cover image: Detailed catalyst layer structure of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell from contrast variation small-angle neutron scattering

Detailed catalyst layer structure of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell from contrast variation small-angle neutron scattering

28 Mar 2024

Despite significant decrease in past decades, the cost of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), largely due to the rare and expensive electro-catalyst made of platinum, restrains its massive deployment. Therefore, reducing the platinum content in the electrode is the keystone of intense research efforts to increase catalyst activity or utilisation. Catalyst layer structure, and especially the water and ionomer distributions, rule the active sites availability for electrochemical reactions, and thus catalyst utilisation, because of their influence on the transport of protons and oxygen. However, the rational design of more efficient electrodes faces the lack of accurate knowledge of its complex nanoporous structure. Specifically, ionomer and water distribution are very difficult to probe with conventional electron microscopy or X-Ray techniques. This work provides quantitative and new information on electrode structure, regarding ionomer and water distributions thanks to an extensive analysis of Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) profiles at different relative humidity (RH) and contrast. A 2 to 3 nm thin ionomer film spreads around the Pt/C catalyst particles while a condensed water layer appears at the catalyst/ionomer interface depending on the type of carbon support.

Authors

Florian Chabot, Jongmin Lee, Florent Vandenberghe, Laure Guetaz, Gérard Gebel, Sandrine Lyonnard, Lionel Porcar, Sébastien Rosini, Arnaud Morin

Organizations mentioned

Bibliographic Reference
Florian Chabot, Jongmin Lee, Florent Vandenberghe, Laure Guetaz, Gérard Gebel, et al.. Detailed catalyst layer structure of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell from contrast variation small-angle neutron scattering. ACS Applied Energy Materials, 2024, 6 (3), pp.1185-1196. ⟨10.1021/acsaem.2c02384⟩. ⟨cea-04119543⟩
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.2c02384
Department
["Département de l'électricité et de l'hydrogène dans les transports", 'SYstèmes Moléculaires et nanoMatériaux pour l’Energie et la Santé']
European Project Title
['FURTHER-FC Further Understanding Related to Transport limitations at High current density towards future ElectRodes for Fuel Cells - DOI 10.3030/875025', 'World class Science and Innovation with Neutrons in Europe 2020 – SINE2020']
HAL Collection
["CEA - Commissariat à l'énergie atomique", 'Université Savoie Mont Blanc', 'HAL Grenoble Alpes', 'CNRS - Centre national de la recherche scientifique', 'OpenAIRE', 'Direction de la recherche technologique', 'Institut de Chimie du CNRS', "Laboratoire d'Innovation pour les Technologies des Energies Nouvelles et les nanomatériaux", 'Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire de Grenoble', 'CEA Grenoble', 'Université Grenoble Alpes [2020-*]', 'SYstèmes Moléculaires et nanoMatériaux pour l’Energie et la Santé', "Institut National de l'Energie Solaire", 'MAP-contributeur']
HAL Identifier
4119543
Institution
["Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives", 'Université Savoie Mont Blanc', 'Institut de Chimie - CNRS Chimie', 'Institut Laue-Langevin']
Laboratory
["Laboratoire d'Innovation pour les Technologies des Energies Nouvelles et les nanomatériaux", 'Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire de Grenoble']
Published in
France

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