Manganese oxide/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) hybrid electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline fuel cells
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Manganese oxide/poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene) (MnOx/ PEDOT) nanostructured hybrid thin films were prepared using a simple anodic electrodeposition process from aqueous solution, and then tested for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity in alkaline electrolyte using rotating disk electrode and rotating ring disk electrode methods. MnOx/PEDOT provided improvements over MnOx-only and PEDOT-only control films, with > 0.2 V decrease in onset and half-wave overpotentials, and > 1.5 times increase in terminal current density. The MnOx/PEDOT film exhibited only a slightly lower n value (n = 3.86-3.92) than the 20% Pt/C benchmark electrocatalyst (n = 3.98) across all potentials. MnOx/PEDOT also displayed a more positive half-wave potential and superior electrocatalytic selectivity for the ORR upon methanol exposure than 20% Pt/C. Here, the high activity and synergism of MnOx/PEDOT towards the ORR is attributed to effective intermixing/dispersion of the two materials, intimate substrate contact with improved charge transfer processes attained by co-electrodepositing MnOx with PEDOT and due to the increase in Mn3+ content at the surface of the oxide.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 1341750
- Report Number(s):
- SAND2017-0769J; 650697
- Journal Information:
- ECS Transactions (Online), Journal Name: ECS Transactions (Online) Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 75; ISSN 1938-6737
- Publisher:
- Electrochemical SocietyCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Femtosecond pulsed laser patterning of poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) thin films on gold/palladium substrates