Carbon black is difficult to be used as the catalyst support material for polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) due to carbon corrosion at a high potential. In order to prepare iridium-based nano-size electrocatalysts similar to PEFC, SnO2 and TiO2 are considered as possible catalyst support materials with high potential stability. In this study, we prepare (i) iridium-decorated SnO2 supported on Vapor-Grown Cabon Fiber (IrO2/Sn(Nb)O2/VGCF) and (ii) carbon-free Ir/TiOx/Ti sheet where Ti sheet with naturally oxide surface is used as the catalyst support and the gas diffusion layer (GDL). Ir nanoparticles on each metal oxide support could be prepared, confirmed by electron microscopy. The Ir/TiOx/Ti electrode exhibited higher IV characteristics with a lower Ir loading than the IrO2/Sn(Nb)O2/VGCF electrode.
Novel iridium-based electrocatalysts supported on SnO2/Vapor-Grown Carbon Fiber (VGCF) have been developed and characterized by FESEM, STEM, and XPS. The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) made with the IrO2/Sn0.98Nb0.02O2/VGCF electrocatalyst exhibited a decrease in overvoltage especially under the low current density compared to the MEA made with conventional IrO2/Ti electrocatalyst. Iridium-based SnO2/VGCF can be a good candidate for anode catalysts of water electrolysis cells.
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