New technique enables rapid evaluation of fuel cell catalyst durability, identification of degradation mechanisms

Researchers on the School of Engineering at Seoul Nationwide College have developed an revolutionary know-how for speedy sturdiness evaluation and identification of degradation mechanisms of hydrogen gasoline cell catalysts.

The analysis is published within the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Proton-exchange membrane gasoline cells (PEMFCs), which generate electrical energy from hydrogen whereas emitting solely pure water as a byproduct, are gaining consideration as a clear power know-how that may substitute fossil fuels. With high energy density and speedy refueling capabilities, hydrogen fuel cells are thought of as a next-generation know-how that may tackle present limitations of standard electrical automobiles, significantly driving vary and charging time.

Nevertheless, gasoline cell catalysts, that are essential supplies for selling electrical energy technology reactions, usually bear structural injury or catalyst loss throughout operation, resulting in a gradual decline of their efficiency. This catalyst degradation is a serious impediment to the commercialization of gasoline cells, because it reduces the lifetime and reliability of the cell, making the system much less economical and growing transport prices.

Subsequently, figuring out the basic causes of degradation is crucial to enhancing catalyst sturdiness and enabling the secure, long-term operation of gasoline cells. Nevertheless, observing the structural adjustments of catalysts at nanometer-scale within the liquid electrolyte surroundings throughout electrochemical reactions of an working gasoline cell has posed a formidable technical problem.

To deal with this, the joint analysis workforce developed an revolutionary evaluation method known as electrochemical liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy (e-LCTEM). This method, which screens the time-resolved steady degradation strategy of catalysts in excessive decision, permits speedy analysis of gasoline cell catalyst degradation.

It considerably accelerates sturdiness testing of hydrogen gasoline cell automobiles, decreasing what historically required tens of 1000’s of kilometers of driving to a course of that may be accomplished inside hours. This paves the way in which for extra environment friendly catalyst sturdiness verification at nanometer-scale precision, whereas dramatically decreasing analysis prices.

The consultant catalyst of gasoline cells, “platinum nanoparticle-carbon support hybrid catalyst (Pt/C),” has a construction during which platinum nanoparticles are evenly distributed on the carbon help. This construction, which maximizes the floor space of platinum particles, presents the benefit of decreasing the quantity of expensive platinum whereas sustaining the excessive exercise of platinum and securing excessive conductivity by carbon help.

Nevertheless, the catalyst reveals a fancy degradation mechanism that includes simultaneous dissolution, migration, coalescence, and detachment of platinum particles and corrosion of the carbon help throughout long-term operation of a gasoline cell. These structural adjustments in catalysts and ensuing efficiency degradation are a big barrier to the commercialization of gasoline cells, however the mechanism has not been clearly understood.

The analysis workforce tackled this problem utilizing a newly developed “e-LCTEM” evaluation method. This technique permits time-resolved monitoring of the continual degradation strategy of platinum-carbon (Pt/C) catalysts with excessive decision underneath an electrified surroundings throughout cell working.

Not like earlier research, which had been restricted to easy comparability of the catalyst construction earlier than and after gasoline cell operation, this research offers a particular strategy by enabling real-time commentary of structural adjustments underneath cell working circumstances, thus revealing the exact steady degradation mechanism.

In consequence, the analysis workforce reveals that whereas small platinum nanoparticles exhibit excessive mobility that results in coalescence with surrounding particles or detachment from the carbon help, bigger particles present low mobility and excessive structural stability.

This means that the dimensions of the particles has an vital affect on the degradation mechanism. In the meantime, the degradation strategy of coalesced particles was additionally noticed for the primary time, and it was confirmed that these coalesced particles additionally exhibit excessive mobility and ultimately detach from the help regardless of their enlarged sizes.

Professor Jungwon Park, who supervised the analysis, emphasised, “This significant study opens the path for rapid and accurate evaluation of the durability of fuel cell catalysts and sheds new light on the major cause of catalyst degradation.”

Professor Jaeyune Ryu, who co-supervised the analysis, acknowledged, “By way of this research, which exactly reveals the underlying causes of catalyst degradation and offers steering for enchancment in its efficiency, we sit up for the event of extra secure and environment friendly high-performance hydrogen gasoline cell techniques.

“Furthermore, we expect this achievement will contribute to accelerating the transition toward a sustainable, environmentally sustainable energy society.”