Projects / Programmes
Bridging the gap between model and real electrocatalysts
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 1.04.00 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Chemistry |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| P401 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Electrochemistry |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 1.04 |
Natural Sciences |
Chemical sciences |
electrocatalysts, new method, floating electrode, oxygen reduction reaction, carbon dioxide reduction reaction, activity, durability
Researchers (1)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
35375 |
PhD Primož Jovanovič |
Chemistry |
Head |
2018 - 2020 |
188 |
Organisations (1)
| no. |
Code |
Research organisation |
City |
Registration number |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
0104 |
National Institute of Chemistry |
Ljubljana |
5051592000 |
21,023 |
Abstract
Background: The electrocatalytic conversion of renewable resources to electrical energy, fuels or useful chemicals is one of the most promising directions for humankind to meet the most urgent technological goals: namely, clean energy production and environmental remediation. Although the electrocatalytic activity (mA per 1 cm2 of surface area or mA per 1 g of active compound) has been hugely improved on the laboratory scale, there has been almost no improvement in practical devices; in other words, there exists a wide gap between the laboratory inventions and performance of real devices.
Main idea: The present project addresses this issue by designing and implementing a completely new methodology of electrocatalyst investigation, the so-called floating electrode cell approach. This methodology is expected to replace the existing wide-spread approach of catalyst evaluation, the so-called thin film rotating disc electrode (TF-RDE).
Advantages: The expected advantages of the new approach are: (i) it will allow a fast mass transport to the catalyst layer (gas reactants are delivered directly from the gas phase and not through liquid electrolyte as in state of the art methods), (ii) the electrochemical reaction can be monitored in a wide potential and current density region (3 orders of magnitude greater than in current cells), (iii) the cell can be coupled directly to other, complementary methodologies (ICP-MS, microscopies, spectroscopies etc) that will help elucidate the reaction-transport mechanism during typical operation of catalyst layer under realistic conditions.
Expected main results: More realistic evaluation of electrocatalyst activity (at high currents, low potentials); insight into reaction kinetics occurring on electrocatalyst as a function of current density (fundamental challenge not pursued until present). Insight into the role of triple phase boundary at catalyst-ionomer-gas (fundamental challenge rarely addressed). Evaluation of the role of mass transport (diffusion of reactants, products) on laboratory scale – not possible with present cell configurations. Collection of critical data needed for preparation of real 3D electrocatalyst devices, for example membrane electrode assembly (MEA). Preparation of optimized real device (MEA) based on data collected using the new laboratory cell.
Project management:The activities will be carried out within an established Slovene and USA institution: National institute of Chemistry and University of Utah-Department of Chemistry in the group of prof. dr. Shelley Minteer which hold a world class recognition in the field of electrocatalysis. Project leader has access to a wide range of equipment needed to carry out the project. The activities are divided in 3 WPs. 8 deliverables are envisaged.
Project significance: The new cell based on floating electrode will open a possibility of investigation of selected phenomena that could not be tackled using present setups: insight into reaction kinetics at high current density, Insight into the role of catalyst-ionomer-gas triple phase boundary, evaluation of the role of mass transport on laboratory scale, a larger number and more accurate inputs into reaction-transport model which will facilitate preparation of real 3D devices.
Significance for science
The project will introduce a new methodology for investigation of electrocatalyst activity on the laboratory scale.The new cell based on floating electrode will open a possibility of investigation of selected phenomena that could not be tackled using present setups. For example:
It will allow insight into reaction kinetics occurring on electrocatalyst as a function of current density to very high values. The detailed kinetics of reactions at such high-current conditions are fundamentally unknown. Any breakthrough along these lines is of extreme importance and publishable in most prestigious journals
Insight into the role of triple phase boundary at catalyst-ionomer-gas will be possible. There are very few works addressing this issue in low temperature electrocatalyst devices - as opposed to high temperature fuel cells where this has been a primary focus for many years. Fundamental breakthroughs may be expected in understanding this triple phase boundary using the new approach.
Evaluation of the role of mass transport (diffusion of reactants, products) on laboratory scale. Such evaluation has not been possible with present cell configurations because the conditions are completely different from realistic ones found in practical devices. Whereas in the new floating cell the gases will be delivered directly from the gas phase, in present TF-RDE configuration the gases pass through liquid electrolyte which is irrelevant from the point of view of MEA. Thus, for the first time it will be possible to investigate experimentally the mass transport in simple laboratory cell surrounded by complementary techniques. It is highly probably that new findings concerning the transport mechanism will be possible.
Preparation of optimized real device (MEA) based on data collected using the new laboratory cell will become possible. This will be demonstrated directly in the project on one or two examples of modern electrocatalysts (for oxygen or CO2 reduction).
Most of the challenges mentioned above are of very higy importance for fundamental and applied research in the field of electrocatalysts. Discoveries on this level are regularly published in most prestigious journals (see survey of literature). We estimate that at least some of the project results will be published in Science, Nature or ACS journal family. This will allow the project leader to maintain their track of high-edge discoveries and publications (4 publications in ACS family and many in various other high-rank journals).
Significance for the country
The project will introduce a new methodology for investigation of electrocatalyst activity on the laboratory scale.The new cell based on floating electrode will open a possibility of investigation of selected phenomena that could not be tackled using present setups. For example:
It will allow insight into reaction kinetics occurring on electrocatalyst as a function of current density to very high values. The detailed kinetics of reactions at such high-current conditions are fundamentally unknown. Any breakthrough along these lines is of extreme importance and publishable in most prestigious journals
Insight into the role of triple phase boundary at catalyst-ionomer-gas will be possible. There are very few works addressing this issue in low temperature electrocatalyst devices - as opposed to high temperature fuel cells where this has been a primary focus for many years. Fundamental breakthroughs may be expected in understanding this triple phase boundary using the new approach.
Evaluation of the role of mass transport (diffusion of reactants, products) on laboratory scale. Such evaluation has not been possible with present cell configurations because the conditions are completely different from realistic ones found in practical devices. Whereas in the new floating cell the gases will be delivered directly from the gas phase, in present TF-RDE configuration the gases pass through liquid electrolyte which is irrelevant from the point of view of MEA. Thus, for the first time it will be possible to investigate experimentally the mass transport in simple laboratory cell surrounded by complementary techniques. It is highly probably that new findings concerning the transport mechanism will be possible.
Preparation of optimized real device (MEA) based on data collected using the new laboratory cell will become possible. This will be demonstrated directly in the project on one or two examples of modern electrocatalysts (for oxygen or CO2 reduction).
Most of the challenges mentioned above are of very higy importance for fundamental and applied research in the field of electrocatalysts. Discoveries on this level are regularly published in most prestigious journals (see survey of literature). We estimate that at least some of the project results will be published in Science, Nature or ACS journal family. This will allow the project leader to maintain their track of high-edge discoveries and publications (4 publications in ACS family and many in various other high-rank journals).
Most important scientific results
Interim report,
final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Final report
