1
|
Price R, MacDonald L, Gillies N, Day A, Brightman E, Li J. Utilisation and valorisation of distillery whisky waste streams via biomass electrolysis: electrosynthesis of hydrogen. Faraday Discuss 2023; 247:268-288. [PMID: 37477133 DOI: 10.1039/d3fd00086a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Fuel-flexible hydrogen generation methods, such as electrochemical conversion of biomass, offer a route for sustainable production of hydrogen whilst valorising feedstocks that are often overlooked as waste products. This work explores the potential of a novel, two-stage electrolysis process to convert biomass-containing solid (draff/spent barley) and liquid (pot ale and spent lees) whisky co-products, from the Isle of Raasay Distillery, into hydrogen, using a phosphomolybdic acid (H3[PMo12O40] or PMA) catalyst. Characterisation results for whisky distillery co-products will be presented, including thermogravimetric, differential scanning calorimetric, CHN elemental, total organic carbon and chemical oxygen demand analysis data. The results indicated that the characteristics of these co-products align well with those reported across the Scotch whisky distillation sector. Subsequently, the concept of thermal digestion of each co-product type, using the Keggin-type polyoxometalate PMA catalyst to abstract protons and electrons from biomass, will be outlined. UV-visible spectrophotometry was employed to assess the extent of reduction of the catalyst, after digestion of each co-product, and indicated that draff and pot ale offer the largest scope for hydrogen production, whilst digestion and electrolysis of spent lees is not viable due to the low biomass content of this distillation co-product. Finally, details of electrolysis of the PMA-biomass solutions using a proton-exchange membrane electrolysis cell (PEMEC) will be provided, including electrochemical data that help to elucidate the performance-limiting processes of the PEMEC operating on digested biomass-PMA anolytes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Price
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, James Weir Building, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow, G1 1XJ, UK.
- Isle of Raasay Distillery, R&B Distillers Ltd., Borodale House, Isle of Raasay, Kyle, Scotland, IV40 8PB, UK
| | - Lewis MacDonald
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, James Weir Building, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow, G1 1XJ, UK.
| | - Norman Gillies
- Isle of Raasay Distillery, R&B Distillers Ltd., Borodale House, Isle of Raasay, Kyle, Scotland, IV40 8PB, UK
| | - Alasdair Day
- Isle of Raasay Distillery, R&B Distillers Ltd., Borodale House, Isle of Raasay, Kyle, Scotland, IV40 8PB, UK
| | - Edward Brightman
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, James Weir Building, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow, G1 1XJ, UK.
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, James Weir Building, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow, G1 1XJ, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ding L, Xie Z, Yu S, Wang W, Terekhov AY, Canfield BK, Capuano CB, Keane A, Ayers K, Cullen DA, Zhang FY. Electrochemically Grown Ultrathin Platinum Nanosheet Electrodes with Ultralow Loadings for Energy-Saving and Industrial-Level Hydrogen Evolution. NANO-MICRO LETTERS 2023; 15:144. [PMID: 37269447 PMCID: PMC10239421 DOI: 10.1007/s40820-023-01117-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Nanostructured catalyst-integrated electrodes with remarkably reduced catalyst loadings, high catalyst utilization and facile fabrication are urgently needed to enable cost-effective, green hydrogen production via proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells (PEMECs). Herein, benefitting from a thin seeding layer, bottom-up grown ultrathin Pt nanosheets (Pt-NSs) were first deposited on thin Ti substrates for PEMECs via a fast, template- and surfactant-free electrochemical growth process at room temperature, showing highly uniform Pt surface coverage with ultralow loadings and vertically well-aligned nanosheet morphologies. Combined with an anode-only Nafion 117 catalyst-coated membrane (CCM), the Pt-NS electrode with an ultralow loading of 0.015 mgPt cm-2 demonstrates superior cell performance to the commercial CCM (3.0 mgPt cm-2), achieving 99.5% catalyst savings and more than 237-fold higher catalyst utilization. The remarkable performance with high catalyst utilization is mainly due to the vertically well-aligned ultrathin nanosheets with good surface coverage exposing abundant active sites for the electrochemical reaction. Overall, this study not only paves a new way for optimizing the catalyst uniformity and surface coverage with ultralow loadings but also provides new insights into nanostructured electrode design and facile fabrication for highly efficient and low-cost PEMECs and other energy storage/conversion devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Ding
