lösningarnas egenskaper och deras avdunstningsprocess. Genom att studera avdunstningen av polymer-lösningar och binära lösningsmedelslösningar, genom förändringen i vikt när lösningsmedlet avdunstar och avdunstningshastigheten, kan potentiella samband identifieras. Resultaten indikerar att närvaron av polymerer påverkar lösningsmedlets avdunstning, där polystyren (PS) generellt accelererar och polymetylmetakrylat (PMMA) antingen decelererar eller har minimal inverkan på avdunstningshastigheterna. Binära lösningsmedelsblandningar visade icke-proportionella ökningar i avdunstningstider, vilket tyder på komplexa intermolekylära interaktioner, men inga tydliga mönster mellan deras egenskaper och avvikelser i avdunstningsprocessen kunde identifieras. Ytterligare forskning behövs för att finna möjliga samband för att kunna förutsäga avdunstningsprocessen. Dessa fynd understryker vikten av att förstå polymer-lösningsmedelskompatibilitet och avdunstningsdynamik för att förbättra effektiviteten och kunna identifiera miljövänliga lösningsmedel för tillverkning av organiska solceller (OPV).

The Empirical Valence Bond (EVB) method has long been recognised as a reliable approach for the calculation of free energies of reactions in heterogeneous electrochemical environments. In spite of its established efficacy, existing implementations and protocols often pose challenges due to their tediousness or lack of transparency. This work introduces an open-source Python implementation of the EVB method, specifically designed to enhance accessibility and comprehension of the method making it highly suited for educational purposes. Recommendations are provided for integrating the methodology into the GROMACS application programming interface, to facilitate its integration into computational chemistry workflows and accellerating research. The program is demonstrated through various computations, including a short EVB study on the dissociation of \COt and tetraphenylporphyrin in the vicinity of a graphene sheet in water and dimethylformamide. Moreover, a novel analytical expression for computing the free energy profile is presented, showing promising agreement with the canonical discretised method.

Idag har inte alla människor tillgång till rent vatten trots att det är en mänsklig rättighet. För att lösa detta problem har olika reningsmetoder som destillation och membranfiltrering föreslagits, men på senare tid har också framställning av filter från animaliska proteiner som vassle undersökts som alternativ för vattenrening. I ett försök att öka den ekologiska hållbarheten, ämnar detta projekt att undersöka växtbaserade proteiner som alternativ till vassleproteinisolat (WPI) för produktion av proteinnanofibrill (PNF) - baserade vattenfilter. Potatisproteinisolat (PPI) har valts som växtproteinkälla och löslighet samt bildning av PNF-baserade vattenfilter har undersökts. Slutligen har PPI-filter jämförts med WPI-filter med avseende på adsorption av ibuprofen från vatten. PPI-filter har producerats och jämförts med WPI, men det går inte att dra några tydliga slutsatser om skillnaden i effektivitet av adsorption av ibuprofen.

I jakt på nya energikällor undersöks idag potentialen hos hydrovoltaiska generatorer. Detta är en typ av generator som utvinner elektricitet genom direkt interaktion mellan vatten och ett material. En variant av denna anordning är den avdunstningsdrivna hydrovoltaiska generatorn. Denna består av ett poröst material som är delvis nedsänkt i vatten, som då dras upp i materialet genom kapillärkrafter och avdunstar från dess yta. Detta skapar ett flöde av vatten genom materialet, vilket genererar en elektrisk spänning tack vare ett elektrokinetiskt fenomen som kallas för strömningspotential. Denna studie undersöker huruvida hydro- och aerogeler gjorda av nanofibriller från vassleprotein utgör lämpliga porösa material för den ovan beskrivna generatorn. Då det är en biprodukt från mejeriindustrin är vassleprotein billigt och förnybart. Gelerna har dessutom egenskaper som väntas främja en hög strömningspotential, såsom hydrofilicitet, små porer, och en ytladdning. I studien testades två sorters hydrogeler, varav den ena korslänkades med hjälp av citronsyra för att göra den mer vattentålig. Aerogeler tillverkades med tre olika koncentrationer av vassleprotein. Dessa geler frystes också på tre olika sätt inför att de frystorkades för att bilda aerogeler. De frystes vid -80 °C i en frys, vid -196 °C i flytande kväve, samt genomgick riktad frysning i flytande kväve. Detta för att variera deras porstruktur. När de olika gelerna testades som hydrovoltaiska generatorer gav de olika spänningar, men ingen mätbar ström. När spänningen från de olika generatorerna mättes över tid följde den oftast samma mönster av en inledande skarp ökning följd av en långsammare minskning som slutligen planade ut mot något jämviktsvärde. Den genomsnittliga maxspänningen från de olika gelerna varierade mellan 73 och 149 mV, huvudsakligen beroende på vilken frysmetod som använts. Längre tester visade att aerogelerna kunde upprätthålla en spänning på runt 60 mV i minst 19 timmar. Hydrogelernas spänningsprofiler hade inte någon pik i början såsom aerogelerna hade, men såg ut att också skapa en jämviktsspänning på runt 60 mV, vilket innebar att de var kompetitiva med aerogelerna. Således visade studien att material av nanofibriller från vassleprotein kunde producera en låg men signifikant hydrovoltaisk potential, och att porernas morfologi var en avgörande faktor för potentialens styrka. / In search of new power sources, scientists are investigating hydrovoltaic devices. This is a type of device that generates electricity from the direct interaction between water and a material. One such device is the evaporation-driven hydrovoltaic device. It consists of a porous material that is partially submerged into water, which rises though the material through capillary forces and evaporates from its surface. This creates a flow of water through the material which gives rise to an electric voltage, through an electrokinetic phenomenon called the streaming potential. This study investigates whetherhydro- and aerogels made from whey protein nanofibrils are a suitable porous material for these devices. As a by-product from the dairy industry, whey protein is cheap and renewable. The gels also have properties which are beneficial for generating a high streaming potential, such as hydrophilicity, small pores, and charged surface groups. In the study, two types of hydrogels were tested, one of which was treated with citric acid as a crosslinker in order to increase their stability in water. Aerogels were fabricated with three different initial concentrations of WPI. The gels were also frozen in three different ways before being freeze-dried to create aerogels. They were frozen at -80 °C in a freezer, at -196 °C by submersion in liquid nitrogen, and through directional freezing using liquid nitrogen, in order to vary their pore structure. When tested as hydrovoltaic devices, the gels did produce voltages, but no measurable currents. When measured over time, the voltages of most aerogels followed the same pattern with a fast initial increase followed by a slow decrease which levelled out towards some equilibrium voltage. The average maximum voltages for the aerogels varied between 73 and 149 mV, depending mostly on the freezing method. Varying the WPI concentration showed no significant effect on the voltage. Long term tests showed that the gels could sustain a voltage of around 60 mV for at least 19 hours. Hydrogels did not have an initial voltage peak but appeared to also produce an equilibrium voltage of around 60 mV, showing them to be competitive with the aerogels. It was thus shown that whey protein nanofibril materials could produce a low but significant hydrovoltaic potential, and that pore morphology was a significant factor in determining the voltage produced.