Effect of Water Electrolysis Catalysts on Carbon Corrosion in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

Abstract

A new approach to preventing electrochemical carbon corrosion in the cathode of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) was developed. The addition of 2 wt % IrO(2) (0.016 mg cm(-2)) to the catalyst layer of the cathode was demonstrated to reduce the electrochemical corrosion of carbon by 76% at 1.6 V(NHE) and 70 °C compared with a commercial Pt/C catalyst of the same Pt loading of 0.4 mg cm(-2) and under the same test conditions. The IrO(2) was shown to behave as a catalyst for water electrolysis, thereby removing water from the catalyst layer, which promoted electrochemical carbon corrosion.

Hybrid and Aqueous Lithium‐Air Batteries

“…This is due to the corrosion of carbon above 1.6 V vs NHE, as verifi ed by CO 2 mass spectrum. [ 72 ] The carbon corrosion was suppressed when the IrO 2 loading was 1.2 mg cm −2 , as indicated by the linear relationship between the cell voltage and current density. The suppression of carbon corrosion was due to two reasons.…”

“…[ 72 ] Hybrid Li-air cells with varying amounts of LiOH in the catholyte have also been studied by Zhou et al [ 77 ] They found that the cell voltage and the internal resistance decrease with an increasing concentration of LiOH. The cell voltage is related to the ratio of OH − /O 2 , obeying the Nernst equation.…”

“…, 0.82 V vs NHE or 1.59 vs RHE, pH = 13), which was substantially higher than the theoretical oxidation voltage of carbon (0.207 V vs RHE). [ 72 ] Adv. Energy Mater.…”

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Reversal: A Review

“…Jang et al [67] studied the effect of water oxidation catalyst added into cathode to weaken carbon corrosion. In Figure 7, compared with commercialized Pt/C catalyst, the electrochemical carbon corrosion decreased by 76% with 2 wt % IrO 2 (0.016 mg·cm −2 ) under 1.6 V (vs. NHE) and 70 • C. CO 2 monitoring showed that the water oxidation catalyst had the effect of mitigating carbon corrosion.…”

“…Some papers [16,67,68] proposed that the water oxidation catalyst has a positive effect on water electrolysis over and above carbon corrosion and the degradation of carbon support material. It is obvious that water oxidation catalyst improves the cell reversal tolerance with increasing effect (RuO 2 -IrO 2 > RuO 2 -TiO 2 > RuO 2 ).…”