- Nanodynamics and High-Efficiency Lab for Propulsion and Power, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace & Biomedical Engineering, UT Space Institute (University of Tennessee-Knoxville), Tullahoma, TN, 37388, USA
| | - Zhiqiang Xie
- Nanodynamics and High-Efficiency Lab for Propulsion and Power, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace & Biomedical Engineering, UT Space Institute (University of Tennessee-Knoxville), Tullahoma, TN, 37388, USA
| | - Shule Yu
- Nanodynamics and High-Efficiency Lab for Propulsion and Power, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace & Biomedical Engineering, UT Space Institute (University of Tennessee-Knoxville), Tullahoma, TN, 37388, USA
| | - Weitian Wang
- Nanodynamics and High-Efficiency Lab for Propulsion and Power, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace & Biomedical Engineering, UT Space Institute (University of Tennessee-Knoxville), Tullahoma, TN, 37388, USA
| | - Alexander Y Terekhov
- Center for Laser Applications, UT Space Institute (University of Tennessee-Knoxville), Tullahoma, TN, 37388, USA
| | - Brian K Canfield
- Center for Laser Applications, UT Space Institute (University of Tennessee-Knoxville), Tullahoma, TN, 37388, USA
| | | | - Alex Keane
- Nel Hydrogen, Wallingford, CT, 06492, USA
| | | | - David A Cullen
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Feng-Yuan Zhang
- Nanodynamics and High-Efficiency Lab for Propulsion and Power, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace & Biomedical Engineering, UT Space Institute (University of Tennessee-Knoxville), Tullahoma, TN, 37388, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ding L, Wang W, Xie Z, Li K, Yu S, Capuano CB, Keane A, Ayers K, Zhang FY. Highly Porous Iridium Thin Electrodes with Low Loading and Improved Reaction Kinetics for Hydrogen Generation in PEM Electrolyzer Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:24284-24295. [PMID: 37167124 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c23304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Highly efficient electrodes with simplified fabrication and low cost are highly desired for the commercialization of proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells (PEMECs). Herein, highly porous Ir-coated thin/tunable liquid/gas diffusion layers with honeycomb-structured catalyst layers were fabricated as anode electrodes for PEMECs via integrating a facile and fast electroplating process with efficient template removal. Combined with a Nafion 117 membrane, a low cell voltage of 1.842 V at 2000 mA/cm2 and a high mass activity of 4.16 A/mgIr at 1.7 V were achieved with a low Ir loading of 0.27 mg/cm2, outperforming most of the recently reported anode catalysts. Moreover, the thin electrode shows outstanding stability at a high current density of 1800 mA/cm2 in the practical PEMEC. Moreover, with in-situ high-speed visualizations in PEMECs, the catalyst layer structure's impact on real-time electrochemical reactions and mass transport phenomena was investigated for the first time. Increased active sites and improved multiphase transport properties with favorable bubble detachment and water diffusion for the honeycomb-structured electrode are revealed. Overall, the significantly simplified ionomer-free honeycomb thin electrode with low catalyst loading and remarkable performance could efficiently accelerate the industrial application of PEMECs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Ding
- Nanodynamics and High-Efficiency Lab for Propulsion and Power, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace & Biomedical Engineering, UT Space Institute, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tullahoma, Tennessee 37388, United States
| | - Weitian Wang
- Nanodynamics and High-Efficiency Lab for Propulsion and Power, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace & Biomedical Engineering, UT Space Institute, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tullahoma, Tennessee 37388, United States
| | - Zhiqiang Xie
- Nanodynamics and High-Efficiency Lab for Propulsion and Power, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace & Biomedical Engineering, UT Space Institute, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tullahoma, Tennessee 37388, United States
| | - Kui Li
- Nanodynamics and High-Efficiency Lab for Propulsion and Power, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace & Biomedical Engineering, UT Space Institute, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tullahoma, Tennessee 37388, United States
| | - Shule Yu
- Nanodynamics and High-Efficiency Lab for Propulsion and Power, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace & Biomedical Engineering, UT Space Institute, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tullahoma, Tennessee 37388, United States
| | | | - Alex Keane
- Nel Hydrogen, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, United States
| | - Kathy Ayers
- Nel Hydrogen, Wallingford, Connecticut 06492, United States
| | - Feng-Yuan Zhang
