Development of IrO₂–WO₃ Composite Catalysts from Waste WC–Co Wire Drawing Die for PEM Water Electrolyzers’ Oxygen Evolution Reactions

Abstract

Recycling waste materials as catalysts in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) offers an innovative approach to reducing catalyst costs. Scrap tungsten carbide–cobalt (WC–Co) die, used in wire drawing processes in industrial applications, may be recovered as tungsten trioxide (WO3) by the electrolysis method. In this study, all composite catalysts were prepared as their weight percentage IW-x (0 ≤ x ≤ 100). Here, I, W, and x represent IrO2, WO3, and the weight percent of Ir in the mixed composite oxide, respectively. Then, the prepared IW-75, IW-50, and IrO2 catalysts are referred to as 75% IrO2–25% WO3, 50% IrO2–50% WO3, and Ir’s pure oxide form, respectively. These materials are compared with WO3 and IrO2 to investigate their OER performance. According to the linear sweep voltammetry results, the IW-75 catalyst has a 15.03% higher current density than the pure IrO2 catalyst. In the Tafel polarization curve of the catalysts, it is determined that the corrosion potential of IW-75 is enhanced, and the overpotential value is decreased 1.2 times compared to the synthesized IrO2 catalyst sample. As a result, using composite oxide from scrap wire drawing die and IrO2, the cost of the proton-exchange membrane water electrolyzer’s anode catalyst is reduced by more than 25%.

Characterization of Different Metal Oxides Thin Films Deposited by Spin Coating Technique

“…The observed peaks and their positions indicate the formation of iridium (IV) oxide, or tetragonal IrO2. Similar results were reported by Uzgören et al [39] for electrolysis-deposited films. Fig.…”

Recent advances in hydrogen production through proton exchange membrane water electrolysis – a review

“…In addition, the overpotential value is decreased 1.2 times compared to the pure IrO 2 and it showed a smaller Tafel slope of 104 mV dec −1 . 113…”

Benchmarking Molybdenum-Based Materials as Cathode Electrocatalysts for Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis: Can These Compete with Pt?

“…To achieve the latter, the development of highly efficient and low cost proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) systems is required. PEMWE technology is a promising technology to produce high-purity hydrogen gas with low foot print and high efficiencies at high current densities; it is facile to scale up and to integrate into hydrogen storage systems. ,, The heart of the PEMWE system is composed of a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The MEA consists of an ionomer membrane (a polymer with ionized repeated units) sandwiched between the cathode (hydrogen evolution reaction, HER) and anode (oxygen evolution reaction, OER) electrocatalysts, followed by the gas diffusion layers (GDL).…”