Fuel Cells Catalyst for Start-Up and Shutdown Conditions: Electrochemical, XPS, and STEM Evaluation of Sputter-Deposited Ru, Ir, and Ti on Pt-Coated Nanostructured Thin Film Supports

Radoslav T. Atanasoski; Ljiljana L. Atanasoska; David A. Cullen; Gregory M. Haugen; Karren L. More; George D. Vernstrom

doi:10.1007/s12678-012-0092-3

Fuel Cells Catalyst for Start-Up and Shutdown Conditions: Electrochemical, XPS, and STEM Evaluation of Sputter-Deposited Ru, Ir, and Ti on Pt-Coated Nanostructured Thin Film Supports

Radoslav T. Atanasoski, Ljiljana L. Atanasoska, David A. Cullen, Gregory M. Haugen, Karren L. More, George D. Vernstrom

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

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

Minute amounts of Ru, Ir, and Ti (2 and 10 μg/cm²) sputter-deposited over 3M Pt-coated nanostructured thin film (NSTF) substrate were evaluated as oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts in a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) environment. The purpose of the study was to explore the suitability of these elements for modifying both the anode and the cathode catalysts in order to lower the overpotential for the oxidation of water during transient conditions. By keeping the electrode potential as close as possible to the thermodynamic potential for OER, other components in the fuel cell, such as platinum, the gas diffusion layer, and the bipolar plates, will be less prone to degradation. While Ru and Ir were chosen due to their high OER activity in aqueous environment, Ti was also included due to its ability to stabilize the OER catalysts. The 3M Pt-NSTF was selected as a stable, carbon-free substrate. The surface chemistry and the morphology of OER catalysts on Pt-NSTF were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The OER catalytic activity of Ru and Ir in PEMs compares well with their behavior in aqueous environment. It was found that Ru is more active than Ir, that Ir is considerably more stable, while the mass activity of both is higher in comparison with similar OER catalysts.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	284-297
Number of pages	14
Journal	Electrocatalysis
Volume	3
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s12678-012-0092-3
State	Published - Dec 2012

Funding

Acknowledgments Theresa Watschke, Jess Wheldon, and Jimmy Wong are acknowledged for their assistance in the fuel cell testing. This work was supported by the Fuel Cell Technologies Program, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, US Department of Energy under Award Number DE-EE0000456. This research was sponsored by Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Shared Research Equipment (ShaRE) User Program, which is sponsored by the Office of Basic Energy Sciences, US Department of Energy.

Keywords

Cell reversal
Oxygen evolution reaction
PEM fuel cell
STEM
Start-up/shutdown
XPS

Access to Document

10.1007/s12678-012-0092-3

Cite this

@article{617296d8b4e24758908b93d87e07d07e,

title = "Fuel Cells Catalyst for Start-Up and Shutdown Conditions: Electrochemical, XPS, and STEM Evaluation of Sputter-Deposited Ru, Ir, and Ti on Pt-Coated Nanostructured Thin Film Supports",

abstract = "Minute amounts of Ru, Ir, and Ti (2 and 10 μg/cm2) sputter-deposited over 3M Pt-coated nanostructured thin film (NSTF) substrate were evaluated as oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts in a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) environment. The purpose of the study was to explore the suitability of these elements for modifying both the anode and the cathode catalysts in order to lower the overpotential for the oxidation of water during transient conditions. By keeping the electrode potential as close as possible to the thermodynamic potential for OER, other components in the fuel cell, such as platinum, the gas diffusion layer, and the bipolar plates, will be less prone to degradation. While Ru and Ir were chosen due to their high OER activity in aqueous environment, Ti was also included due to its ability to stabilize the OER catalysts. The 3M Pt-NSTF was selected as a stable, carbon-free substrate. The surface chemistry and the morphology of OER catalysts on Pt-NSTF were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The OER catalytic activity of Ru and Ir in PEMs compares well with their behavior in aqueous environment. It was found that Ru is more active than Ir, that Ir is considerably more stable, while the mass activity of both is higher in comparison with similar OER catalysts.",

keywords = "Cell reversal, Oxygen evolution reaction, PEM fuel cell, STEM, Start-up/shutdown, XPS",

author = "Atanasoski, {Radoslav T.} and Atanasoska, {Ljiljana L.} and Cullen, {David A.} and Haugen, {Gregory M.} and More, {Karren L.} and Vernstrom, {George D.}",

year = "2012",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1007/s12678-012-0092-3",

language = "English",

volume = "3",

pages = "284--297",

journal = "Electrocatalysis",

issn = "1868-2529",

publisher = "Springer",

number = "3",

}

Fuel Cells Catalyst for Start-Up and Shutdown Conditions: Electrochemical, XPS, and STEM Evaluation of Sputter-Deposited Ru, Ir, and Ti on Pt-Coated Nanostructured Thin Film Supports. / Atanasoski, Radoslav T.; Atanasoska, Ljiljana L.; Cullen, David A. et al.
In: Electrocatalysis, Vol. 3, No. 3, 12.2012, p. 284-297.

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

TY - JOUR

T1 - Fuel Cells Catalyst for Start-Up and Shutdown Conditions

T2 - Electrochemical, XPS, and STEM Evaluation of Sputter-Deposited Ru, Ir, and Ti on Pt-Coated Nanostructured Thin Film Supports

AU - Atanasoski, Radoslav T.

AU - Atanasoska, Ljiljana L.

AU - Cullen, David A.

AU - Haugen, Gregory M.

AU - More, Karren L.

AU - Vernstrom, George D.

PY - 2012/12

Y1 - 2012/12

N2 - Minute amounts of Ru, Ir, and Ti (2 and 10 μg/cm2) sputter-deposited over 3M Pt-coated nanostructured thin film (NSTF) substrate were evaluated as oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts in a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) environment. The purpose of the study was to explore the suitability of these elements for modifying both the anode and the cathode catalysts in order to lower the overpotential for the oxidation of water during transient conditions. By keeping the electrode potential as close as possible to the thermodynamic potential for OER, other components in the fuel cell, such as platinum, the gas diffusion layer, and the bipolar plates, will be less prone to degradation. While Ru and Ir were chosen due to their high OER activity in aqueous environment, Ti was also included due to its ability to stabilize the OER catalysts. The 3M Pt-NSTF was selected as a stable, carbon-free substrate. The surface chemistry and the morphology of OER catalysts on Pt-NSTF were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The OER catalytic activity of Ru and Ir in PEMs compares well with their behavior in aqueous environment. It was found that Ru is more active than Ir, that Ir is considerably more stable, while the mass activity of both is higher in comparison with similar OER catalysts.

AB - Minute amounts of Ru, Ir, and Ti (2 and 10 μg/cm2) sputter-deposited over 3M Pt-coated nanostructured thin film (NSTF) substrate were evaluated as oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts in a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) environment. The purpose of the study was to explore the suitability of these elements for modifying both the anode and the cathode catalysts in order to lower the overpotential for the oxidation of water during transient conditions. By keeping the electrode potential as close as possible to the thermodynamic potential for OER, other components in the fuel cell, such as platinum, the gas diffusion layer, and the bipolar plates, will be less prone to degradation. While Ru and Ir were chosen due to their high OER activity in aqueous environment, Ti was also included due to its ability to stabilize the OER catalysts. The 3M Pt-NSTF was selected as a stable, carbon-free substrate. The surface chemistry and the morphology of OER catalysts on Pt-NSTF were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The OER catalytic activity of Ru and Ir in PEMs compares well with their behavior in aqueous environment. It was found that Ru is more active than Ir, that Ir is considerably more stable, while the mass activity of both is higher in comparison with similar OER catalysts.

KW - Cell reversal

KW - Oxygen evolution reaction

KW - PEM fuel cell

KW - STEM

KW - Start-up/shutdown

KW - XPS

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84869009752&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s12678-012-0092-3

DO - 10.1007/s12678-012-0092-3

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84869009752

SN - 1868-2529

VL - 3

SP - 284

EP - 297

JO - Electrocatalysis

JF - Electrocatalysis

IS - 3

ER -

Fuel Cells Catalyst for Start-Up and Shutdown Conditions: Electrochemical, XPS, and STEM Evaluation of Sputter-Deposited Ru, Ir, and Ti on Pt-Coated Nanostructured Thin Film Supports

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this