- Nanodynamics and High-Efficiency Lab for Propulsion and Power, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace & Biomedical Engineering, UT Space Institute, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tullahoma, Tennessee 37388, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
PGM-Free Electrocatalytic Layer Characterization by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy of an Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzer with Nafion Ionomer as the Bonding Agent. Catalysts 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/catal13030554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Low-cost anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysis is a promising technology for producing “green” high-purity hydrogen using platinum group metal (PGM)-free catalysts. The performance of AEM electrolysis depends on the overall overvoltage, e.g., voltage losses coming from different processes in the water electrolyzer including hydrogen and oxygen evolution, non-faradaic charge transfer resistance, mass transfer limitations, and others. Due to the different relaxation times of these processes, it is possible to unravel them in the frequency domain by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. This study relates to solving and quantifying contributions to the total polarization resistance of the AEM water electrolyzer, including ohmic and charge transfer resistances in the kinetically controlled mode. The high-frequency contribution is proposed to have non-faradaic nature, and its conceivable nature and mechanism are discussed. The characteristic frequencies of unraveled contributions are provided to be used as benchmark data for commercially available membranes and electrodes.
Collapse
|
5
|
Chen G, Xu M, He C. Preparation of an aptamer electrochemical sensor for the highly sensitive detection of glioma cells. INT J ELECTROCHEM SC 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijoes.2023.100129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
|
6
|
Pushkareva IV, Solovyev MA, Butrim SI, Kozlova MV, Simkin DA, Pushkarev AS. On the Operational Conditions' Effect on the Performance of an Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzer: Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Study. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:192. [PMID: 36837694 PMCID: PMC9966502 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13020192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The performance of an anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer under various operational conditions (including voltage, KOH-supporting electrolyte concentration, and flow rate) is studied using conventional time-domain technics and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The water electrolyzer EIS footprint, depending on the variation in operational conditions, is studied and discussed, providing valuable data on the faradaic and non-faradaic processes in MEA, considering their contribution to the total polarization resistance. The distribution of the AEMWE cell voltage contributions is valuable to accessing the key directions in the system performance improvement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irina V. Pushkareva
- National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, 1 Kurchatov sq., Moscow 123182, Russia
- Department of Chemistry and Electrochemical Energy, National Research University “Moscow Power Engineering Institute”, 14 Krasnokazarmennaya str., Moscow 111250, Russia
| | - Maksim A. Solovyev
- National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, 1 Kurchatov sq., Moscow 123182, Russia
- Department of Chemistry and Electrochemical Energy, National Research University “Moscow Power Engineering Institute”, 14 Krasnokazarmennaya str., Moscow 111250, Russia
| | - Sergey I. Butrim
- National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, 1 Kurchatov sq., Moscow 123182, Russia
- Department of Chemistry and Electrochemical Energy, National Research University “Moscow Power Engineering Institute”, 14 Krasnokazarmennaya str., Moscow 111250, Russia
| | - Margarita V. Kozlova
- National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, 1 Kurchatov sq., Moscow 123182, Russia
- Department of Chemistry and Electrochemical Energy, National Research University “Moscow Power Engineering Institute”, 14 Krasnokazarmennaya str., Moscow 111250, Russia
| | - Dmitri A. Simkin
- National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, 1 Kurchatov sq., Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Artem S. Pushkarev
- National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, 1 Kurchatov sq., Moscow 123182, Russia
- Department of Chemistry and Electrochemical Energy, National Research University “Moscow Power Engineering Institute”, 14 Krasnokazarmennaya str., Moscow 111250, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Faqeeh AH, Symes MD. A Standard Electrolyzer Test Cell Design for Evaluating Catalysts and Cell Components for Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis. Electrochim Acta 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2023.142030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
