Electrolyzer Performance Loss from Accelerated Stress Tests and Corresponding Changes to Catalyst Layers and Interfaces

Alia, Shaun M.; Reeves, Kimberly S.; Yu, Haoran; Park, Jaehyung; Kariuki, Nancy; Kropf, A. Jeremy; Myers, Deborah J.; Cullen, David A.

doi:10.1149/1945-7111/ac697e

Electrolyzer Performance Loss from Accelerated Stress Tests and Corresponding Changes to Catalyst Layers and Interfaces

Journal Article · Mon May 16 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · Journal of the Electrochemical Society

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ac697e· OSTI ID:1871872

^[1]; Reeves, Kimberly S. ^[2]; ^[2]; Park, Jaehyung ^[3]; ^[3]; Kropf, A. Jeremy ^[3]; ^[3]; ^[2]

National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Lemont, IL (United States)

Stress tests are developed for proton exchange membrane electrolyzers that utilize low catalyst loading, elevated potential, and frequent cycling with square- and triangle-waves to accelerate anode catalyst layer degradation during intermittent operation. Kinetics drive performance losses (ohmic/transport secondary) and are accompanied by decreasing exchange current density, decreasing cyclic voltammetric capacitance, and increasing polarization resistance. Decreased kinetics are likely due to a combination of iridium (Ir) migration into electrochemically inaccessible locations in the anode or membrane, Ir particle growth (supported by X-ray scattering), changes in the extent of the Ir oxidation state (supported by X-ray absorption spectroscopy), and anode catalyst layer reordering. Decreasing catalyst/transport layer contact and catalyst/membrane interfacial tearing may add contact resistances and account for increasing ohmic losses. Performance losses for low and moderate catalyst loading, as well as from accelerated and model wind/solar cycling protocols, were likewise dominated by kinetics but vary in severity. Additionally, accelerated cycling (1 cycle per minute) appears to reasonably accelerate relevant loss mechanisms and can be used to project electrolyzer lifetime from anode deterioration. Ongoing accelerated stress test development and studies into performance loss mechanisms will continue to be critical as electrolysis shifts to intermittent power and low-cost applications.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office; USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725; AC02-06CH11357; AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1871872

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1872403
OSTI ID: 1874980
OSTI ID: 1969731

Journal Information:: Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Journal Name: Journal of the Electrochemical Society Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 169; ISSN 0013-4651

Publisher:: IOP PublishingCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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