About

Stanley Presser is a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Maryland. His research focuses on the interface between social psychology and survey measurement, with particular attention to questionnaire design and testing, measurement error, survey nonresponse, and ethical issues related to the use of human subjects. He has authored books including Questions and Answers in Attitude Surveys (with Howard Schuman), Survey Questions (with Jean Converse), and served as chief editor for Methods for Testing and Evaluating Survey Questionnaires. In addition to his teaching responsibilities in the Sociology Department, Presser teaches in the Joint Program in Survey Methodology, which he founded in 1992 in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Michigan and Westat, Inc. He has served as editor of Public Opinion Quarterly, was president of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, and is an elected fellow of the American Statistical Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Presser was also the director of the Maryland Survey Research Center from 1989 to 2000. His work includes reflections on the role of doubt in research, as detailed in his 2022 chapter in the Annual Review of Sociology.

Research topics

• Chemical engineering
• Chemistry
• Materials science
• Physical chemistry
• Inorganic chemistry
• Metallurgy

Selected publications

• Defect chemistry and oxygen non-stoichiometry in SrFe0.2Co0.4Mo0.4O3-δ ceramic oxide for solid oxide fuel cells

  Ionics · 2020 · 6 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Materials science
  • Inorganic chemistry
  • Chemistry
  PublisherDOI

• High temperature mechanical behavior of porous ceria and ceria‐based solid‐oxide fuel cells

  Journal of the American Ceramic Society · 2019-02-21 · 4 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Abstract Multiple environment mechanical testing of solid‐oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and SOFC materials is critical to ensure appropriate compressive sealing in stack designs. Establishing the effects of temperature, environment, and porosity on the flexural strength of ceria‐based SOFCs is a significant step toward practical deployment of the technology. This article presents research into these properties by use of a temperature and atmosphere controlled 3‐point bend fixture capable of reaching Intermediate Temperature (IT)‐SOFC operating conditions (650°C). Gadolinium‐doped ceria (GDC) samples with varying porosity and pore geometry were tested and it was determined that more spherical porosity contributed to improved flexural strength as compared with higher aspect ratio porosity. A linear strengthening effect was also observed with increasing temperature from ambient to 650°C for GDC‐based anode support layers and half‐cell samples. Scanning electron microscopy was performed on fracture surfaces to identify fracture modes and to examine internal pore structures. Directionality of the applied stress with respect to the layered microstructure was found to have no measurable impact on mechanical properties in air, but orientation had a significant impact on strength of cells with reduced anodes. Additionally, with the support of thermogravimetric analysis, it was determined that after reduction, exposure to oxygen below 100°C does not influence mechanical properties of the cells.

  PublisherDOI

• Flexural strength and flaw distributions of SrFe _0.2 Co _0.4 Mo _0.4 O _3−δ ceramic‐supports for SOFCs at operating conditions

  Journal of the American Ceramic Society · 2019-07-10 · 5 citations

  article1st author

  Abstract Solid‐oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have the potential to increase electricity generation efficiency, but traditional SOFCs supported by nickel cermets suffer from reliability challenges due to weaker mechanical strength caused by cracking after redox cycling. To solve this problem, a new ceramic anode material, SrFe 0.2 Co 0.4 Mo 0.4 O 3−δ (SFCM) combined with Ce 0.9 Gd 0.1 O 2 (GDC), was evaluated for conductivity and mechanical strength at SOFC operating conditions and after redox cycling. Fracture toughness of SFCM was determined to be (0.124 ± 0.023) MPa√m at room temperature in air, increasing to (0.286 ± 0.038) MPa√m at 600°C. A mixture of SFCM:GDC showed fracture toughness between the two materials, following SFCM's trend with temperature. The SFCM‐GDC anode supported half‐cell strength increases by 31% from room temperature to 600°C as intrinsic stresses remaining from sintering are relaxed and thermal expansion pushes existing cracks closed. Exposure to reducing gasses decreases strength by 29% compared to ambient, due to oxygen vacancy formation and microstructural flaw changes. It is found that SFCM‐GDC based cells tolerate cycling well because of phase stability but weaken from 34.3 to 22.4 MPa due to uniform growth of critical microstructural flaws.