|
8
|
Devadas B, Prokop M, Duraisamy S, Bouzek K. Poly(amidoamine) dendrimer-protected Pt nanoparticles as a catalyst with ultra-low Pt loading for PEM water electrolysis. Electrochim Acta 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2022.141737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
|
9
|
Liu H, Tao HB, Liu B. Kinetic Insights of Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzer Obtained by Operando Characterization Methods. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:6520-6531. [PMID: 35822838 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c01341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Benefiting from the merits of short response time, high current density, and differential pressure, the proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer (PEMWE) is attracting increasing attention from both academic and industry researchers. A limiting factor that impedes the widespread application of the PEMWE is its reliance on the rarest elements, such as iridium and platinum. In order to optimize the device performance as well as to reduce the usage of rare elements, it is important but difficult to directly observe the reaction within the electrolyzer under working conditions. Thus, operando characterization methods are urgently needed to probe in real time the water electrolysis process during operation. In this perspective, we highlight the important role and summarize the recent advances of operando characterization methods in obtaining kinetic insights about PEMWEs. Based on the demands of kinetic optimization, an outlook of future characterization methods is given at the end.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Han Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
- Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Hua Bing Tao
- State Key Laboratory for Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
- Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Bin Liu
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637459, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Gao R, Li G, Xu K, Qiu C, Cong Y, Lv Y, Jiang Q, Qin J, Song Y. Ultrafine PtCoRh nanorods for highly efficient hydrogen evolution reaction in acid. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:7309-7312. [PMID: 35678731 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc02298b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
PtCoRh nanorods with an average width of 1.6 ± 0.2 nm show an overpotential of 6.1 mV at 10 mA cm-2 toward acidic HER. The exceptional activity originates from a high electrochemically active surface area of 130.1 m2 gPt-1 and a unique Pt-H bond strength appropriately tuned by Co and Rh.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Gen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Kun Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Chenxi Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Yuanyuan Cong
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, Dalian 116024, China. .,College of Petrochemical Technology, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Yang Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Qike Jiang
- Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Jiaqi Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Yujiang Song
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, Dalian 116024, China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Implementation of Transition Metal Phosphides as Pt-Free Catalysts for PEM Water Electrolysis. ENERGIES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/en15051821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) water electrolysis (WE) produces H2 with a high degree of purity, requiring only water and energy. If the energy is provided from renewable energy sources, it releases “Green H2”, a CO2-free H2. PEMWE uses expensive and rare noble metal catalysts, which hinder their use at a large industrial scale. In this work, the electrocatalytic properties of Transition Metal Phosphides (TMP) catalysts supported on Carbon Black (CB) for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) were investigated as an alternative to Platinum Group Metals. The physico-chemical properties and catalytic performance of the synthesized catalysts were characterized. In the ex situ experiments, the 25% FeP/CB, 50% FeP/CB and 50% CoP/CB with overpotentials of −156.0, −165.9 and −158.5 mV for a current density of 100 mA cm−2 showed the best catalytic properties, thereby progressing to the PEMWE tests. In those tests, the 50% FeP/CB required an overpotential of 252 mV for a current density of 10 mA cm−2, quite close to the 220 mV of the Pt catalyst. This work provides a proper approach to the synthesis and characterization of TMP supported on carbon materials for the HER, paving the way for further research in order to replace the currently used PGM in PEMWE.
