Fuel cell electrode degradation followed by identical location transmission electron microscopy
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2023

Identical location transmission electron microscopy (IL-TEM) is a powerful technique that has previously been used to study degradation of catalyst materials for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) in half-cell environments. Here, we demonstrate that IL-TEM can be used to follow degradation at the top of the catalytic Pt/C layer in a real PEMFC on the atomic scale under operation. We find that during an accelerated stress test (AST), mimicking normal operation, Pt nanoparticles grow mainly by Ostwald ripening, while the carbon support is stable. Under AST mimicking start-up/shutdown conditions, the carbon support degrades mainly by loss of volume and collapse, which forces the Pt nanoparticles closer, promoting additional particle growth. The observed degradation correlates with the measured decrease in electrochemical performance for the respective AST. The results show the feasibility of performing IL-TEM imaging in PEMFCs under real-operating conditions, opening up the possibility for similar studies in other fully operational systems.

Författare

Victor Shokhen

Chalmers, Kemi och kemiteknik, Tillämpad kemi

Linnéa Strandberg

Chalmers, Fysik, Kemisk fysik

Magnus Skoglundh

Chalmers, Kemi och kemiteknik, Tillämpad kemi

Björn Wickman

Chalmers, Fysik, Kemisk fysik

Journal of Materials Chemistry A

20507488 (ISSN) 20507496 (eISSN)

Vol. 11 39 21029-21035

Nya material för bränslecellskatalysatorer med nanostrukturerade modelelektroder

Vetenskapsrådet (VR) (2018-03927), 2019-01-01 -- 2022-12-31.

The Competence Centre for Catalysis, KCK 2022-2026

Volvo Group (PO:2435702-000), 2022-01-01 -- 2026-12-31.

Johnson Matthey (2500123383), 2022-01-01 -- 2026-12-31.

Scania CV AB (Dnr:2021-036543Pnr:52689-1), 2022-01-01 -- 2026-12-31.

Umicore Denmark ApS (KCK2022-2026), 2022-01-01 -- 2026-12-31.

Preem AB (KCK2022-2026), 2022-01-01 -- 2026-12-31.

Ämneskategorier

Energiteknik

DOI

10.1039/d3ta01303k

Mer information

Senast uppdaterat

2024-03-07