  PublisherDOI

• CHARACTERIZATION OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND DEFECTS OF SOLID-OXIDE FUEL CELL MATERIALS

  Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (University of Maryland College Park) · 2018-01-01

  dissertationOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have the potential to help meet global energy demands by efficiently converting fuel to electricity. The technology currently requires high temperatures and has reliability limitations. A critical concern is the structural integrity of the cell after redox cycling at operating temperatures. As new materials are developed to reduce operating temperatures and improve redox stability, the effect of the environment on the mechanical properties must be studied. Ceria-based systems have allowed the operating temperature to be decreased to the 600℃ range. For this reason, a three-point bend apparatus was developed which could test materials up to 650℃ in reducing environments. Using this apparatus, it was shown how pore geometry and amount affected strength of porous gadolinium doped ceria (GDC) at 650℃ with lower aspect ratio pores, leading to higher fracture strength due to crack tip blunting. The strength of Ni-GDC/GDC half-cell coupons showed no dependence on loading orientation at elevated temperatures in air, but were 47% weaker when the electrolyte was placed in tension under H2 as compared to when the electrolyte was placed in compression. It was also determined that a reduced Ni-GDC/GDC coupon could be exposed to air for an extended period of time and reheated under H2 with no effect to the strength, allowing for more options when processing and preparing cells. A new anode material, SrFe0.2Co0.4Mo0.4O3-δ (SFCM), was investigated for chemical expansion, oxygen non-stoichiometry, and mechanical properties. SFCM maintains phase purity under reducing conditions, with little changes to lattice parameter between oxidation and reduction, but under oxidation, SFCM forms Sr2Co1.2Mo0.8O6 impurities. SFCM supports a large degree of non-stoichiometry, up to δ = 0.176 at 600℃, due to a low enthalpy of formation for oxygen vacancies of 44.3 kJ mol−1. Fracture toughness of SFCM was determined to be (0.124 ± 0.023) MPa√m in air at room temperature and (0.286 ± 0.038) MPa√m at 600℃. The strength of SFCM-GDC half-cells increased by 31% upon heating to 600℃, after which reduction decreased strength by 29%. Reduction and redox cycling were shown to only decrease the characteristic strength, not alter the structural flaw distribution, as microcracks uniformly grew.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Mechanical Properties of SOFC Anode Support Materials at Operating Conditions

  ECS Transactions · 2017-05-30

  article1st authorCorresponding

  The mechanical properties of solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) materials play an important role in manufacturability, durability and lifetime of the devices. Environmental conditions can affect the mechanical properties of materials. It has been shown during testing of quenched samples that point defect concentration and temperature change the elastic modulus and strength of fluorite-structured oxides. In this work, the flexural modulus and strength of pressed Ce0.90Gd0.10O2-x (GDC) bars are investigated under varying oxygen partial pressures at 675℃, under the same conditions SOFCs experience during operation. This is achieved by using a three-point bend fixture on a universal testing machine, with a chamber and furnace to control the environmental conditions. At operating conditions, the strength and modulus of polycrystalline bars do not follow the expected trends of quenched single grains tested by other methods.

  PublisherDOI

• Optimizing the Thickness of Esb-GDC Bilayer Electrolytes for Efficient Low Temperature Operating SOFCs

  ECS Meeting Abstracts · 2017-09-01 · 1 citations

  article

  Bilayer electrolytes with high oxide ion conductive materials such as Er 2 O 3 -stabilized Bi 2 O 3 (ESB) and Gd-doped CeO 2- δ (GDC) were developed to lower the operating temperature of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) without compromising their efficiency[1]. In a bilayer electrolyte design, optimizing the thickness of ESB to GDC ( r ESB/GDC ) and the total electrolyte thickness ( h ) can help to maximize the SOFC performance. However, such optimization of electrolyte thicknesses requires elaborate understanding on the voltage drop across SOFC components. In this work, efforts are made to study the voltage drop across various layers of SOFCs on a Ni-GDC based anode-supported cell. The anode-supports were deposited with ESB-GDC bilayer electrolytes with varying r ESB/GDC and h . In particular, the voltage drop across ESB ( V ESB ), GDC+anode ( V GDC+anode ) and the whole cell ( V total ) were determined at open circuit voltage and under load conditions. These measurements were performed by positioning the voltage probes between ESB/GDC and ESB/cathode. The behavior of V ESB , V GDC+anode , and V total with a varying r ESB/GDC and h were monitored and analyzed. Specific losses that could potentially limit the overall SOFC performance with reference to electrolyte thicknesses are addressed. [1] E.D. Wachsman, K.T. Lee, Science, 334 (2011) 935-939.

