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Honig HC, Mostoni S, Presman Y, Snitkoff-Sol RZ, Valagussa P, D'Arienzo M, Scotti R, Santoro C, Muhyuddin M, Elbaz L. Morphological and structural design through hard-templating of PGM-free electrocatalysts for AEMFC applications. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:11174-11186. [PMID: 38770663 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr01779j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
This study delves into the critical role of customized materials design and synthesis methods in influencing the performance of electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs). It introduces a novel approach to obtain platinum-free (PGM-free) electrocatalysts based on the controlled integration of iron active sites onto the surface of silica nanoparticles (NPs) by using nitrogen-based surface ligands. These NPs are used as hard templates to form tailored nanostructured electrocatalysts with an improved iron dispersion into the carbon matrix. By utilizing a wide array of analytical techniques including infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques, X-ray diffraction and surface area measurements, this work provides insight into the physical parameters that are critical for ORR electrocatalysis with PGM-free electrocatalysts. The new catalysts showed a hierarchical structure containing a large portion of graphitic zones which contribute to the catalyst stability. They also had a high electrochemically active site density reaching 1.47 × 1019 sites g-1 for SAFe_M_P1AP2 and 1.14 × 1019 sites g-1 for SEFe_M_P1AP2, explaining the difference in performance in fuel cell measurements. These findings underscore the potential impact of a controlled materials design for advancing green energy applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilah C Honig
- Chemistry Department, Bar-Ilan Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel.
| | - Silvia Mostoni
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca U5, Via Roberto Cozzi 55, 20125, Milano, Italy.
| | - Yan Presman
- Chemistry Department, Bar-Ilan Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel.
| | - Rifael Z Snitkoff-Sol
- Chemistry Department, Bar-Ilan Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel.
| | - Paolo Valagussa
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca U5, Via Roberto Cozzi 55, 20125, Milano, Italy.
| | - Massimiliano D'Arienzo
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca U5, Via Roberto Cozzi 55, 20125, Milano, Italy.
| | - Roberto Scotti
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca U5, Via Roberto Cozzi 55, 20125, Milano, Italy.
- Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies-CNR, Via alla Cascata 56/C, 38123 Povo, TN, Italy
| | - Carlo Santoro
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca U5, Via Roberto Cozzi 55, 20125, Milano, Italy.
| | - Mohsin Muhyuddin
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca U5, Via Roberto Cozzi 55, 20125, Milano, Italy.
| | - Lior Elbaz
- Chemistry Department, Bar-Ilan Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel.
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Mazzucato M, Gavioli L, Balzano V, Berretti E, Rizzi GA, Badocco D, Pastore P, Zitolo A, Durante C. Synergistic Effect of Sn and Fe in Fe-N x Site Formation and Activity in Fe-N-C Catalyst for ORR. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:54635-54648. [PMID: 36468946 PMCID: PMC9756292 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c13837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Iron-nitrogen-carbon (Fe-N-C) materials emerged as one of the best non-platinum group material (non-PGM) alternatives to Pt/C catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of O2 in fuel cells. Co-doping with a secondary metal center is a possible choice to further enhance the activity toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Here, classical Fe-N-C materials were co-doped with Sn as a secondary metal center. Sn-N-C according to the literature shows excellent activity, in particular in the fuel cell setup; here, the same catalyst shows a non-negligible activity in 0.5 M H2SO4 electrolyte but not as high as expected, meaning the different and uncertain nature of active sites. On the other hand, in mixed Fe, Sn-N-C catalysts, the presence of Sn improves the catalytic activity that is linked to a higher Fe-N4 site density, whereas the possible synergistic interaction of Fe-N4 and Sn-Nx found no confirmation. The presence of Fe-N4 and Sn-Nx was thoroughly determined by extended X-ray absorption fine structure and NO stripping technique; furthermore, besides the typical voltammetric technique, the catalytic activity of Fe-N-C catalyst was determined and also compared with that of the gas diffusion electrode (GDE), which allows a fast and reliable screening for possible implementation in a full cell. This paper therefore explores the effect of Sn on the formation, activity, and selectivity of Fe-N-C catalysts in both acid and alkaline media by tuning the Sn/Fe ratio in the synthetic procedure, with the ratio 1/2 showing the best activity, even higher than that of the iron-only containing sample (jk = 2.11 vs 1.83 A g-1). Pt-free materials are also tested for ORR in GDE setup in both performance and durability tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Mazzucato
