The Performance of Nickel and Nickel-Iron Catalysts Evaluated As Anodes in Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis

Catalysts

Emily Cossar¹  ElenaA. Baranova¹  Frode Seland²  Alejandro Oyarce Barnett³ 

[1] Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Centre for Catalysis Research and Innovation (CCRI), University of Ottawa, 161 Louis-Pasteur Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada;Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway;SINTEF Industry, Sustainable Energy Technology Department, New Energy Solutions Group, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway;

关键词: nickel;    iron;    ceria;    oer;    alkaline exchange membrane;    electrolysis;    anode;   

DOI  :  10.3390/catal9100814

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) is an efficient, cost-effective solution to renewable energy storage. The process includes oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions (OER and HER); the OER is kinetically unfavourable. Studies have shown that nickel (Ni)- iron (Fe) catalysts enhance activity towards OER, and cerium oxide (CeO₂) supports have shown positive effects on catalytic performance. This study covers the preliminary evaluation of Ni, Ni₉₀Fe₁₀ (at%) and Ni₉₀Fe₁₀/CeO₂ (50 wt%) nanoparticles (NPs), synthesized by chemical reduction, as OER catalysts in AEMWE using commercial membranes. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of the Ni-based NPs indicate NPs roughly 4−6 nm in size. Three-electrode cell measurements indicate that Ni₉₀Fe₁₀ is the most active non-noble metal catalyst in 1 and 0.1 M KOH. AEMWE measurements of the anodes show cells achieving overall cell voltages between 1.85 and 1.90 V at 2 A cm⁻² in 1 M KOH at 50 °C, which is comparable to the selected iridium-black reference catalyst. In 0.1 M KOH, the AEMWE cell containing Ni₉₀Fe₁₀ attained the lowest voltage of 1.99 V at 2 A cm⁻². Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of the AEMWE cells using Ni₉₀Fe₁₀/CeO₂ showed a higher ohmic resistance than all catalysts, indicating the need for support optimization.

【 授权许可】

Unknown