Skip to main content
OSTI.GOVU.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
 

(Invited) Kinetic Models for the Degradation Mechanisms of PGM-Free ORR Catalysts

Journal Article · · ECS Transactions (Online)
 [1];  [1]
  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations
Platinum group metal-free (PGM-free) catalysts, based on earth-abundant elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and transition metals, have shown promising oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity in fuel cells. Intensive research activities have focused on the improvement of activity and understanding of active sites in PGM-free catalysts. However, the durability of PGM-free catalysts in fuel cell cathode under realistic operating conditions has been addressed to a much lesser degree than the initial ORR activity, with only qualitative degradation mechanisms proposed to account for the generally fast activity loss in the fuel cell. Herein, we introduce to PGM-free ORR electrocatalysis a quantitative logistic decay model, based on a two-step autocatalytic degradation mechanism to portray catalyst degradation behavior. This model describes well the current-time data measured in the kinetic range of the fuel cell (fuel cell cathode) operation. Here, the results further suggest that the formation of deactivation species during the ORR is responsible for the loss of catalytic active sites and ensuing cell performance loss.
Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Fuel Cell Technologies Office (EE-3F)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-06NA25396
OSTI ID:
1471365
Report Number(s):
LA-UR--18-24640
Journal Information:
ECS Transactions (Online), Journal Name: ECS Transactions (Online) Journal Issue: 13 Vol. 85; ISSN 1938-6737
Publisher:
Electrochemical SocietyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Cited By (5)

Progress in the Development of Fe‐Based PGM‐Free Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction journal December 2018
PGM‐Free Cathode Catalysts for PEM Fuel Cells: A Mini‐Review on Stability Challenges journal December 2018
On the Influence of Oxygen on the Degradation of Fe‐N‐C Catalysts journal January 2020
On the Influence of Oxygen on the Degradation of Fe‐N‐C Catalysts journal February 2020
Non-PGM electrocatalysts for PEM fuel cells: effect of fluorination on the activity and stability of a highly active NC_Ar + NH 3 catalyst journal January 2019

Figures / Tables (7)

Figure 1(p. 4)figure Figure 1
Figure 2(p. 9)figure Figure 2
Figure 3(p. 9)figure Figure 3
Figure 4(p. 10)figure Figure 4
Figure 5(p. 10)figure Figure 5
Figure 6(p. 11)figure Figure 6
Figure 7(p. 11)figure Figure 7

Similar Records

Active and Durable PGM-free Cathodic Electrocatalysts for Fuel Cell Application
Technical Report · Sun Oct 30 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · OSTI ID:2371586
PGM‐Free Cathode Catalysts for PEM Fuel Cells: A Mini‐Review on Stability Challenges
Journal Article · Mon Feb 18 23:00:00 EST 2019 · Advanced Materials · OSTI ID:1495061
PGM-Free Oxygen-Reduction Catalyst Development for Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells: Challenges, Solutions, and Promises
Journal Article · Wed Jan 19 23:00:00 EST 2022 · Accounts of Materials Research · OSTI ID:1897114

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
Double exponential decay
Durability
Exponential decay
Fe-C-N catalyst
Fuel cell
Kinetic models
Logistic decay
Oxygen reduction reaction
PGM-free ORR Catalyst
non-PGM ORR Catalyst