Collapse
|
12
|
Pushkarev A, Pushkareva I, Solovyev M, Prokop M, Bystron T, Rajagopalan S, Bouzek K, Grigoriev S. On the influence of porous transport layers parameters on the performances of polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis cells. Electrochim Acta 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2021.139436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
13
|
Touni A, Grammenos OA, Banti A, Karfaridis D, Prochaska C, Lambropoulou D, Pavlidou E, Sotiropoulos S. Iridium oxide-nickel-coated titanium anodes for the oxygen evolution reaction. Electrochim Acta 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2021.138866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
14
|
Performance Analysis of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Water Electrolyzer Using OpenFOAM ®: Two-Phase Flow Regime, Electrochemical Model. MEMBRANES 2020; 10:membranes10120441. [PMID: 33353142 PMCID: PMC7766148 DOI: 10.3390/membranes10120441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In this study, an electrochemical model was incorporated into a two-phase model using OpenFOAM® (London, United Kingdom) to analyze the two-phase flow and electrochemical behaviors in a polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzer. The performances of serpentine and parallel designs are compared. The current density and overpotential distribution are analyzed, and the volume fractions of oxygen and hydrogen velocity are studied to verify their influence on the current density. The current density decreases sharply when oxygen accumulates in the porous transport layer. Therefore, the current density increased sharply by 3000 A/m2 at an operating current density of 10,000 A/m2. Maldistribution of the overpotential is also observed. Second, we analyze the behaviors according to the current density. At a low current density, most of the oxygen flows out of the electrolyzer. Therefore, the decrease in performance is low. However, the current density is maldistributed when it is high, which results in decreased performance. The current density increases abruptly by 12,000 A/m2. Finally, the performances of the parallel and serpentine channels are analyzed. At a high current density, the performance of the serpentine channel is higher than that of the parallel channel by 0.016 V.
Collapse
|
15
|
Computational Optimization of Porous Structures for Electrochemical Processes. Processes (Basel) 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/pr8101205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Porous structures are naturally involved in electrochemical processes. The specific architectures of the available porous materials, as well as their physical properties, crucially affect their applications, e.g., their use in fuel cells, batteries, or electrolysers. A key point is the correlation of transport properties (mass, heat, and charges) in the spatially—and in certain cases also temporally—distributed pore structure. In this paper, we use mathematical modeling to investigate the impact of the pore structure on the distribution of wetting and non-wetting phases in porous transport layers used in water electrolysis. We present and discuss the potential of pore network models and an upscaling strategy for the simulation of the saturation of the pore space with liquid and gas, as well as the computation of the relative permeabilities and oxygen dissolution and diffusion. It is studied how a change of structure, i.e., the spatial grading of the pore size distribution and porosity, change the transport properties. Several situations are investigated, including a vertical gradient ranging from small to large pore sizes and vice versa, as well as a dual-porosity network. The simulation results indicate that the specific porous structure has a significant impact on the spatial distribution of species and their respective relative permeabilities. In more detail, it is found that the continuous increase of pore sizes from the catalyst layer side towards the water inlet interface yields the best transport properties among the investigated pore networks. This outcome could be useful for the development of grading strategies, specifically for material optimization for improved transport kinetics in water electrolyser applications and for electrochemical processes in general.
