What is it about?
Industrial applications of fuel cells and electrolyzers require active and durable materials. In this review of recent work performed in our laboratory, we present application of high-resolution XPS for study of chemistry of electrodes and changes that are occurring during operation in several technological platforms, i.e. 1) anode for hydrogen oxidation reaction in AEM fuel cell, 2) cathode for oxygen reduction reaction in PEM fuel cell, 3) anode for methanol oxidation in direct alcohol fuel cell, 4) anode for hydrazine oxidation in direct hydrazine fuel cell and 5) anodes for oxygen evolution reaction in electrolyzer. Types of chemical information and challenges in surface analysis of electrodes discussed.
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Why is it important?
Replacing precious metals such as Pt and Ir by alternative platinum-group free (PGM-free) metals has been a worldwide initiative . All materials used for cathodes and anode presented in this review are a part of our initiative in utilizing PGM-free materials.
Perspectives
XPS provides unique chemical quantitative information of chemistry of catalyst and electrodes that is invaluable for understanding the role of different types of chemical moieties in electrochemical reactions and degradation changes occurring. For a complete understanding of structural, morphological and chemical effects occurring at the electrodes during reactions at anodes and cathodes, combination of analytical techniques should be used, in which microscopic methods covering the range of physical scales − from nm to mm − and bulk spectroscopic and structural methods such as XAS, XRD and others should be utilized. This multi-technique analytical information which is complementary to the electrochemical testing is essential for designing more durable materials for energy-related applications.
Dr Kateryna Artyushkova
Physical Electronics
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Application of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to studies of electrodes in fuel cells and electrolyzers, Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, December 2017, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.elspec.2017.12.006.
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