Non-Platinum Group Metal OER/ORR Catalysts for Alkaline Membrane Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers
- Proton Onsite, Wallingford CT (United States)
Regenerative fuel cells (RFC) are energy storage devices that capture electrical energy in the form of hydrogen, with potential application for backup power and energy storage in remote locations, unmanned missions, and renewable energy capture. A unitized regenerative fuel cell (URFC) combines two separate electrochemical devices (fuel cell and electrolyzer) into one stack. The stack cost is driven by the platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts and the flow field components designed to withstand high potentials in acidic environments. Since the stack is the most expensive subcomponent of both the fuel cell and electrolyzer system, combining the two devices results in substantial reduction in capital cost. However, in the past, combining the two stacks sacrificed device performance (operating cost) largely because the fuel cell had to operate with the thick electrolysis membranes in a URFC configuration, and due to water management issues in switching modes. Recent work in membrane-based electrolysis has resulted in more mechanically robust designs and materials that allow much thinner membranes, and work in flow cell design such as flow batteries has shown improved water transport through channel design and wet-proofing approaches. Therefore, the URFC concept is worth revisiting. At the same time, alkaline exchange membrane (AEM) devices are gathering attention due to the promise of PGM and valve metal elimination from the stack and a resulting strategic and capital cost benefit as compared with proton exchange membrane (PEM) systems. The result is a lower capital cost system that has half the precious metal group (PGM) catalysts, membrane and other stack component materials compared with discrete RFCs, although at the sacrifice of performance (operating cost). Proton has identified innovative AEM based RFC's to fulfill the role of low capital cost energy storage device owing to the use of non-precious metal containing electrodes, that enables certain markets where higher operating costs can be tolerated.
- Research Organization:
- Proton Energy Systems, Inc., Wallingford, CT (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies Office
- Contributing Organization:
- RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0013179
- OSTI ID:
- 1405287
- Type / Phase:
- SBIR (Phase I)
- Report Number(s):
- RPT-1914
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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