Title: Nitrogen‐doped Carbon–CoO _x Nanohybrids: A Precious Metal Free Cathode that Exceeds 1.0 W cm ⁻² Peak Power and 100 h Life in Anion‐Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Abstract

Abstract Efficient and durable nonprecious metal electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction (ORR) are highly desirable for several electrochemical devices, including anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs). Here, a 2D planar electrocatalyst with CoO _x embedded in nitrogen‐doped graphitic carbon (N‐C‐CoO _x ) was created through the direct pyrolysis of a metal–organic complex with a NaCl template. The N‐C‐CoO _x catalyst showed high ORR activity, indicated by excellent half‐wave (0.84 V vs. RHE) and onset (1.01 V vs. RHE) potentials. This high intrinsic activity was also observed in operating AEMFCs where the kinetic current was 100 mA cm ⁻² at 0.85 V. When paired with a radiation‐grafted ETFE powder ionomer, the N‐C‐CoO _x AEMFC cathode was able to achieve extremely high peak power density (1.05 W cm ⁻² ) and mass transport limited current (3 A cm ⁻² ) for a precious metal free electrode. The N‐C‐CoO _x cathode also showed good stability over 100 hours of operation with a voltage decay of only 15 % at 600 mA cm ⁻² under H ₂ /air (CO ₂ ‐free) reacting gas feeds. The N‐C‐CoO _x cathode catalyst was also paired with a very low loading PtRu/C anode catalyst, to create AEMFCs with amore » total PGM loading of only 0.10 mg _Pt‐Ru  cm ⁻² capable of achieving 7.4 W mg ⁻¹ _PGM as well as supporting a current of 0.7 A cm ⁻² at 0.6  V with H ₂ /air (CO ₂ free)—creating a cell that was able to meet the 2019 U.S. Department of Energy initial performance target of 0.6 V at 0.6 A cm ⁻² under H ₂ /air with a PGM loading <0.125 mg cm ⁻² with AEMFCs for the first time.« less

Authors:

Peng, Xiong  ^[1];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Peng, Xiong"
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-8737-5830"

Omasta, Travis J.  ^[2];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Omasta, Travis J."
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-8002-6520"

Magliocca, Emanuele ^[1]; Wang, Lianqin  ^[3];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Wang, Lianqin"
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-2130-2935"

Varcoe, John R.  ^[3];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Varcoe, John R."
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-9898-0235"

Mustain, William E.  ^[1]

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Mustain, William E."
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-7804-6410"

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Department of Chemical Engineering University of South Carolina Columbia SC USA
2. Department of Chemical Engineering University of South Carolina Columbia SC USA, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering University of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
3. Department of Chemistry University of Surrey Guildford Surrey UK

Publication Date:

Tue Nov 27 00:00:00 EST 2018

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1501741

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1483432

Grant/Contract Number:  

SC0010531

Resource Type:

Published Article

Journal Name:

Angewandte Chemie

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Name: Angewandte Chemie Journal Volume: 131 Journal Issue: 4; Journal ID: ISSN 0044-8249

Publisher:

Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)

Country of Publication:

Germany

Language:

English