Tailoring electrode microstructure via ink content to enable improved rated power performance for platinum cobalt/high surface area carbon based polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Van Cleve, Tim; Wang, Guanxiong; Mooney, Mason; Cetinbas, C. Firat; Kariuki, Nancy; Park, Jaehyung; Farghaly, Ahmed; Myers, Deborah; Neyerlin, K. C.

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2020.228889

Title: Tailoring electrode microstructure via ink content to enable improved rated power performance for platinum cobalt/high surface area carbon based polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Journal Article · Mon Sep 21 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Journal of Power Sources

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2020.228889· OSTI ID:1777138

^[1]; Wang, Guanxiong ^[1];

^[2]; Cetinbas, C. Firat ^[3]; Kariuki, Nancy ^[3]; Park, Jaehyung ^[3]; Farghaly, Ahmed ^[4]; Myers, Deborah ^[3]; Neyerlin, K. C. ^[1]

National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States)
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Assiut University (Egypt)

Improvements in polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) electrode performance have primarily focused on catalyst and ionomer developments, marginalizing the importance of catalyst ink formulation. In this study, the effect of ink formulation is examined across a series of cathodes comprised of PtCo supported on high surface area carbon (PtCo/HSC) and Nafion ionomer using an array of in situ electrochemical and ex situ characterization techniques. In contrast to prior work on Pt/Vu systems, ink water content had little effect on the electrochemically determined ionomer coverage for the PtCo/HSC electrocatalyst examined here. Characterization using nano-scale resolution X-ray computed tomography (nano-CT) demonstrated that water-rich ink formulations lead to a reduction in aggregate size (ionomer + PtCo/HSC), improving local O₂ transport. This understanding, combined with the use of a commercially-available electrocatalyst was used to produced state-of-the-art membrane electrode assemblies with Pt loadings of 0.03/0.08 mg_Pt/cm² on the anode and cathode respectively, having; i) > 1 A/mg_Pt (0.9 V_iR-free, 150 kPa, 80 °C, 100% RH, H₂/O₂), ii) 320 mA/cm² at 0.8 V, 150 kPa, 80 ^°C, 100% RH, H₂/Air), and iii) > 1 W/cm²_elec at rated power (0.67 V, 250 kPa, 94 °C, 65% RH, H₂/Air) or < 0.11 g_Pt/kW_rated.

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Research Organization:: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-06CH11357; AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1777138

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1811042

Journal Information:: Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 482; ISSN 0378-7753

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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