Polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is the most promising and environmentally friendly method for highly pure hydrogen production when integrated into renewable energy sources. Presently, water electrolysis has merely 4% contribution to global hydrogen production owing to its economic challenges. To reduce the capital and operational cost of PEM water electrolysis, the porous transport layer (PTL) has been investigated intensively in the recent past. A PTL, sandwiched between a catalyst layer and a flow field, is responsible to transport water and oxygen on the anode side as well as hydrogen on the cathode side. In addition to the role of multiphase fluid transportation, PTL also acts as a current collector. A comprehensive insight into PTL materials, structural properties, and their function is strongly required for researchers to enhance performance and reduce the cost of PEMWE system. In this review, we widely discussed the findings on PTL's structural properties, surface modifications, and their impact on enhancing electrochemical performance and durability. In particular, the effect of pore size, porosity, pore gradient, thickness, and pretreatment on ohmic, mass transport, activation overpotential, and PTL modeling has been intensively analyzed. This review will unequivocally increase the previous understanding and open up an avenue for the development of state-of-the-art PTL, thereafter advancing the commercialization of PEMWE.
The presence of herbicide is a concern for both human and ecological health. Glyphosate is occasionally detected as water contaminants in agriculture areas where the herbicide is used extensively. The removal of glyphosate in synthetic solution using advanced oxidation process is a possible approach for remediation of contaminated waters. The ability of electrochemical oxidation for the degradation and mineralization of glyphosate herbicide was investigated using Ti/PbO2 anode. The current intensity, treatment time, initial concentration and pH of solution are the influent parameters on the degradation efficiency. An experimental design methodology was applied to determine the optimal condition (in terms of cost/effectiveness) based on response surface methodology. Glyphosate concentration (C0 = 16.9 mgwhen the optimal conditions were imposed (current intensity of 4.77A and treatment time of 173 min). The removal efficiencies of glyphosate and total organic carbon were 95 ±16 % and 90.31 %, respectively. This work demonstrates that electrochemical oxidation is a promising process for degradation and mineralization of glyphosate.
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