Highly durable platinum group metal-free catalyst fiber cathode MEAs for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Xu, Xiaomin; Kang, Nalae; Zulevi, Barr; Serov, Alexey; Pintauro, Peter N.

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2023.233679

Highly durable platinum group metal-free catalyst fiber cathode MEAs for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Journal Article · Fri Oct 06 04:00:00 EDT 2023 · Journal of Power Sources

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2023.233679· OSTI ID:2337846

^[1]; Kang, Nalae ^[2]; Zulevi, Barr ^[2]; Serov, Alexey ^[3]; ^[2]

Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States); Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States)
Pajarito Powder, LLC, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

For this work, Fe-based platinum group metal (PGM)-free catalysts were incorporated into electrospun fiber mat or powder cathode membrane-electrode-assemblies (MEAs) with a Nafion 211 membrane and a Pt/C powder anode. Fabrication and characterization tests were performed on MEAs with: (1) a conventional powder cathode with a neat Nafion binder, (2) a fiber mat cathode with a Nafion/polyethylene oxide (PEO) binder, where PEO was extracted before MEA testing, (3) a powder cathode with a blended binder of Nafion and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and (4) a series of fiber mat cathodes with different Nafion/PVDF binder weight ratios. Cathode degradation occurred, with a loss in power output, in MEAs with a neat Nafion powder cathode or with a Nafion fiber cathode. In contrast, little or no power loss was observed for powder or fiber cathodes when the binder was a blend of Nafion and PVDF. The presence of hydrophobic PVDF drove water and electrogenerated peroxide out of the cathode, away from catalyst particles, which improved cathode durability, but PVDF also decreased the binder conductivity and slowed oxygen reduction kinetics, resulting in lower power densities. A 75:25 w:w Nafion:PVDF fiber cathode MEA was the best compromise for maximizing power and minimizing catalyst degradation. For such a cathode, with a PGM-free cathode catalyst loading of 3.0 mg cm^–2, a power density of 88 mW cm^–2 at 0.5 V, 80 °C, and 200 kPa_abs pressure was maintained for 80 h of continuous operation.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO)

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0008418; EE0008376

OSTI ID:: 2337846

Journal Information:: Journal of Power Sources, Journal Name: Journal of Power Sources Vol. 586; ISSN 0378-7753

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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