Probing Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Cathodes by Varying Electrocatalysts and Electrode Processing

He, Cheng; Yang-Neyerlin, Ami C.; Pivovar, Bryan S.

doi:10.1149/1945-7111/ac4daa

Title: Probing Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Cathodes by Varying Electrocatalysts and Electrode Processing

Journal Article · 03 February 2022 · Journal of the Electrochemical Society

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ac4daa · OSTI ID:1843638

;

; Pivovar, Bryan S.

To date, several high-performing anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) have been demonstrated, but most these studies have focused on Pt containing cathodes with high loadings. Here, we explore and compare the performance and perform electrochemical diagnostics on three leading AEMFC cathode electrocatalysts: Pt/C, Ag/C, and Fe–N–C with electrodes that have been processed with either powder or dispersion-based ionomers using perfluorinated anion exchange polymers. Pt/C had the highest performance but also showed a strong dependence on ionomer type, with powder ionomer exhibiting much higher performance. These results were consistent with the observations for Ag/C but did not hold for the Fe–N–C catalyst where almost no change was observed between powder and dispersion-based ionomers. This is the first-time the impact of powder and dispersion ionomer with different classes of cathode electrocatalysts on the fuel cell performance have been compared, and the results have strong implications for the ability to achieve high performance at low loadings and for better understanding catalyst-ionomer interactions within AEMFCs.

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Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1843638

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5900-81449

Journal Information:: Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Journal Name: Journal of the Electrochemical Society Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 169; ISSN 0013-4651

Publisher:: The Electrochemical SocietyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
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Title: Probing Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Cathodes by Varying Electrocatalysts and Electrode Processing

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