TY - JOUR
T1 - Optimization and aging of Pt nanowires supported on single-walled carbon nanotubes as a cathode catalyst in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyser
AU - Sorsa, Olli
AU - Backhouse, Rachel
AU - Saxelin, Santeri
AU - Rajala, Taneli
AU - Jiang, Hua
AU - Kauranen, Pertti
AU - Kallio, Tanja
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank the Academy of Finland (DEMEC (285693), SUPER (292554) and Profi 5 projects) and the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement CREATE No. 721065 for funding this work. The Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion is additionally greatfully acknowledged for financial support. ITM Power is acknowledged for providing the experimental setup to Aalto University for carrying out the PEM electrolyser measurements. Mr. Miikka Jokinen is acknowledged for his help in fitting the impedance spectra and Mr. Janez Kosir for helping to analyse the Raman spectra. Mr. Farhan S.M. Ali and Mr. Lijun Fan are acknowledged for maintaining the cycled long-term measurement. This study made use of the Aalto University Low Temperature Laboratory (Aalto-LTL), Nanomicroscopy Center (Aalto-NMC) and Bioeconomy and RawMatTERS Research Infrastructures (Aalto-RaMI) facilities.
Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank the Academy of Finland (DEMEC (285693), SUPER (292554) and Profi 5 projects) and the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement CREATE No. 721065 for funding this work. The Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion is additionally greatfully acknowledged for financial support. ITM Power is acknowledged for providing the experimental setup to Aalto University for carrying out the PEM electrolyser measurements. Mr. Miikka Jokinen is acknowledged for his help in fitting the impedance spectra and Mr. Janez Kosir for helping to analyse the Raman spectra. Mr. Farhan S.M. Ali and Mr. Lijun Fan are acknowledged for maintaining the cycled long-term measurement. This study made use of the Aalto University Low Temperature Laboratory (Aalto-LTL), Nanomicroscopy Center (Aalto-NMC) and Bioeconomy and RawMatTERS Research Infrastructures (Aalto-RaMI) facilities.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/7/31
Y1 - 2020/7/31
N2 - A catalyst material containing platinum nanowires supported on single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is tested thoroughly for the use as a cathode catalyst for polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyser (PEMEL). The Nafion ionomer content, the platinum to CNT ratio and the thickness of the catalyst layer (CL) is optimized. Long-term measurement with constant current and start-stop cycling of the optimized CL is performed in order to study the durability of the catalyst material. The CLs are characterized ex-situ with TEM, XRD and Raman spectroscopy. During the constant current operation, platinum experiences Ostwald ripening type of degradation and during the cycling, particle agglomeration. The magnitude of platinum degradation is, however, lower than for a commercial Pt/C type of catalyst. Moreover, the CNTs are subjected to carbon corrosion, but the rate of corrosion is observed to be decreasing. Therefore, carbon nanotubes are considered more suitable support material for the cathode catalyst of PEMELs.
AB - A catalyst material containing platinum nanowires supported on single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is tested thoroughly for the use as a cathode catalyst for polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyser (PEMEL). The Nafion ionomer content, the platinum to CNT ratio and the thickness of the catalyst layer (CL) is optimized. Long-term measurement with constant current and start-stop cycling of the optimized CL is performed in order to study the durability of the catalyst material. The CLs are characterized ex-situ with TEM, XRD and Raman spectroscopy. During the constant current operation, platinum experiences Ostwald ripening type of degradation and during the cycling, particle agglomeration. The magnitude of platinum degradation is, however, lower than for a commercial Pt/C type of catalyst. Moreover, the CNTs are subjected to carbon corrosion, but the rate of corrosion is observed to be decreasing. Therefore, carbon nanotubes are considered more suitable support material for the cathode catalyst of PEMELs.
KW - Carbon nanotube
KW - Hydrogen evolution reaction
KW - PEM Water electrolyser
KW - Platinum nanowire
KW - Reference electrode
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85087509150&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.04.285
DO - 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.04.285
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85087509150
SN - 0360-3199
VL - 45
SP - 19121
EP - 19132
JO - International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
JF - International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
IS - 38
ER -
