Tailoring catalyst layer interface with titanium mesh porous transport layers

Kim, Pascal J.; Lee, J.K.; Ch, Lee; Fahy, Kieran F.; Shrestha, Pranay; Krause, Kevin M.; Shafaque, Hisan W.; Bazylak, Aimy

doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2021.137879

Cited by 31 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Pushkarev et al found that the reduced mass transfer loss can be obtained when the porosity of anode PTL is relatively high and that of cathode PTL is relatively low. [290] In a recent study, Bazylak et al constructed double-layer reticulated PTL to study the influence of pore size near catalyst layer (CL) on cell performance, [291] suggesting that the small pore size is more conducive to the contact between PTL and CL, which can reduce the ohmic impedance, thus improving the performance. It is necessary that the pore size must exceed the pore height to avoid gas accumulation in the pore.…”

Section: Porous Transport Layer (Ptl) and Bipolar Plates (Bpps)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Advances in Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts for Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers

Chen

Guo

Pan

et al. 2022

Advanced Energy Materials

138

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Section: Porous Transport Layer (Ptl) and Bipolar Plates (Bpps)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Advances in Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts for Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers

Chen

Guo

Pan

et al. 2022

Advanced Energy Materials

138

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“…Kim et al used titanium mesh PTLs with various pore openings to tailor the CL interface where reducing the mesh opening size resulted in lower ohmic losses . Kang et al used thin 2D-PTLs with different pore sizes and porosities showing that both can have an impact on performance but with a higher contribution given to porosity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Kim et al used titanium mesh PTLs with various pore openings to tailor the CL interface where reducing the mesh opening size resulted in lower ohmic losses. 46 Kang et al used thin 2D-PTLs 40 with different pore sizes and porosities showing that both can have an impact on performance but with a higher contribution given to porosity. The authors found that small pore sizes and high porosity lead to better performance, and the activity seems to be concentrated only around the pore edges.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How the Porous Transport Layer Interface Affects Catalyst Utilization and Performance in Polymer Electrolyte Water Electrolysis

Weber

Wrubel

Gubler

et al. 2023

ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces

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Cost reduction and fast scale-up of electrolyzer technologies are essential for decarbonizing several crucial branches of industry. For polymer electrolyte water electrolysis, this requires a dramatic reduction of the expensive and scarce iridium-based catalyst, making its efficient utilization a key factor. The interfacial properties between the porous transport layer (PTL) and the catalyst layer (CL) are crucial for optimal catalyst utilization. Therefore, it is essential to understand the relationship between this interface and electrochemical performance. In this study, we fabricated a matrix of two-dimensional interface layers with a well-known model structure, integrating them as an additional layer between the PTL and the CL. By characterizing the performance and conducting an in-depth analysis of the overpotentials, we were able to estimate the catalyst utilization at different current densities, correlating them to the geometric properties of the model PTLs. We found that large areas of the CL become inactive at increasing current density either due to dry-out, oxygen saturation (under the PTL), or the high resistance of the CL away from the pore edges. We experimentally estimated the water penetration in the CL under the PTL to be ≈20 μm. Experimental results were corroborated using a 3D-multiphysics model to calculate the current distribution in the CL and estimate the impact of membrane dry-out. Finally, we observed a strong pressure dependency on performance and high-frequency resistance, which indicates that with the employed model PTLs, a significant gas phase accumulates in the CL under the lands, hindering the distribution of liquid water. The findings of this work can be extrapolated to improve and engineer PTLs with advanced interface properties, helping to reach the required target goals in cost and iridium loadings.

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“…In addition, the interface and contact resistance between PTLs and CLs are another key issue that should be considered because the interface contact will affect the high‐frequency resistance (HFR) and thus influence the performance of the PEMWE. By modulating the open pore sizes from 1.16 to 0.2 mm in multilayer Ti mesh PTLs, Kim et al [ 93 ] successfully improved the contact between CLs and PTLs and decreased the mass transport losses of PTLs. Based on this, Lopata et al [ 94 ] investigated the influence of PTL/CL interface contact on mass and charge transport between the PTL and CL, as shown in Figure 7c.…”

Section: Key Components In the Pemwementioning

confidence: 99%

Key Components and Design Strategy for a Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzer

Chen

Liu

et al. 2022

Small Structures

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As the most attractive energy carrier, hydrogen production through electrochemical water splitting (EWS) is promising for resolving the serious environmental problems derived from the rapid consumption of fossil fuels globally. The proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer (PEMWE) is one of the most promising EWS technologies and has achieved great advancements. To offer a timely reference for the progress of the PEMWE system, the latest advancements and developments of PEMWE technology are systematically reviewed. The key components, including the electrocatalysts, PEM, and porous transport layer (PTL) as well as bipolar plate (BPP), are first introduced and discussed, followed by the membrane electrode assembly and cell design. The highlights are put on the design of the electrocatalyst and the relationship of each component on the performance of the PEMWE. Moreover, the current challenges and future perspectives for the development of PEMWE are also discussed. There is a hope that this review can provide a timely reference for future directions in PEMWE challenges and perspectives.

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Tailoring catalyst layer interface with titanium mesh porous transport layers

Cited by 31 publications

References 42 publications

Advances in Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts for Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers

Advances in Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts for Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers

How the Porous Transport Layer Interface Affects Catalyst Utilization and Performance in Polymer Electrolyte Water Electrolysis

Key Components and Design Strategy for a Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzer

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