In situ study of an oxidation reaction on a Pt/C electrode by ambient pressure hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Journal Article · Mon Sep 29 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4897007· OSTI ID:22350784

Takagi, Yasumasa; Uemura, Yohei; Yokoyama, Toshihiko ^[1]; Wang, Heng ^[1]; Ikenaga, Eiji; Ohashi, Haruhiko; Senba, Yasunori; Yumoto, Hirokatsu; Yamazaki, Hiroshi; Goto, Shunji ^[2]; Sekizawa, Oki; Iwasawa, Yasuhiro ^[3]; Uruga, Tomoya ^[2]; Tada, Mizuki ^[4]

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1. Department of Molecular Structure, Institute for Molecular Science, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585 (Japan)
2. Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, SPring-8, Koto, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5198 (Japan)
3. Innovation Research Center for Fuel Cells, The University of Electro-Communications, Chofugaoka, Chofu, Tokyo 182-8585 (Japan)
4. Research Center for Materials Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602 (Japan)

We have constructed an ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy instrument that uses hard X-ray radiation at the high-performance undulator beamline BL36XU of SPring-8. The dependence of the Au 4f peak intensity from Au foil on the ambient N{sub 2} pressure was measured. At a photon energy of 7.94 keV, the Au 4f peak intensity maintained 40% at 3000 Pa compared with that at high vacuum. We designed a polymer electrolyte fuel cell that allows us to perform X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements of an electrode under working conditions. The oxidized Pt peaks were observed in the Pt 3d{sub 5/2} level of Pt nanoparticles in the cathode, and the peaks clearly depended on the applied voltage between the anode and cathode. Our apparatus can be applied as a valuable in situ tool for the investigation of the electronic states and adsorbed species of polymer electrolyte fuel cell electrode catalysts under the reaction conditions.

• OSTI ID: 22350784
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 105, Issue 13; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CATALYSTS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
FOILS
HARD X RADIATION
KEV RANGE
NANOPARTICLES
OXIDATION
PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FUEL CELLS
SPRING-8 STORAGE RING
WIGGLER MAGNETS
WORKING CONDITIONS
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY