Quantifying the electrochemical active site density of precious metal-free catalysts in situ in fuel cells

Rifael Z. Snitkoff-Sol; Ariel Friedman; Hilah C. Honig; Yan Yurko; Alisa Kozhushner; Michael J. Zachman; Piotr Zelenay; Alan M. Bond; Lior Elbaz

doi:10.1038/s41929-022-00748-9

Quantifying the electrochemical active site density of precious metal-free catalysts in situ in fuel cells

Rifael Z. Snitkoff-Sol, Ariel Friedman, Hilah C. Honig, Yan Yurko, Alisa Kozhushner, Michael J. Zachman, Piotr Zelenay, Alan M. Bond, Lior Elbaz

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

94 Scopus citations

Abstract

Advances in the development of precious-group metal-free (PGM-free) catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cell cathodes have produced active catalysts that reduce the performance gap to the incumbent Pt-based materials. However, utilization of state-of-the-art PGM-free catalysts for commercial applications is currently impeded by their relatively low durability. Methods designed to study catalyst degradation in the operation of fuel cells are therefore critical for understanding durability issues and, ultimately, their solutions. Here we report the use of Fourier-transform alternating current voltammetry as an electrochemical method for accurate quantification of the electrochemically active site density of PGM-free cathode catalysts, and to follow their degradation in situ during the operation of polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Using this method, we were able to quantify the electrochemical active site density, which will enable the elucidation of degradation mechanisms of PGM-free ORR catalysts in situ in fuel cells. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	163-170
Number of pages	8
Journal	Nature Catalysis
Volume	5
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-022-00748-9
State	Published - Feb 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.

Funding

R.Z.S.-S., A.F. and H.C.H. thank the Israeli Ministry of Energy for their fellowships. Part of this work was conducted within the framework of the Israeli Fuel Cells Consortium. L.E. thanks the Israeli Ministry of Energy for funding this project (no. 219-11-132). This research was supported in part by the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office. Electron microscopy was conducted at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, which is a DOE Office of Science User Facility. R.Z.S.-S., A.F. and H.C.H. thank the Israeli Ministry of Energy for their fellowships. Part of this work was conducted within the framework of the Israeli Fuel Cells Consortium. L.E. thanks the Israeli Ministry of Energy for funding this project (no. 219-11-132). This research was supported in part by the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office. Electron microscopy was conducted at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, which is a DOE Office of Science User Facility.

Funders	Funder number
Israeli Fuel Cells Consortium
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Science
Ministry of Energy, Israel	219-11-132

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10.1038/s41929-022-00748-9

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title = "Quantifying the electrochemical active site density of precious metal-free catalysts in situ in fuel cells",

abstract = "Advances in the development of precious-group metal-free (PGM-free) catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cell cathodes have produced active catalysts that reduce the performance gap to the incumbent Pt-based materials. However, utilization of state-of-the-art PGM-free catalysts for commercial applications is currently impeded by their relatively low durability. Methods designed to study catalyst degradation in the operation of fuel cells are therefore critical for understanding durability issues and, ultimately, their solutions. Here we report the use of Fourier-transform alternating current voltammetry as an electrochemical method for accurate quantification of the electrochemically active site density of PGM-free cathode catalysts, and to follow their degradation in situ during the operation of polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Using this method, we were able to quantify the electrochemical active site density, which will enable the elucidation of degradation mechanisms of PGM-free ORR catalysts in situ in fuel cells. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]",

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AU - Kozhushner, Alisa

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AU - Bond, Alan M.

AU - Elbaz, Lior

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Quantifying the electrochemical active site density of precious metal-free catalysts in situ in fuel cells

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