Elucidating effects of catalyst loadings and porous transport layer morphologies on operation of proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers

Kulkarni, Devashish; Huynh, Alex; Satjaritanun, Pongsarun; O’Brien, Maeve; Shimpalee, Sirivatch; Parkinson, Dilworth Y.; Shevchenko, Pavel D.; DeCarlo, Francesco; Danilovic, Nemanja; Ayers, Katherine E.; Capuano, Christopher B.; Zenyuk, Iryna V.

doi:10.1016/j.apcatb.2022.121213

Elucidating effects of catalyst loadings and porous transport layer morphologies on operation of proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers

Journal Article · Tue Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2022 · Applied Catalysis. B, Environmental

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2022.121213· OSTI ID:1880259

Kulkarni, Devashish ^[1]; Huynh, Alex ^[1]; ^[1]; O’Brien, Maeve ^[1]; Shimpalee, Sirivatch ^[2]; Parkinson, Dilworth Y. ^[3]; Shevchenko, Pavel D. ^[4]; DeCarlo, Francesco ^[4]; ^[3]; ^[5]; Capuano, Christopher B. ^[5]; Zenyuk, Iryna V. ^[1]

Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States)
Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States)
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Lemont, IL (United States)
Nel Hydrogen, Wallingfor, CT (United States)

Producing green hydrogen efficiently via proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is the key for achieving decarbonization targets. Iridium catalyst is expensive, and it is important to minimize its use and to optimize interface between Ir and ionomer or water for higher utilization of catalyst in oxygen evolution reaction. In this work, x-ray computed tomography along with electrochemical and modeling techniques are used to characterize the interface for two different porous transport layers (PTLs) and catalyst layers at various loadings. We show that low porosity sintered PTLs exhibit higher interfacial contact with the catalyst and the membrane that results in improved kinetics. Radiography and modeling results indicate that oxygen taking multiple transport pathways through the PTL results in slug flow through the channels that reduces mass transport overpotential. Based on the results, we suggest design guidelines for high efficiency and durable PEMWE and their components.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS); Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Advanced Light Source (ALS); Proton Energy Systems, Inc., Wallingford, CT (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Transportation Office. Fuel Cell Technologies Office; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities Division

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231; AC02-06CH11357; EE0008081

OSTI ID:: 1880259

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1845919
OSTI ID: 1885533

Journal Information:: Applied Catalysis. B, Environmental, Journal Name: Applied Catalysis. B, Environmental Vol. 308; ISSN 0926-3373

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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08 HYDROGEN
Lattice Boltzmann method modeling
catalyst layers
durability analysis
proton exchange membrane water electrolysis
triple phase contact area
x-ray computed tomography

Elucidating effects of catalyst loadings and porous transport layer morphologies on operation of proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers

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