Optimization and aging of Pt nanowires supported on single-walled carbon nanotubes as a cathode catalyst in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyser

Olli Sorsa; Rachel Backhouse; Santeri Saxelin; Taneli Rajala; Hua Jiang; Pertti Kauranen; Tanja Kallio

doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.04.285

Optimization and aging of Pt nanowires supported on single-walled carbon nanotubes as a cathode catalyst in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyser

Olli Sorsa
, Rachel Backhouse
, Santeri Saxelin
, Taneli Rajala
, Hua Jiang
, Pertti Kauranen
, Tanja Kallio^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Not published at VTT

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	19121-19132
Number of pages	12
Journal	International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Volume	45
Issue number	38
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.04.285
Publication status	Published - 31 Jul 2020
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

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.

Keywords

Carbon nanotube
Hydrogen evolution reaction
PEM Water electrolyser
Platinum nanowire
Reference electrode

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.04.285

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title = "Optimization and aging of Pt nanowires supported on single-walled carbon nanotubes as a cathode catalyst in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyser",

abstract = "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.",

keywords = "Carbon nanotube, Hydrogen evolution reaction, PEM Water electrolyser, Platinum nanowire, Reference electrode",

author = "Olli Sorsa and Rachel Backhouse and Santeri Saxelin and Taneli Rajala and Hua Jiang and Pertti Kauranen and Tanja Kallio",

year = "2020",

month = jul,

day = "31",

doi = "10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.04.285",

language = "English",

volume = "45",

pages = "19121--19132",

journal = "International Journal of Hydrogen Energy",

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Optimization and aging of Pt nanowires supported on single-walled carbon nanotubes as a cathode catalyst in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyser. / Sorsa, Olli; Backhouse, Rachel; Saxelin, Santeri et al.
In: International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 45, No. 38, 31.07.2020, p. 19121-19132.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

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

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

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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 -

Optimization and aging of Pt nanowires supported on single-walled carbon nanotubes as a cathode catalyst in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyser

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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