Fuel Cell Electrode Characterization Using Neutron Scattering

Abstract

Electrochemical energy conversion and storage is key for the use of regenerative energies at large scale. A thorough understanding of the individual components, such as the ion conducting membrane and the electrode layers, can be obtained with scattering techniques on atomit to molecular length scales. The largely heterogeneous electrode layers of High-Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells are studied in this work with small- and wide-angle neutron scattering at the same time with the iMATERIA diffractometer at the spallation neutron source at J-PARC, opening a view on structural properties on atomic to mesoscopic length scales.

Potential of environmental scanning electron microscopy and SAXS to determine structural insights of plant-based emulsions with increasing dry matter content

“…The ESEM images shown here complement the length scale range towards larger structures. The slope of the SAXS intensities at low Q has been analyzed in Ref [15] with I(Q) ∝ Q −3.2 to Q −3.9 indicating a surface fractal structure on these length scales below the length scales of the ESEM images, which seems quite consistent with the ESEM images at low relative humidity. While SAXS provides truly a view into the bulk structure, with the property that an ensemble average of the structures in the probed volume is represented in the scattering curves, the ESEM technique shows the surface morphology of a cut through the sample or of the liquid droplet surface, at different temperature/pressure conditions.…”

“…Details of the samples are provided in Ref. [15], where plant-based and dairy emulsions and fermented emulsions are compared with respect to their structural characteristics. Here only the plant-based products are in the focus of interest.…”

“…With small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) the three plant-based products PY, PCC and PC have been studied at two temperatures over a Q-range from 0.003-4 Å −1 , covering the typical small angle area with mainly a power law decay as well as the region where diffraction peaks from crystalline domains can be visible. The SAXS results of the two emulsions and the gels at room temperature have been discussed elsewhere [15] in more detail. Here the focus is on the temperature dependence of the three products.…”

“…Samples studied with ESEM and SAXS with short names. More details on the composition of the samples can be found in Ref [15]…”

The European Spallation Source in a personal view for the German Colloid and Soft Matter Society

“…The engineering instruments BEER and HEIMDAL serve also for much higher Q with a compromise in the SANS range where lowest Q are cut. However, this large Q-range is interesting for crystallizing materials, such as polymeric membranes for fuel and electrolyzer cells [5,6]. In operando studies are highly interesting for studying the conversion mechanisms and fatigue in the membrane.…”