Catalyst support effects at the oxygen electrode of unitized regenerative fuel cells

Abstract The support effect on PtIr (1:1) catalysts for the oxygen electrode of unitized regenerative fuel cells was investigated by using TiC and TiCN supports, and was compared with carbon supported PtIr catalyst. The electrocatalysts were prepared by the ethylene glycol method, and then heat-treated at 250 °C and 400 °C under helium atmosphere. Physicochemical characterization was carried out by XRD, TEM and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, meanwhile rotating ring-disk electrode was employed to determine the electrochemical activity and stability. Results revealed that carbon support catalyst treated at 250 °C has the highest activity toward oxygen reduction reaction attributed to its superior electrochemical surface area and the higher support conductivity. However, Ti-support catalysts show an increment of activity toward oxygen reduction reaction as well as of the stability, when catalysts are heat-treated at 400 °C. Moreover, TiCN support leads to a substantial increase toward oxygen reduction activity, and shows better corrosion resistance at anodic potentials (>1.1 V) than TiC support.

[1]  Tor Oskar Saetre,et al.  Design and characterization of bi-functional electrocatalytic layers for application in PEM unitized regenerative fuel cells , 2010 .

[2]  J. Schultze,et al.  Surface characterization and electrochemical behaviour of nitrogen‐ and carbon‐implanted titanium , 1992 .

[3]  Guoying Chen,et al.  Combinatorial discovery of bifunctional oxygen reduction — water oxidation electrocatalysts for regenerative fuel cells , 2001 .

[4]  T. Jarvi,et al.  Characterization of Vulcan Electrochemically Oxidized under Simulated PEM Fuel Cell Conditions , 2004 .

[5]  K. Friedrich,et al.  Bifunctional electrodes for unitised regenerative fuel cells , 2011 .

[6]  J. Fierro,et al.  Enhanced methanol electrooxidation activity of PtRu nanoparticles supported on H2O2-functionalized carbon black , 2005 .

[7]  Ho-Young Jung,et al.  Development of supported bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts and corrosion-resistant gas diffusion layer for unitized regenerative fuel cell applications , 2012 .

[8]  P. Haldar,et al.  Electrochemical oxidation behavior of titanium nitride based electrocatalysts under PEM fuel cell conditions , 2010 .

[9]  L. Bulhões,et al.  Sol−Gel Prepared Pt-Modified Oxide Layers: Synthesis, Characterization, and Electrocatalytic Activity , 2006 .

[10]  Sheng Sui,et al.  TiC supported Pt–Ir electrocatalyst prepared by a plasma process for the oxygen electrode in unitized regenerative fuel cells , 2011 .

[11]  Tsutomu Ioroi,et al.  IrO2-deposited Pt electrocatalysts for unitized regenerative polymer electrolyte fuel cells , 2001 .

[12]  F. Marken,et al.  Electrochemical properties of core-shell TiC-TiO2 nanoparticle films immobilized at ITO electrode surfaces. , 2006, Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP.

[13]  Ludwig Jörissen,et al.  Bifunctional oxygen/air electrodes , 2006 .

[14]  J. Fierro,et al.  Tailoring and structure of PtRu nanoparticles supported on functionalized carbon for DMFC applications: New evidence of the hydrous ruthenium oxide phase , 2009 .

[15]  V. Antonucci,et al.  Investigation of IrO2 electrocatalysts prepared by a sulfite-couplex route for the O2 evolution reaction in solid polymer electrolyte water electrolyzers , 2011 .

[16]  Guoying Chen,et al.  DEVELOPMENT OF SUPPORTED BIFUNCTIONAL ELECTROCATALYSTS FOR UNITIZED REGENERATIVE FUEL CELLS , 2002 .

[17]  D. Briggs,et al.  Practical surface analysis: By auger and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy , 1983 .

[18]  Yuyan Shao,et al.  Oxygen Electrocatalysts for Water Electrolyzers and Reversible Fuel Cells: Status and Perspective , 2012 .

[19]  Huamin Zhang,et al.  Effect of fabrication methods of bifunctional catalyst layers on unitized regenerative fuel cell performance , 2009 .

[20]  Wenli Yao,et al.  Chemical deposition of platinum nanoparticles on iridium oxide for oxygen electrode of unitized regenerative fuel cell , 2007 .

[21]  C. Bock,et al.  Size-selected synthesis of PtRu nano-catalysts: reaction and size control mechanism. , 2004, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[22]  David Harrison,et al.  A review of the latest developments in electrodes for unitised regenerative polymer electrolyte fuel cells , 2006 .

[23]  F. Mitlitsky,et al.  Regenerative Fuel Cell Systems , 1998 .

[24]  Pierre Millet,et al.  Development and preliminary testing of a unitized regenerative fuel cell based on PEM technology , 2011 .

[25]  Jiujun Zhang,et al.  Pt nanoparticles deposited on TiO2 based nanofibers: Electrochemical stability and oxygen reduction activity , 2010 .

[26]  P. Tessier,et al.  XPS study of the surface composition modification of nc-TiC/C nanocomposite films under in situ argon ion bombardment , 2011 .

[27]  B. Popov,et al.  Preparation and Characterization of Pt/NbTiO2 Cathode Catalysts for Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cells (URFCs). , 2008 .

[28]  Antonino S. Aricò,et al.  Nanosized Pt/IrO2 electrocatalyst prepared by modified polyol method for application as dual function oxygen electrode in unitized regenerative fuel cells , 2012 .

[29]  Chang-Soo Kim,et al.  Optimization of bifunctional electrocatalyst for PEM unitized regenerative fuel cell , 2004 .

[30]  Ho-Young Jung,et al.  Electrochemical studies of an unsupported PtIr electrocatalyst as a bifunctional oxygen electrode in a unitized regenerative fuel cell , 2009 .

[31]  W Smith,et al.  The role of fuel cells in energy storage , 2000 .

[32]  Huamin Zhang,et al.  A novel bifunctional electrocatalyst for unitized regenerative fuel cell , 2010 .

[33]  J. S. Lee,et al.  Transition Metal Carbides and Nitrides as Electrode Materials for Low Temperature Fuel Cells , 2009 .

[34]  Hardcover,et al.  Carbon: Electrochemical and Physicochemical Properties , 1988 .

[35]  F. Du,et al.  Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanotube Arrays with High Electrocatalytic Activity for Oxygen Reduction , 2009, Science.

[36]  Zongqiang Mao,et al.  Deposited RuO2–IrO2/Pt electrocatalyst for the regenerative fuel cell , 2007 .