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131Padova, Italy
| | - Luca Gavioli
- i-LAMP
& Department of Mathematics and Physics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via della Garzetta 46, 25133Brescia, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Balzano
- i-LAMP
& Department of Mathematics and Physics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via della Garzetta 46, 25133Brescia, Italy
| | - Enrico Berretti
- Institute
of Chemistry of Organometallic Compounds (ICCOM)—National Research
Council (CNR), Via Madonna
del Piano 10, 50019Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Gian Andrea Rizzi
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131Padova, Italy
| | - Denis Badocco
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131Padova, Italy
| | - Paolo Pastore
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131Padova, Italy
| | - Andrea Zitolo
- Synchrotron
SOLEIL, L’Orme des Merisiers, BP 48 Saint Aubin, 91192Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Christian Durante
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131Padova, Italy
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Muhyuddin M, Testa D, Lorenzi R, Vanacore GM, Poli F, Soavi F, Specchia S, Giurlani W, Innocenti M, Rosi L, Santoro C. Iron-based electrocatalysts derived from scrap tires for oxygen reduction reaction: Evolution of synthesis-structure-performance relationship in acidic, neutral and alkaline media. Electrochim Acta 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2022.141254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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4
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Muhyuddin M, Filippi J, Zoia L, Bonizzoni S, Lorenzi R, Berretti E, Capozzoli L, Bellini M, Ferrara C, Lavacchi A, Santoro C. Waste Face Surgical Mask Transformation into Crude Oil and Nanostructured Electrocatalysts for Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers. CHEMSUSCHEM 2022; 15:e202102351. [PMID: 34889066 PMCID: PMC9300040 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202102351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
A novel route for the valorization of waste into valuable products was developed. Surgical masks commonly used for COVID 19 protection by stopping aerosol and droplets have been widely used, and their disposal is critical and often not properly pursued. This work intended to transform surgical masks into platinum group metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) as well as into crude oil. Surgical masks were subjected to controlled-temperature and -atmosphere pyrolysis, and the produced char was then converted into electrocatalysts by functionalizing it with metal phthalocyanine of interest. The electrocatalytic performance characterization towards ORR and HER was carried out highlighting promising activity. At different temperatures, condensable oil fractions were acquired and thoroughly analyzed. Transformation of waste surgical masks into electrocatalysts and crude oil can open new routes for the conversion of waste into valuable products within the core of the circular economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsin Muhyuddin
- Department of Materials ScienceUniversity of Milano-BicoccaU5 Via Cozzi 5520125MilanItaly
| | - Jonathan Filippi
- Istituto di Chimica Dei Composti OrganoMetallici (ICCOM)Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR)Via Madonna Del Piano 1050019Sesto FiorentinoFirenzeItaly
| | - Luca Zoia
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Milano-Bicocca Building U01Piazza della Scienza 120126MilanItaly
| | - Simone Bonizzoni
- Department of Materials ScienceUniversity of Milano-BicoccaU5 Via Cozzi 5520125MilanItaly
| | - Roberto Lorenzi
- Department of Materials ScienceUniversity of Milano-BicoccaU5 Via Cozzi 5520125MilanItaly
| | - Enrico Berretti
- Istituto di Chimica Dei Composti OrganoMetallici (ICCOM)Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR)Via Madonna Del Piano 1050019Sesto FiorentinoFirenzeItaly
| | - Laura Capozzoli
- Istituto di Chimica Dei Composti OrganoMetallici (ICCOM)Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR)Via Madonna Del Piano 1050019Sesto FiorentinoFirenzeItaly
| | - Marco Bellini
- Istituto di Chimica Dei Composti OrganoMetallici (ICCOM)Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR)Via Madonna Del Piano 1050019Sesto FiorentinoFirenzeItaly
| | - Chiara Ferrara
- Department of Materials ScienceUniversity of Milano-BicoccaU5 Via Cozzi 5520125MilanItaly
| | - Alessandro Lavacchi
- Istituto di Chimica Dei Composti OrganoMetallici (ICCOM)Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR)Via Madonna Del Piano 1050019Sesto FiorentinoFirenzeItaly
| | - Carlo Santoro
- Department of Materials ScienceUniversity of Milano-BicoccaU5 Via Cozzi 5520125MilanItaly
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