Collapse
|
16
|
Razmjooei F, Farooqui A, Reissner R, Gago AS, Ansar SA, Friedrich KA. Elucidating the Performance Limitations of Alkaline Electrolyte Membrane Electrolysis: Dominance of Anion Concentration in Membrane Electrode Assembly. ChemElectroChem 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/celc.202000605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Razmjooei
- Institute of Engineering Thermodynamics German Aerospace Center (DLR) Pfaffenwaldring 38–40 Stuttgart 70569 Germany
| | - Azharuddin Farooqui
- Institute of Engineering Thermodynamics German Aerospace Center (DLR) Pfaffenwaldring 38–40 Stuttgart 70569 Germany
| | - Regine Reissner
- Institute of Engineering Thermodynamics German Aerospace Center (DLR) Pfaffenwaldring 38–40 Stuttgart 70569 Germany
| | - Aldo Saul Gago
- Institute of Engineering Thermodynamics German Aerospace Center (DLR) Pfaffenwaldring 38–40 Stuttgart 70569 Germany
| | - Syed Asif Ansar
- Institute of Engineering Thermodynamics German Aerospace Center (DLR) Pfaffenwaldring 38–40 Stuttgart 70569 Germany
| | - Kaspar Andreas Friedrich
- Institute of Engineering Thermodynamics German Aerospace Center (DLR) Pfaffenwaldring 38–40 Stuttgart 70569 Germany
- Institute of Building Energetics, Thermal Engineering and Energy Storage (IGTE) University of Stuttgart Pfaffenwaldring 31 70569 Stuttgart Germany
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Ionic Transport Properties of P 2O 5-SiO 2 Glassy Protonic Composites Doped with Polymer and Inorganic Titanium-based Fillers. MATERIALS 2020; 13:ma13133004. [PMID: 32640595 PMCID: PMC7372373 DOI: 10.3390/ma13133004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This paper is focused on the determination of the physicochemical properties of a composite inorganic–organic modified membrane. The electrical conductivity of a family of glassy protonic electrolytes defined by the general formula (P2O5)x(SiO2)y, where x/y is 3/7 are studied by Alternating Current electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (AC EIS) method. The reference glass was doped with polymeric additives—poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and additionally with a titanium-oxide-based filler. Special attention was paid to determination of the transport properties of the materials thus modified in relation to the charge transfer phenomena occurring within them. The electrical conductivities of the ‘dry’ material ranged from 10−4 to 10−9 S/cm, whereas for ‘wet’ samples the values were ~10−3 S/cm. The additives also modified the pore space of the samples. The pore distribution and specific surface of the modified glassy systems exhibited variation with changes in electrolyte chemical composition. The mechanical properties of the samples were also examined. The Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio were determined by the continuous wave technique (CWT). Based on analysis of the dispersion of the dielectric losses, it was found that the composite samples exhibit mixed-type proton mobility with contributions related to both the bulk of the material and the surface of the pore space.
Collapse
|
18
|
Enhanced performance of a PtCo recombination catalyst for reducing the H2 concentration in the O2 stream of a PEM electrolysis cell in the presence of a thin membrane and a high differential pressure. Electrochim Acta 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2020.136153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
|
19
|
Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting at Hematite Photoanodes by Effect of a NiFe-Oxide co-Catalyst. Catalysts 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/catal10050525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Tandem photoelectrochemical cells (PECs), made up of a solid electrolyte membrane between two low-cost photoelectrodes, were investigated to produce “green” hydrogen by exploiting renewable solar energy. The assembly of the PEC consisted of an anionic solid polymer electrolyte membrane (gas separator) clamped between an n-type Fe2O3 photoanode and a p-type CuO photocathode. The semiconductors were deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) transparent substrates and the cell was investigated with the hematite surface directly exposed to a solar simulator. Ionomer dispersions obtained from the dissolution of commercial polymers in the appropriate solvents were employed as an ionic interface with the photoelectrodes. Thus, the overall photoelectrochemical water splitting occurred in two membrane-separated compartments, i.e., the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the cathode. A cost-effective NiFeOx co-catalyst was deposited on the hematite photoanode surface and investigated as a surface catalytic enhancer in order to improve the OER kinetics, this reaction being the rate-determining step of the entire process. The co-catalyst was compared with other well-known OER electrocatalysts such as La0.6Sr0.4Fe0.8CoO3 (LSFCO) perovskite and IrRuOx. The Ni-Fe oxide was the most promising co-catalyst for the oxygen evolution in the anionic environment in terms of an enhanced PEC photocurrent and efficiency. The materials were physico-chemically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Collapse
|
20
|
