RII Track-4: Operando Analysis of Fuel Cell Materials at Advanced Light Source

University Of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM

Investigators

Abstract

Non-technical Description The 21st century will likely face many challenges, among them being the increasing societal need for non-stationary energy production. Hydrogen fuel cells are one of the most promising technologies for addressing and mastering this task. This project takes on the challenge to advance the knowledge of processes and mechanisms occurring during operation of fuel cells at the atomic and molecular levels. The structure of materials of fuel cells at the nanometer scale of electronic structures will be probed using the instrumentation available at the Advanced Light Source facility, part of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The ability to characterize solid-liquid interfaces in fuel cells at the atomic and molecular levels under realistic operational conditions is the key to tackling some of the most fundamental and profound problems in nature as well as electrochemistry. This opportunity is extending the capacity of scientists and students from the University of New Mexico (UNM) to conduct scientific research in this area. It will allow research faculty and students from UNM to realize New Mexico's potential for sustainable energy development through building a collaboration with state-of-the-science facilities not available at this time within the state of NM. This fellowship will not only support training of the research faculty at the forefront of analytical chemistry but also training of graduate students, thereby creating an opportunity for graduate students to conduct research at the interface between basic and applied science. Technical Description The best performing hydrogen-based fuel cells rely on platinum-derived electrocatalysts. The most promising class of alternative platinum-group-metal-free materials is based on graphene-like carbon containing nitrogen and transition metal (Metal, Nitrogen, Carbon material; MNC). Understanding the specific roles of nitrogen and metal in fuel cell properties, such as activity, stability, and durability, is a prerequisite for the rational design of fuel cell electrocatalysts with improved performance. The goal of the project is the investigation of structures of electrodes using operando spectroscopic techniques and determining specific roles of chemical structures in the reaction within complete fuel cell operating under applied potential in the presence of oxidants for cathodic and reductants for anodic reactions. The chemical structure of electrode materials, reactants, and products will be studied under applied potential using ambient-pressure X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) utilizing the synchrotron light source in a realistic fuel cell experiment. Of fundamental interest to this project is understanding the mechanism of fuel cell reactions at the molecular level. The conversion between electrical and chemical energy occurs in the interface region between a solid electrode material, liquid electrolyte, and gaseous phase. Developing methods for probing the tri-phase interphase under different applied potentials in operando will be pursued. probing the tri-phase interphase under different applied potentials in operando will be pursued. Comprehensive understanding based on a study of full electrode systems under operando conditions will result in the identification of the role that each type of chemistry present in an MNC electrode has in the reaction. This will, in turn, accelerate rational catalyst design.