  PublisherDOI

• Mechanical Characterization of SOFC Anode Support Materials at Operating Conditions

  ECS Meeting Abstracts · 2017-09-01

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) rely on a good seal between the anode and cathode sides of the cell to function properly. This means that cells must be manufactured, assembled, and sealed in a manner that does not compromise the gas-tight separation of anode and cathode. The mechanical properties of the cell, specifically the anode support layer, must be able to withstand the stresses it is subjected to without cracking. While the specific material and processing conditions can affect the mechanical properties, so can the temperature and oxygen concentration, thus it is of interest to characterize the mechanical properties not only at ambient conditions, but also at elevated temperatures and under reducing environments. To study these properties, flexural bend tests were performed on gadolinium doped ceria samples at various temperatures and oxygen partial pressures to study their flexural modulus and flexural strength. This was then compared with other characterization and mechanical testing techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, indentation and impulse excitation techniques, to evaluate what phenomenon are occurring under what conditions. From this work, it can be better understood how a SOFC must be designed and manufactured to be able to withstand stresses while under operating conditions.

  PublisherDOI

• Mechanical Properties of SOFC Anode Support Materials at Operating Conditions

  ECS Meeting Abstracts · 2017-07-01

  article1st authorCorresponding

  The mechanical properties of solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and the materials they are fabricated from play an important role in manufacturability, durability and lifetime of the devices. Functioning cells must maintain a gas-tight seal though the cell, with no cracks or pores from anode or cathode, through a range of temperatures and oxygen partial pressures. The cell must be able to withstand intrinsic stresses in addition to those introduced by the stacking and sealing of the cells. It is known that the environmental conditions can affect the mechanical properties of materials. It has been shown that point defect concentration and temperature change the elastic modulus and strength of fluorite-structured oxides, but these tests were done using quenched samples or at high temperature in air, not at operating conditions. In this work the flexural modulus and strength of SOFC support materials are investigated under varying oxygen partial pressures at elevated temperatures, under the same conditions SOFCs experience during operation. This is achieved by using a three-point bend fixture on a universal testing machine, with a chamber and furnace to control the environmental conditions. From this information, relationships are built relating materials’ modulus and strength to the defect concentrations and temperatures that it would experience during operation.

  PublisherDOI

• XPS Data from Li-Ion Battery Anodes

  OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints) · 2017-10-03

  article

  The project imports XPS data and performs analysis and fitting for peaks. Data collected at Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division. Distribution A: Public release, distribution is unlimited.

  Publisher

• ChemInform Abstract: Iron Borophosphate as a Potential Cathode for Lithium‐ and Sodium‐Ion Batteries.

  ChemInform · 2015-12-17

  article

  Abstract Li 0.8 Fe(H 2 O) 2 [BP 2 O 8 ]·H 2 O with a chiral 6 5 helical channel structure is prepared by hydrothermal reaction of a 15:0.1:0.45 molar solution of FeCl 2 , H 3 BO 3 , and LiOH in conc.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Eric D. Wachsman

  7 shared

• Thomas H Hays

  University of Maryland, College Park

  5 shared

• Yi‐Lin Huang

  Guangxi University

  2 shared

• Hooman Yaghoobnejad Asl

  The University of Texas at Austin

  2 shared

• Amitava Choudhury

  Missouri University of Science and Technology

  2 shared

• K. Ghosh

  Missouri State University

  2 shared

• A. Mohammed Hussain

  2 shared

• Ian Robinson

  London Centre for Nanotechnology

  2 shared

Awards & honors

• Elected Fellow of the American Statistical Association
• Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advanceme…