Study on corrosion migrations within catalyst-coated membranes of proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells

Mo, Jingke; Steen, Stuart; Kang, Zhenye; Yang, Gaoqiang; Taylor, Derrick A.; Li, Yifan; Toops, Todd J.; Brady, Michael P.; Retterer, Scott T.; Cullen, David A.; Green, Johney B.; Zhang, Feng-Yuan

doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.09.020

Title: Study on corrosion migrations within catalyst-coated membranes of proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells

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Abstract

The corrosion of low-cost, easily manufactured metallic components inside the electrochemical environment of proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells (PEMECs) has a significant effect on their performance and durability. In this study, 316 stainless steel (SS) mesh was used as a model liquid/gas diffusion layer material to investigate the migration of corrosion products in the catalyst-coated membrane of a PEMEC. Iron and nickel cation particles were found distributed throughout the anode catalyst layer, proton exchange membrane, and cathode catalyst layer, as revealed by scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results indicate the corrosion products of 316 SS are transported from anode to cathode through the nanochannels of the Nafion membrane, resulting in impeded proton transport and overall PEMEC performance loss.

Authors:

Mo, Jingke ^[1]; Steen, Stuart ^[1]; Kang, Zhenye ^[1]; Yang, Gaoqiang ^[1]; Taylor, Derrick A. ^[1]; Li, Yifan ^[1]; Toops, Todd J. ^[2]; Brady, Michael P. ^[2]; Retterer, Scott T. ^[2]; Cullen, David A. ^[2];

^[3];

^[1]

Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States). Nanodynamics and High-Efficiency Lab. for Propulsion and Power
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Publication Date:: Mon Oct 09 00:00:00 EDT 2017

Research Org.:: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

OSTI Identifier:: 1399350

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1410922; OSTI ID: 1549345

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-4A00-70283
Journal ID: ISSN 0360-3199

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308; FE0011585; AC05-00OR22725

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 42; Journal Issue: 44; Journal ID: ISSN 0360-3199

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 08 HYDROGEN; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; corrosion; proton exchange membrane; stainless steel; migration; nafion

Citation Formats


                    Mo, Jingke, Steen, Stuart, Kang, Zhenye, Yang, Gaoqiang, Taylor, Derrick A., Li, Yifan, Toops, Todd J., Brady, Michael P., Retterer, Scott T., Cullen, David A., Green, Johney B., and Zhang, Feng-Yuan. Study on corrosion migrations within catalyst-coated membranes of proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells.  United States: N. p., 2017. 
Web.  doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.09.020.

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                    Mo, Jingke, Steen, Stuart, Kang, Zhenye, Yang, Gaoqiang, Taylor, Derrick A., Li, Yifan, Toops, Todd J., Brady, Michael P., Retterer, Scott T., Cullen, David A., Green, Johney B., & Zhang, Feng-Yuan. Study on corrosion migrations within catalyst-coated membranes of proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.09.020

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                    Mo, Jingke, Steen, Stuart, Kang, Zhenye, Yang, Gaoqiang, Taylor, Derrick A., Li, Yifan, Toops, Todd J., Brady, Michael P., Retterer, Scott T., Cullen, David A., Green, Johney B., and Zhang, Feng-Yuan. Mon .  
"Study on corrosion migrations within catalyst-coated membranes of proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.09.020.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1399350.

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@article{osti_1399350,

  title        = {Study on corrosion migrations within catalyst-coated membranes of proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells},

  author       = {Mo, Jingke and Steen, Stuart and Kang, Zhenye and Yang, Gaoqiang and Taylor, Derrick A. and Li, Yifan and Toops, Todd J. and Brady, Michael P. and Retterer, Scott T. and Cullen, David A. and Green, Johney B. and Zhang, Feng-Yuan},

  abstractNote = {The corrosion of low-cost, easily manufactured metallic components inside the electrochemical environment of proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells (PEMECs) has a significant effect on their performance and durability. In this study, 316 stainless steel (SS) mesh was used as a model liquid/gas diffusion layer material to investigate the migration of corrosion products in the catalyst-coated membrane of a PEMEC. Iron and nickel cation particles were found distributed throughout the anode catalyst layer, proton exchange membrane, and cathode catalyst layer, as revealed by scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results indicate the corrosion products of 316 SS are transported from anode to cathode through the nanochannels of the Nafion membrane, resulting in impeded proton transport and overall PEMEC performance loss.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.09.020},

  journal      = {International Journal of Hydrogen Energy},

  number       = 44,

  volume       = 42,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Mon Oct 09 00:00:00 EDT 2017},

  month        = {Mon Oct 09 00:00:00 EDT 2017}

}

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