Rh and Rh Alloy Nanoparticles as Highly Active H2 Oxidation Catalysts for Alkaline Fuel Cells

Wang, Hongsen; Abruña, Héctor D.

doi:10.1021/acscatal.9b00906

Title: Rh and Rh Alloy Nanoparticles as Highly Active H₂ Oxidation Catalysts for Alkaline Fuel Cells

Journal Article · Wed Apr 24 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · ACS Catalysis

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.9b00906· OSTI ID:1566572

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^[1]

Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States)

When moving from acidic to alkaline media, non-Pt-group metal catalysts can be used as the oxygen reduction catalyst, because of their high activity and stability. However, in alkaline electrolytes, we meet another challenge: slower H₂ oxidation kinetics on platinum group metals, relative to acidic electrolytes. We require new robust anode catalysts to enhance H₂ oxidation kinetics in alkaline anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs). In this Letter, carbon-supported Rh and Rh alloy nanoparticles such as Pt₇Rh₃/C, Ir₉Rh₁/C, Rh₉Ru₁/C and Rh₉Pd₁/C were found to be highly active hydrogen oxidation and evolution catalysts in alkaline media. A size effect was observed for Rh/C, i.e., the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) activity significantly increased on Rh nanoparticles, relative to bulk Rh. A synergistic effect was noted for the hydrogen oxidation on PtRh and IrRh alloy catalysts. These Rh and Rh alloy nanoparticles outperformed Ir/C and Pt/C as electrocatalysts. In particular, Rh/C with an average particle size of ca. 2 nm was identified to be the best HOR catalyst among all catalysts studied, in terms of its mass activity, while Pt₇Rh₃/C outperformed other studied catalysts, in terms of its specific activity and exchange current density. Ir9Rh1/C was found to be the most effective electrocatalyst among all studied Ir alloy nanoparticles. These Rh and Rh alloy catalysts could be employed as highly active H₂ electrocatalysts in anion exchange membrane fuel cells.

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Research Organization:: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Alkaline-Based Energy Solutions (CABES)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Contributing Organization:: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Alkaline-Based Energy+B11:C29 Solutions (CABES); Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0019445

OSTI ID:: 1566572

Journal Information:: ACS Catalysis, Vol. 9, Issue 6; ISSN 2155-5435

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 36 works

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Title: Rh and Rh Alloy Nanoparticles as Highly Active H2 Oxidation Catalysts for Alkaline Fuel Cells

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Title: Rh and Rh Alloy Nanoparticles as Highly Active H₂ Oxidation Catalysts for Alkaline Fuel Cells