Pinsky R, Sabharwall P, Hartvigsen J, O’Brien J. Comparative review of hydrogen production technologies for nuclear hybrid energy systems. PROGRESS IN NUCLEAR ENERGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pnucene.2020.103317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
|
21
|
Microbial electrosynthesis from CO2: forever a promise? Curr Opin Biotechnol 2020; 62:48-57. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2019.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
22
|
Characterization and Application of Agave salmiana Cuticle as Bio-Membrane in Low-Temperature Electrolyzer and Fuel Cells. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/app9204461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
This work describes the application of the Agave salmiana cuticle as a new protonic exchange biological membrane (0.080 ± 0.001 mm thickness). Different chemical, electrochemical and mechanical treatments were evaluated to stimulate the ionic exchange properties of the cuticle. Thermal treatment was adequate for its application in a two-chamber electrolyzer. Under optimal conditions an ionic conductivity value of 10 ± 3 mS cm−1 was obtained; this value is similar to the value achieved using a Nafion membrane. The thermally-activated bio-membrane was also evaluated in a fuel cell, where the highest potential was obtained using methanol and hydrogen (0.46 ± 0.01 V). This result makes the Agave salmiana cuticle a competitive choice to replace the commercial membrane. Its surface morphology and their functional groups were evaluated through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy and impedance spectroscopy. This thermally-treated Agave salmiana cuticle is an ecofriendly alternative to replace Nafion membranes in electrolyzer and fuel cells.
Collapse
|
23
|
Li Y, Li Z, Li Y, Guan W, Zheng Y, Zhang X, Wang S. Preparation and Electrochemical Characterization of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride)-SiO 2 Cation-Exchange Membranes by the Sol-Gel Method Using 3-Mercapto-Propyl-Triethoxyl-Silane. MATERIALS 2019; 12:ma12193265. [PMID: 31591313 PMCID: PMC6804186 DOI: 10.3390/ma12193265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 09/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A new synthesis method for organic–inorganic hybrid Poly(vinylidene fluoride)-SiO2 cation-change membranes (CEMs) is proposed. This method involves mixing tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and 3-mercapto-propyl-triethoxy-silane (MPTES) into a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) sol-gel solution. The resulting slurry was used to prepare films, which were immersed in 0.01 M HCl, which caused hydrolysis and polycondensation between the MPTES and TEOS. The resulting Si-O-Si polymers chains intertwined and/or penetrated the PVDF skeleton, significantly improving the mechanical strength of the resulting hybrid PVDF-SiO2 CEMs. The -SH functional groups of MPTES oxidized to-SO3H, which contributed to the excellent permeability of these CEMs. The surface morphology, hybrid structure, oxidative stability, and physicochemical properties (IEC, water uptake, membrane resistance, membrane potential, transport number, and selective permittivity) of the CEMs obtained in this work were characterized using scanning electron microscope and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, as well as electrochemical testing. Tests to analyze the oxidative stability, water uptake, membrane potential, and selective permeability were also performed. Our organic–inorganic hybrid PVDF-SiO2 CEMs demonstrated higher oxidative stability and lower resistance than commercial Ionsep-HC-C membranes with a hydrocarbon structure. Thus, the synthesis method described in this work is very promising for the production of very efficient CEMs. In addition, the physical and electrochemical properties of the PVDF-SiO2 CEMs are comparable to the Ionsep-HC-C membranes. The electrolysis of the concentrated CoCl2 solution performed using PVDF-SiO2-6 and Ionsep-HC-C CEMs showed that at the same current density, Co2+ production, and current efficiency of the PVDF-SiO2-6 CEM membrane were slightly higher than those obtained using the Ionsep-HC-C membrane. Therefore, our novel membrane might be suitable for the recovery of cobalt from concentrated CoCl2 solutions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanhong Li
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No.88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
- Engineering Research Center of Water Resources Utilization in Cold and Drought Region, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No. 88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
| | - Zhiwei Li
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No.88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
| | - Yanjuan Li
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No.88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
- Engineering Research Center of Water Resources Utilization in Cold and Drought Region, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No. 88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
| | - Wenxue Guan
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No.88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
