Nanosized Pt/IrO2 electrocatalyst prepared by modified polyol method for application as dual function oxygen electrode in unitized regenerative fuel cells

Abstract A new generation of highly efficient and non-polluting energy conversion and storage systems is vital to meeting the challenges of global warming and the finite reality of fossil fuels. In this work, nanosized Pt/IrO2 electrocatalysts are synthesized and investigated for the oxygen evolution and reduction reactions in unitized regenerative fuel cells (URFCs). The catalysts are prepared by decorating Pt nanoparticles (2–10 nm) onto the surface of a nanophase IrO2 (7 nm) support using an ultrasonic polyol method. The synthesis procedure allows deposition of metallic Pt nanoparticles on Ir-oxide without causing any occurrence of metallic Ir. The latter is significantly less active for oxygen evolution than the corresponding oxide. This process represents an important progress with respect to the state of the art in this field being the oxygen electrocatalyst generally obtained by mechanical mixing of Pt and IrO2. The nanosized Pt/IrO2 (50:50 wt.%) is sprayed onto a Nafion 115 membrane and used as dual function oxygen electrode, whereas 30 wt.% Pt/C is used as dual function hydrogen electrode in the URFC. Electrochemical activity of the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) is investigated in a single cell at room temperature and atmospheric pressure both under electrolysis and fuel cell mode to assess the perspectives of the URFC to operate as energy storage device in conjunction with renewable power sources.

[1]  Tsutomu Ioroi,et al.  Influence of PTFE coating on gas diffusion backing for unitized regenerative polymer electrolyte fuel cells , 2003 .

[2]  Zhaolin Liu,et al.  Microwave heated polyol synthesis of carbon nanotubes supported Pt nanoparticles for methanol electrooxidation , 2005 .

[3]  V. Antonucci,et al.  An appraisal of electric automobile power sources , 2001 .

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

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

[6]  Chang-Soo Kim,et al.  Optimization of PtIr electrocatalyst for PEM URFC , 2005 .

[7]  B. Yi,et al.  Composite Electrode for Unitized Regenerative Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell with Improved Cycle Life , 2004 .

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

[9]  Anthony B. LaConti,et al.  Proton-exchange membrane regenerative fuel cells , 1994 .

[10]  F. Barbir.  PEM electrolysis for production of hydrogen from renewable energy sources , 2005 .

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

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

[13]  M. Watanabe,et al.  Preparation of highly dispersed Pt+Ru alloy clusters and the activity for the electrooxidation of methanol , 1987 .

[14]  Chueh-Yang Liu,et al.  Atomic layer deposition of platinum nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes for application in proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. , 2009, Small.

[15]  Zhu-de Xu,et al.  Microwave polyol synthesis of Pt/C catalysts with size-controlled Pt particles for methanol electrocatalytic oxidation , 2006 .

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

[17]  V. Antonucci,et al.  Nanosized IrO2 electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction in an SPE electrolyzer , 2011 .

[18]  A. Kannan,et al.  Carbon supported nano-sized Pt–Pd and Pt–Co electrocatalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells , 2009 .

[19]  V. Antonucci,et al.  Preparation and evaluation of RuO2–IrO2, IrO2–Pt and IrO2–Ta2O5 catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction in an SPE electrolyzer , 2009 .

[20]  V. Antonucci,et al.  An XPS study on oxidation states of Pt and its alloys with Co and Cr and its relevance to electroreduction of oxygen , 2001 .

[21]  V. Antonucci,et al.  High temperature operation of a composite membrane-based solid polymer electrolyte water electrolyser , 2008 .

[22]  Ermete Antolini,et al.  An empirical model to evaluate the contribution of alloyed and non-alloyed tin to the ethanol oxidat , 2011 .

[23]  S. Sunde,et al.  Impedance analysis of nanostructured iridium oxide electrocatalysts , 2010 .

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

[25]  Egil Rasten.  Electrocatalysis in water electrolysis with solid polymerelectrolyte , 2003 .

