Investigation of electrode structure and electrocatalyst surface areas

Technical Report · Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1987

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6385175· OSTI ID:6385175

Stonehart, P; Ho, A; Yang, S C ^[1]; Cutlip, M B ^[2]

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1. Stonehart Associates, Inc., Madison, CT (USA)
2. Connecticut Univ., Storrs, CT (USA). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

The first part of this program addresses the analytical techniques that can be used to characterise platinum on carbon supported electrocatalysts for use in hot phosphoric acid fuel cells. The uses of various adsorbing species are reviewed, and a choice was made to examine in more detail the adsorption of rhenate ions on the platinum crystalline surface, to diagnose the platinum surface area within the operating fuel cell. This information is needed to understand how that platinum surface is modified with time in the operating environment. The second part of this program develops an advanced computer model for the porous electrode structure to include all of the resistive and diffusive losses, both in the electrode structure itself, and within the carbon backing paper on which the electrocatalyst layer is supported. The two respective models were combined to show the influence of catalyst utilization between the electrodes to predict the optimum loading of the platinum catalyst within the fuel cell assembly so that the fuel cell performance is maximised. 72 refs., 59 figs., 22 tabs.

• Research Organization: Stonehart Associates, Inc., Madison, CT (USA); Connecticut Univ., Storrs, CT (USA). Dept. of Chemical Engineering
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/FE
• DOE Contract Number: AC21-83MC24263
• OSTI ID: 6385175
• Report Number(s): DOE/MC/24263-2903; ON: DE90015572
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
FUEL CELLS
PERFORMANCE
PLATINUM
SURFACE AREA
ADSORPTION
CARBON
CHEMISORPTION
DIFFUSION
ELECTROCATALYSTS
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTRODES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PHOSPHORIC ACID
PROGRESS REPORT
CATALYSTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
METALS
NONMETALS
PLATINUM METALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SORPTION
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
300503* - Fuel Cells- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
360104 - Metals & Alloys- Physical Properties