Correlating Carbon Support Properties and Electrochemical Durability for PEM Fuel Cell Catalysts
Luka Pavko a, Matija Gatalo a, Francisco Ruiz-Zepeda a, Angelja Kjara Surca a, Nik Maselj a, Boštjan Genorio b, Nejc Hodnik a
a National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
b Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Večna pot 113, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Materials for Sustainable Development Conference (MATSUS)
Proceedings of MATSUS Fall 2023 Conference (MATSUSFall23)
#WATERCAT - Experiment and theory in the catalysis of water electrolysis and hydrogen fuel cells
Torremolinos, Spain, 2023 October 16th - 20th
Organizers: Serhiy Cherevko and Nejc Hodnik
Oral, Luka Pavko, presentation 217
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29363/nanoge.matsus.2023.217
Publication date: 18th July 2023

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) offer a promising zero-emission energy conversion solution for various applications, including automotive. However, the widespread adoption of PEMFC technology faces challenges that must be addressed. One significant performance bottleneck is the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which has led to the use of Pt-alloy nanoparticles on high surface area (HSA) carbon black (CB) supports as state-of-the-art electrocatalysts. Achieving high carbon support and the catalyst layer durability remains a major challenge, particularly for heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) applications that aim to meet the ambitious U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) goal of 30,000 hours of system lifetime. Two research trends focus on improving carbon durability: (i) enhancing existing HSA CB supports and (ii) exploring alternative carbon candidates with desirable properties. Graphene derivatives (GDs) such as reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have shown potential as alternative carbon supports with improved durability against carbon corrosion.

This presentation investigates the correlation between carbon support properties of graphene derivatives (rGOs, GNRs) and carbon black in Pt-based fuel cell electrocatalysts. Nanoparticulate intermetallic-based electrocatalysts were analyzed, revealing comparable metallic components but notable variations in the carbon support. Specially designed electrochemical accelerated degradation tests (HT-ADTs) demonstrated that rGO-supported catalysts exhibited superior electrochemical durability compared to carbon black-supported counterparts. The results were further validated through direct online measurements using electrochemical cell-mass spectrometry (EC-MS). This study provides valuable insights into the relationship between carbon support properties and electrocatalyst durability, offering guidance for developing more stable carbon supports in line with the Department of Energy (DoE) objectives. The findings contribute to the advancement of fuel cell technology by enhancing the understanding of carbon support properties and their impact on electrocatalyst performance.

The authors would like to acknowledge the Slovenian research agency (ARRS) programs P2-0393, P1-0034, P1-0175, P2-0118, P2-0423; the projects J7-4636, NC-0007, N2-0087, N2-0257, NK-0001; and European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant 123STABLE (Grant agreement ID: 852208) and Proof of Concept Grant StableCat (Grant agreement ID: 966654) as well as NATO Science for Peace and Security Program under grant G5729. L.P. acknowledges the financial support of NIC within the project NICKI.

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