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Lang JT, Kulkarni D, Foster CW, Huang Y, Sepe MA, Shimpalee S, Parkinson DY, Zenyuk IV. X-ray Tomography Applied to Electrochemical Devices and Electrocatalysis. Chem Rev 2023; 123:9880-9914. [PMID: 37579025 PMCID: PMC10450694 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
X-ray computed tomography (CT) is a nondestructive three-dimensional (3D) imaging technique used for studying morphological properties of porous and nonporous materials. In the field of electrocatalysis, X-ray CT is mainly used to quantify the morphology of electrodes and extract information such as porosity, tortuosity, pore-size distribution, and other relevant properties. For electrochemical systems such as fuel cells, electrolyzers, and redox flow batteries, X-ray CT gives the ability to study evolution of critical features of interest in ex situ, in situ, and operando environments. These include catalyst degradation, interface evolution under real conditions, formation of new phases (water and oxygen), and dynamics of transport processes. These studies enable more efficient device and electrode designs that will ultimately contribute to widespread decarbonization efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack T. Lang
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92617, United States
- National
Fuel Cell Research Center, University of
California, Irvine, California 92617, United States
| | - Devashish Kulkarni
- National
Fuel Cell Research Center, University of
California, Irvine, California 92617, United States
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, University
of California, Irvine, California 92617, United States
| | - Collin W. Foster
- Department
of Aerospace Engineering, University of
Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61820, United States
| | - Ying Huang
- National
Fuel Cell Research Center, University of
California, Irvine, California 92617, United States
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, University
of California, Irvine, California 92617, United States
| | - Mitchell A. Sepe
- Hydrogen
and Fuel Cell Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, United States
| | - Sirivatch Shimpalee
- Hydrogen
and Fuel Cell Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, United States
| | - Dilworth Y. Parkinson
- Advanced
Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Iryna V. Zenyuk
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92617, United States
- National
Fuel Cell Research Center, University of
California, Irvine, California 92617, United States
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, University
of California, Irvine, California 92617, United States
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Rigby SP. The Anatomy of Amorphous, Heterogeneous Catalyst Pellets. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:3205. [PMID: 37110038 PMCID: PMC10142278 DOI: 10.3390/ma16083205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
This review focuses on disordered, or amorphous, porous heterogeneous catalysts, especially those in the forms of pellets and monoliths. It considers the structural characterisation and representation of the void space of these porous media. It discusses the latest developments in the determination of key void space descriptors, such as porosity, pore size, and tortuosity. In particular, it discusses the contributions that can be made by various imaging modalities in both direct and indirect characterisations and their limitations. The second part of the review considers the various types of representations of the void space of porous catalysts. It was found that these come in three main types, which are dependent on the level of idealisation of the representation and the final purpose of the model. It was found that the limitations on the resolution and field of view for direct imaging methods mean that hybrid methods, combined with indirect porosimetry methods that can bridge the many length scales of structural heterogeneity and provide more statistically representative parameters, deliver the best basis for model construction for understanding mass transport in highly heterogeneous media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean P. Rigby
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Park Campus, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK;
- Geo-Energy Research Centre, University Park Campus, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
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Abstract
CO2 methanation is often performed on Ni/Al2O3 catalysts, which can suffer from mass transport limitations and, therefore, decreased efficiency. Here we show the application of a hierarchically porous Ni/Al2O3 catalyst for methanation of CO2. The material has a well-defined and connected meso- and macropore structure with a total porosity of 78%. The pore structure was thoroughly studied with conventional methods, i.e., N2 sorption, Hg porosimetry, and He pycnometry, and advanced imaging techniques, i.e., electron tomography and ptychographic X-ray computed tomography. Tomography can quantify the pore system in a manner that is not possible using conventional porosimetry. Macrokinetic simulations were performed based on the measures obtained by porosity analysis. These show the potential benefit of enhanced mass-transfer properties of the hierarchical pore system compared to a pure mesoporous catalyst at industrially relevant conditions. Besides the investigation of the pore system, the catalyst was studied by Rietveld refinement, diffuse reflectance ultraviolet-visible (DRUV/vis) spectroscopy, and H2-temperature programmed reduction (TPR), showing a high reduction temperature required for activation due to structural incorporation of Ni into the transition alumina. The reduced hierarchically porous Ni/Al2O3 catalyst is highly active in CO2 methanation, showing comparable conversion and selectivity for CH4 to an industrial reference catalyst.
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Rajbala, Bhatia D. Crystallite-Scale Approach To Predict the Oxygen Storage Capacity of a Three-Way Catalyst for Natural Gas Applications. Ind Eng Chem Res 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.9b01599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rajbala
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110016, India
| | - Divesh Bhatia
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110016, India
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Václavík M, Novák V, Březina J, Kočí P, Gregori G, Thompsett D. Effect of diffusion limitation on the performance of multi-layer oxidation and lean NO x trap catalysts. Catal Today 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2016.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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