Operando Topography and Mechanical Property Mapping of CO 2 Reduction Gas-Diffusion Electrodes Operating at High Current Densities

Nesbitt, Nathan T.; Smith, Wilson A.

doi:10.1149/1945-7111/abf183

Operando Topography and Mechanical Property Mapping of CO ₂ Reduction Gas-Diffusion Electrodes Operating at High Current Densities

Journal Article · Wed Apr 07 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · Journal of the Electrochemical Society

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/abf183· OSTI ID:1835441

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Electrochemical atomic force microscopy (EC-AFM) enables measurement of electrode topography and mechanical properties during electrochemical reactions. However, for aqueous-based reactions that make gas products, such as CO ₂ reduction and water splitting into CO/H ₂ , current densities below 1 mA cm ⁻² have been necessary to prevent formation of bubbles at the electrode; such bubbles can stick to the AFM probe and prevent further AFM imaging. Here, we demonstrate a novel cell design with a gas-diffusion electrode (GDE) to exhaust the gas products, thereby enabling high current density EC-AFM measurements at 1, 10, and 100 mA cm ⁻² that are not disturbed by bubble formation at the electrode surface. These experiments revealed a stable morphological structure of Cu catalysts deposited on GDEs during high current density operation. Systematic spatially resolved maps of deformation and adhesion showed no signs of a gas-liquid interface between catalyst particles of the GDE.

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Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

OSTI ID:: 1835441

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1782713

Journal Information:: Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Journal Name: Journal of the Electrochemical Society Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 168; ISSN 0013-4651

Publisher:: The Electrochemical SocietyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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