- Engineering Research Center of Water Resources Utilization in Cold and Drought Region, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No. 88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
| | - Yangyang Zheng
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No.88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
- Engineering Research Center of Water Resources Utilization in Cold and Drought Region, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No. 88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
| | - Xuemin Zhang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No.88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
- Engineering Research Center of Water Resources Utilization in Cold and Drought Region, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No. 88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
| | - Sanfan Wang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No.88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
- Engineering Research Center of Water Resources Utilization in Cold and Drought Region, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No. 88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Chemically stabilised extruded and recast short side chain Aquivion® proton exchange membranes for high current density operation in water electrolysis. J Memb Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2019.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
|
25
|
Zhang X, Zhou J, Zou X, Wang Z, Chu Y, Wang S. Preparation of Nano-SiO₂/Al₂O₃/ZnO-Blended PVDF Cation-Exchange Membranes with Improved Membrane Permselectivity and Oxidation Stability. MATERIALS 2018; 11:ma11122465. [PMID: 30518147 PMCID: PMC6316986 DOI: 10.3390/ma11122465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ion exchange membranes are used in practically every industry; however, most of them have defects such as low permeability and poor oxidation resistance. In this paper, cation-exchange membranes were prepared with poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) blended with nano-SiO₂, nano-Al₂O₃ and nano-ZnO. Sulfonic acid groups were injected into the membrane prepared by styrene grafting and sulfonation. The methods used for characterizing the prepared membranes were Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemical measurements. Membrane performance, such as the ion exchange capacity (IEC), water uptake (WU), transport number, membrane permselectivity, membrane resistance, functional groups, and morphology were also evaluated. The hydrophilia, IEC, and permselectivity of cation-exchange membranes depended on the nanoparticle content of the membrane matrix. High transport property values were obtained, which increased with increasing nano-SiO₂/Al₂O₃/ZnO weight fractions. Finally, the cation-exchange membranes prepared with 1.5% nano-SiO₂, 2.0% nano-Al₂O₃ or 2.0% nano-ZnO all exhibited excellent membrane properties, including membrane permselectivity (PVDF/2% ZnO-g-PSSA membranes, 94.9%), IEC (PVDF/2% Al₂O₃-g-PSSA membranes, 2.735 mmol·g-1), and oxidation resistance (PVDF/1.5% SiO₂-g-PSSA membranes, 2.33%). They can be used to separate applications in a variety of different areas, such as water treatment, electro-driven separation, heavy metal smelting, or other electrochemical processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuemin Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Water Resources Utilization in Cold and Drought Region, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No. 88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
| | - Jian Zhou
- Engineering Research Center of Water Resources Utilization in Cold and Drought Region, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No. 88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
| | - Xin Zou
- Engineering Research Center of Water Resources Utilization in Cold and Drought Region, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No. 88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
| | - Zhongyu Wang
- Urban and Rural Planning Bureau of Mudanjiang, No. 41, Wusuli Road, Mudanjiang 157000, China.
| | - Yunchen Chu
- Engineering Research Center of Water Resources Utilization in Cold and Drought Region, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No. 88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
| | - Sanfan Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Water Resources Utilization in Cold and Drought Region, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, No. 88, Anning West Road, Lanzhou 730070, China.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Highly Active Nickel-Based Catalyst for Hydrogen Evolution in Anion Exchange Membrane Electrolysis. Catalysts 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/catal8120614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolysis is hampered by two main issues: stability and performance. Focusing on the latter, this work demonstrates a highly active NiMo cathode for hydrogen evolution in AEM electrolysis. We demonstrate an electrolyzer performance of 1 A cm−2 at 1.9 V (total cell voltage) with a NiMo loading of 5 mg cm−2 and an iridium black anode in 1 M KOH at 50 °C, that may be compared to 1.8 V for a similar cell with Pt at the cathode. The catalysts developed here will be significant in supporting the pursuit of cheap and environmentally friendly hydrogen fuel.
Collapse
|