Developing titanium micro/nano porous layers on planar thin/tunable LGDLs for high-efficiency hydrogen production

Zhenye Kang; Gaoqiang Yang; Jingke Mo; Shule Yu; David A. Cullen; Scott T. Retterer; Todd J. Toops; Michael P. Brady; Guido Bender; Bryan S. Pivovar; Johney B. Green; Feng Yuan Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.05.139

Developing titanium micro/nano porous layers on planar thin/tunable LGDLs for high-efficiency hydrogen production

Zhenye Kang, Gaoqiang Yang, Jingke Mo, Shule Yu, David A. Cullen, Scott T. Retterer, Todd J. Toops, Michael P. Brady, Guido Bender, Bryan S. Pivovar, Johney B. Green, Feng Yuan Zhang

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

65 Scopus citations

Abstract

Proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells (PEMECs) have been considered one of the most promising devices for hydrogen generation and energy storage from water splitting, especially when coupled with sustainable energy resources. Microporous layers (MPLs), which have been widely used in fuel cells for better catalyst access and product/reactant removal, have limited investigations in PEMECs due to harsh environments and carbon corrosion. In this study, the MPLs with both irregular micro (∼5 μm) and spherical nano (30–50 nm) titanium particles are developed on novel thin/tunable liquid/gas diffusion layers (TT-LGDLs) and are investigated comprehensively both in-situ and ex-situ for the first time. The MPLs change the wettability of the TT-LGDLs and show super hydrophobic property. The results reveal that micro particle MPLs exhibit improved catalytic activity but increased ohmic resistances, and that nano particle MPLs do not impact catalytic activity meaningfully but exhibit even greater increases in ohmic resistance. The effects of the thickness of the MPLs are also investigated and the typical MPL is also studied by in-situ visualization in a transparent PEMEC with a high-speed and micro-scale visualization system (HMVS). The results indicate the strong feasibility of the TT-LGDLs with small pore size and large porosity for high-efficiency and low-cost PEMEC practical applications.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	14618-14628
Number of pages	11
Journal	International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Volume	43
Issue number	31
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.05.139
State	Published - Aug 2 2018

Funding

The authors greatly appreciate the support from U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory under Award DE-FE0011585 , and National Renewable Energy Laboratory under Award DE-AC36-08GO28308 . This research was partially conducted at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, which is a DOE Office of Science User Facility. The authors also wish to express their appreciation to Dr. Bo Han, Dr. R. Lee Leonard, Dr. Jacqueline Anne Johnson, Dale Hensley, Dayrl Briggs, Alexander Terekhov, Douglas Warnberg, and Kate Lansford for their help. The authors greatly appreciate the support from U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory under Award DE-FE0011585, and National Renewable Energy Laboratory under Award DE-AC36-08GO28308. This research was partially conducted at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, which is a DOE Office of Science User Facility. The authors also wish to express their appreciation to Dr. Bo Han, Dr. R. Lee Leonard, Dr. Jacqueline Anne Johnson, Dale Hensley, Dayrl Briggs, Alexander Terekhov, Douglas Warnberg, and Kate Lansford for their help.

Keywords

Activation
Hydrogen energy
Liquid/gas diffusion layers
Microporous layer
Proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells
Water splitting

UN SDGs

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

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10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.05.139

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Kang, Z., Yang, G., Mo, J., Yu, S., Cullen, D. A., Retterer, S. T., Toops, T. J., Brady, M. P., Bender, G., Pivovar, B. S., Green, J. B., & Zhang, F. Y. (2018). Developing titanium micro/nano porous layers on planar thin/tunable LGDLs for high-efficiency hydrogen production. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 43(31), 14618-14628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.05.139

@article{c26abaf48bc74c62b80f8d229a78877d,

title = "Developing titanium micro/nano porous layers on planar thin/tunable LGDLs for high-efficiency hydrogen production",

abstract = "Proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells (PEMECs) have been considered one of the most promising devices for hydrogen generation and energy storage from water splitting, especially when coupled with sustainable energy resources. Microporous layers (MPLs), which have been widely used in fuel cells for better catalyst access and product/reactant removal, have limited investigations in PEMECs due to harsh environments and carbon corrosion. In this study, the MPLs with both irregular micro (∼5 μm) and spherical nano (30–50 nm) titanium particles are developed on novel thin/tunable liquid/gas diffusion layers (TT-LGDLs) and are investigated comprehensively both in-situ and ex-situ for the first time. The MPLs change the wettability of the TT-LGDLs and show super hydrophobic property. The results reveal that micro particle MPLs exhibit improved catalytic activity but increased ohmic resistances, and that nano particle MPLs do not impact catalytic activity meaningfully but exhibit even greater increases in ohmic resistance. The effects of the thickness of the MPLs are also investigated and the typical MPL is also studied by in-situ visualization in a transparent PEMEC with a high-speed and micro-scale visualization system (HMVS). The results indicate the strong feasibility of the TT-LGDLs with small pore size and large porosity for high-efficiency and low-cost PEMEC practical applications.",

