Enhanced Performance of non-PGM Catalysts in Air Operated PEM-Fuel Cells

doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.08.193

Title: Enhanced Performance of non-PGM Catalysts in Air Operated PEM-Fuel Cells

Abstract

Here a non-platinum group metal (non-PGM) oxygen reduction catalyst was prepared from “support-free” zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) precursor and tested in the proton exchange membrane fuel cell with air as the cathode feed. The iron nitrogen and carbon composite (FeeNeC) based catalyst has high specific surface area decorated uniformly with active sites, which redefines the triple phase boundary (TPB) and requires re-optimization of the cathodic membrane electrode fabrication to ensure efficient mass and charge transports to the catalyst surface. This study reports an effort in optimizing catalytic ink formulation for the membrane electrode preparation and its impact to the fuel cell performance under air. Through optimization, the fuel cell areal current density as high as 115.2 mA/cm² at 0.8 V or 147.6 mA/cm² at 0.8 V_iR-free has been achieved under one bar air. We also investigated impacts on fuel cell internal impedance and the water formation.

Authors:

Barkholtz, Heather M. ^[1]; Chong, Lina ^[2]; Kaiser, Zachary Brian ^[2]; Xu, Tao ^[3]; Liu, Di-Jia ^[2]

Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Chemical Sciences & Engineering Division; Northern Illinois Univ., DeKalb, IL (United States). Dept. of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Chemical Sciences & Engineering Division
Northern Illinois Univ., DeKalb, IL (United States). Dept. of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Publication Date:: 2016-10-13

Research Org.:: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Transportation Office. Fuel Cell Technologies Office

OSTI Identifier:: 1339102

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1397005

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-06CH11357; AC02-06CH11457

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 41; Journal Issue: 47; Journal ID: ISSN 0360-3199

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; Fuel cell; ionomer; non-PGM catalyst; Oxygen reduction reaction; Non-platinum group metal; MOF; Fe-N-C catalyst

Citation Formats


                    Barkholtz, Heather M., Chong, Lina, Kaiser, Zachary Brian, Xu, Tao, and Liu, Di-Jia. Enhanced Performance of non-PGM Catalysts in Air Operated PEM-Fuel Cells.  United States: N. p., 2016. 
        Web.  doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.08.193.

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                    Barkholtz, Heather M., Chong, Lina, Kaiser, Zachary Brian, Xu, Tao, & Liu, Di-Jia. Enhanced Performance of non-PGM Catalysts in Air Operated PEM-Fuel Cells.  United States.  doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.08.193.

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                    Barkholtz, Heather M., Chong, Lina, Kaiser, Zachary Brian, Xu, Tao, and Liu, Di-Jia. Thu .  
        "Enhanced Performance of non-PGM Catalysts in Air Operated PEM-Fuel Cells".  United States.  doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.08.193.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1339102.

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@article{osti_1339102,

  title        = {Enhanced Performance of non-PGM Catalysts in Air Operated PEM-Fuel Cells},

  author       = {Barkholtz, Heather M. and Chong, Lina and Kaiser, Zachary Brian and Xu, Tao and Liu, Di-Jia},

  abstractNote = {Here a non-platinum group metal (non-PGM) oxygen reduction catalyst was prepared from “support-free” zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) precursor and tested in the proton exchange membrane fuel cell with air as the cathode feed. The iron nitrogen and carbon composite (FeeNeC) based catalyst has high specific surface area decorated uniformly with active sites, which redefines the triple phase boundary (TPB) and requires re-optimization of the cathodic membrane electrode fabrication to ensure efficient mass and charge transports to the catalyst surface. This study reports an effort in optimizing catalytic ink formulation for the membrane electrode preparation and its impact to the fuel cell performance under air. Through optimization, the fuel cell areal current density as high as 115.2 mA/cm2 at 0.8 V or 147.6 mA/cm2 at 0.8 ViR-free has been achieved under one bar air. We also investigated impacts on fuel cell internal impedance and the water formation.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.08.193},

  journal      = {International Journal of Hydrogen Energy},

  number       = 47,

  volume       = 41,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2016},

  month        = {10}

}

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DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.08.193

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Progress in the Development of Fe‐Based PGM‐Free Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction
journal, December 2018

Martinez, Ulises; Komini Babu, Siddharth; Holby, Edward F.
Advanced Materials, Vol. 31, Issue 31
DOI: 10.1002/adma.201806545

A specific demetalation of Fe–N ₄ catalytic sites in the micropores of NC_Ar + NH ₃ is at the origin of the initial activity loss of the highly active Fe/N/C catalyst used for the reduction of oxygen in PEM fuel cells
journal, January 2018

Chenitz, Régis; Kramm, Ulrike I.; Lefèvre, Michel
Energy & Environmental Science, Vol. 11, Issue 2
DOI: 10.1039/c7ee02302b

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Similar Records

Title: Enhanced Performance of non-PGM Catalysts in Air Operated PEM-Fuel Cells

Abstract

Citation Formats

Progress in the Development of Fe‐Based PGM‐Free Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction journal, December 2018

A specific demetalation of Fe–N 4 catalytic sites in the micropores of NC_Ar + NH 3 is at the origin of the initial activity loss of the highly active Fe/N/C catalyst used for the reduction of oxygen in PEM fuel cells journal, January 2018

Progress in the Development of Fe‐Based PGM‐Free Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction
journal, December 2018

A specific demetalation of Fe–N ₄ catalytic sites in the micropores of NC_Ar + NH ₃ is at the origin of the initial activity loss of the highly active Fe/N/C catalyst used for the reduction of oxygen in PEM fuel cells
journal, January 2018