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

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

[28]  Ying-Jie Zhu,et al.  Preparation of powders of selenium nanorods and nanowires by microwave-polyol method , 2004 .

[29]  Lin Li,et al.  Polyelectrolyte-stabilized Pt nanoparticles as new electrocatalysts for low temperature fuel cells , 2007 .

[30]  Masayuki Hashimoto,et al.  Synthesis of gold nanorods and nanowires by a microwave–polyol method , 2004 .

[31]  G. Somorjai,et al.  Monodisperse platinum nanoparticles of well-defined shape: synthesis, characterization, catalytic properties and future prospects , 2006 .

[32]  Shouheng Sun,et al.  Recent Development of Active Nanoparticle Catalysts for Fuel Cell Reactions , 2010 .

[33]  Suli Wang,et al.  Preparation of highly active 40 wt.% Pt/C cathode electrocatalysts for DMFC via different routes , 2004 .

[34]  V. Antonucci,et al.  Surface Properties of Pt and PtCo Electrocatalysts and Their Influence on the Performance and Degradation of High-Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells , 2010 .

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

[36]  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 .

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

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

[39]  S. Rowshanzamir,et al.  Synthesis methods of low-Pt-loading electrocatalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cell systems , 2010 .

[40]  N. Guillet,et al.  Synthesis and characterization of electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution in PEM water electrolysis , 2011 .

[41]  S. M. Durón-Torres,et al.  Electrochemical Characterization of IrO 2 -Pt and RuO 2 -Pt Mixtures as Bifunctional Electrodes for Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cells , 2010 .

[42]  Kamaruzzaman Sopian,et al.  Review of the membrane and bipolar plates materials for conventional and unitized regenerative fuel cells , 2009 .

[43]  S. Specchia,et al.  Experimental studies on Nafion 112 single PEM-FCs exposed to freezing conditions , 2011 .

[44]  H. Gasteiger,et al.  Activity benchmarks and requirements for Pt, Pt-alloy, and non-Pt oxygen reduction catalysts for PEMFCs , 2005 .

[45]  R. Shriner,et al.  PLATINUM OXIDE AS A CATALYST IN THE REDUCTION OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS. III. PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF THE OXIDE OF PLATINUM OBTAINED BY THE FUSION OF CHLOROPLATINIC ACID WITH SODIUM NITRATE1 , 1923 .

[46]  Anil Verma,et al.  Feasibility study of a simple unitized regenerative fuel cell , 2004 .

[47]  Antonino S. Aricò,et al.  Performance and degradation of high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cell catalysts , 2008 .

[48]  W. Stickle,et al.  Handbook of X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy , 1992 .

[49]  N. Briguglio,et al.  Electrochemical characterization of single cell and short stack PEM electrolyzers based on a nanosized IrO2 anode electrocatalyst , 2010 .

[50]  Marvin. Antelman,et al.  The encyclopedia of chemical electrode potentials , 1982 .

[51]  Hansung Kim,et al.  Investigation of carbon-supported Pt nanocatalyst preparation by the polyol process for fuel cell applications , 2007 .

[52]  E. Gonzalez,et al.  Effects of geometric and electronic factors on ORR activity of carbon supported Pt-Co electrocatalysts in PEM fuel cells , 2005 .

[53]  Rajshree Singh,et al.  Novel electrocatalysts for generating oxygen from alkaline water electrolysis , 2007 .

[54]  K. Kuribayashi,et al.  Sputter deposited Pt-Ir oxides thin films and their characterization , 2004 .

[55]  S. Machado,et al.  Influence of the preparation method on the morphological and electrochemical properties of Ti/IrO2-coated electrodes , 2000 .

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

[57]  V. Antonucci,et al.  Synthesis, characterization and evaluation of IrO2-RuO 2 electrocatalytic powders for oxygen evolution reaction , 2008 .

[58]  P. Bruce,et al.  Nanostructured materials for advanced energy conversion and storage devices , 2005, Nature materials.

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

[60]  Tsutomu Ioroi,et al.  Iridium Oxide/Platinum Electrocatalysts for Unitized Regenerative Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells , 2000 .

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