keywords = "Activation, Hydrogen energy, Liquid/gas diffusion layers, Microporous layer, Proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells, Water splitting",

author = "Zhenye Kang and Gaoqiang Yang and Jingke Mo and Shule Yu and Cullen, {David A.} and Retterer, {Scott T.} and Toops, {Todd J.} and Brady, {Michael P.} and Guido Bender and Pivovar, {Bryan S.} and Green, {Johney B.} and Zhang, {Feng Yuan}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC",

year = "2018",

month = aug,

day = "2",

doi = "10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.05.139",

language = "English",

volume = "43",

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journal = "International Journal of Hydrogen Energy",

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number = "31",

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Kang, Z, Yang, G, Mo, J, Yu, S, Cullen, DA , Retterer, ST , Toops, TJ, Brady, MP, Bender, G, Pivovar, BS, Green, JB & Zhang, FY 2018, 'Developing titanium micro/nano porous layers on planar thin/tunable LGDLs for high-efficiency hydrogen production', International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, vol. 43, no. 31, pp. 14618-14628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.05.139

TY - JOUR

T1 - Developing titanium micro/nano porous layers on planar thin/tunable LGDLs for high-efficiency hydrogen production

AU - Kang, Zhenye

AU - Yang, Gaoqiang

AU - Mo, Jingke

AU - Yu, Shule

AU - Cullen, David A.

AU - Retterer, Scott T.

AU - Toops, Todd J.

AU - Brady, Michael P.

AU - Bender, Guido

AU - Pivovar, Bryan S.

AU - Green, Johney B.

AU - Zhang, Feng Yuan

PY - 2018/8/2

Y1 - 2018/8/2

N2 - Proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells (PEMECs) have been considered one of the most promising devices for hydrogen generation and energy storage from water splitting, especially when coupled with sustainable energy resources. Microporous layers (MPLs), which have been widely used in fuel cells for better catalyst access and product/reactant removal, have limited investigations in PEMECs due to harsh environments and carbon corrosion. In this study, the MPLs with both irregular micro (∼5 μm) and spherical nano (30–50 nm) titanium particles are developed on novel thin/tunable liquid/gas diffusion layers (TT-LGDLs) and are investigated comprehensively both in-situ and ex-situ for the first time. The MPLs change the wettability of the TT-LGDLs and show super hydrophobic property. The results reveal that micro particle MPLs exhibit improved catalytic activity but increased ohmic resistances, and that nano particle MPLs do not impact catalytic activity meaningfully but exhibit even greater increases in ohmic resistance. The effects of the thickness of the MPLs are also investigated and the typical MPL is also studied by in-situ visualization in a transparent PEMEC with a high-speed and micro-scale visualization system (HMVS). The results indicate the strong feasibility of the TT-LGDLs with small pore size and large porosity for high-efficiency and low-cost PEMEC practical applications.

AB - Proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells (PEMECs) have been considered one of the most promising devices for hydrogen generation and energy storage from water splitting, especially when coupled with sustainable energy resources. Microporous layers (MPLs), which have been widely used in fuel cells for better catalyst access and product/reactant removal, have limited investigations in PEMECs due to harsh environments and carbon corrosion. In this study, the MPLs with both irregular micro (∼5 μm) and spherical nano (30–50 nm) titanium particles are developed on novel thin/tunable liquid/gas diffusion layers (TT-LGDLs) and are investigated comprehensively both in-situ and ex-situ for the first time. The MPLs change the wettability of the TT-LGDLs and show super hydrophobic property. The results reveal that micro particle MPLs exhibit improved catalytic activity but increased ohmic resistances, and that nano particle MPLs do not impact catalytic activity meaningfully but exhibit even greater increases in ohmic resistance. The effects of the thickness of the MPLs are also investigated and the typical MPL is also studied by in-situ visualization in a transparent PEMEC with a high-speed and micro-scale visualization system (HMVS). The results indicate the strong feasibility of the TT-LGDLs with small pore size and large porosity for high-efficiency and low-cost PEMEC practical applications.

KW - Activation

KW - Hydrogen energy

KW - Liquid/gas diffusion layers

KW - Microporous layer

KW - Proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells

KW - Water splitting

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85048824620&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.05.139

DO - 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.05.139

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85048824620

SN - 0360-3199

VL - 43

SP - 14618

EP - 14628

JO - International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

JF - International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

IS - 31

ER -

Developing titanium micro/nano porous layers on planar thin/tunable LGDLs for high-efficiency hydrogen production

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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