Mass-transport properties of electrosprayed Pt/C catalyst layers for polymer-electrolyte fuel cells

Conde, Julio J.; Folgado, M. Antonia; Ferreira-Aparicio, P.; Chaparro, Antonio M.; Chowdhury, Anamika; Kusoglu, Ahmet; Cullen, David; Weber, Adam Z.

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2019.04.079

Title: Mass-transport properties of electrosprayed Pt/C catalyst layers for polymer-electrolyte fuel cells

Journal Article · 12 June 2019 · Journal of Power Sources

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2019.04.079 · OSTI ID:1531234

^[1]; Folgado, M. Antonia ^[1]; Ferreira-Aparicio, P. ^[1];

^[1]; Chowdhury, Anamika ^[2]; Kusoglu, Ahmet ^[2]; Cullen, David ^[3];

^[2]

Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Madrid (Spain)
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Mass-transport properties of electrosprayed catalyst-layers based on Pt/C and ionomer (Nafion) are investigated with hydrogen limiting-current technique, water-vapor-uptake, scanning transmission microscopy (STEM), single-cell testing, and impedance spectroscopy. The hydrogen limiting-current technique provides the transport resistance of the layers (R_CL^mt), which demonstrates to be lower in electrosprayed layers compared with conventional layers, especially at very low platinum loadings (0.025 mg_Pt·cm^-2) and low cell temperature, denoting superior mass-transport properties. Images of the distribution of Pt, F, and C elements reveal the ionomer preferentially interacting with the Pt nanoparticles. Water-vapor-uptake experiments show larger vapor absorption for electrosprayed than conventional catalyst layers. Such large water-vapor uptake capability is combined with superhydrophobicity, ie. very low interaction with water in liquid phase (wettability). Both apparently contradictory properties result from a particular configuration of the amphiphilic ionomer in the electrosprayed layers, and provide ideal conditions for high mass transport and ionic conductivity in a catalyst layer. Electrosprayed layers as cathode catalyst layers reflect peak response at a loading of 0.17 mg_Pt·cm^-2 (18 μm layer thickness when using Pt/C 20 wt% catalyst) where they provide minimal mass-transport and polarization resistances.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1531234

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1564467

Journal Information:: Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 427, Issue C; ISSN 0378-7753

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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