A novel fuel cell design for operando energy-dispersive X-ray absorption measurements

DOI: 10.1088/1361-648X/ac0476

Authors: Andrew S. Leach (University College London) , Jennifer Hack (University College London (UCL)) , Monica Amboage (Diamond Light Source) , Sofia Diaz-Moreno (Diamond Light Source) , Haoliang Huang (University of Southampton) , Patrick L. Cullen (Queen Mary University of London) , Martin Wilding (Sheffield Hallam University) , Emanuele Magliocca (University College London) , Thomas Miller (University College London) , Christopher Howard (University College London) , Daniel Brett , Paul Shearing (University College London) , Paul F. Mcmillan (University College London) , Andrea E. Russell (University of Southampton) , Rhodri Jervis (University College London)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Journal Of Physics: Condensed Matter

State: Published (Approved)
Published: May 2021
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 22008 , 15650

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) has been designed to allow operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements of catalysts. The cell has been developed to operate under standard fuel cell conditions, with elevated temperatures and humidification of the gas-phase reactants, both of which greatly impact the catalyst utilisation. X-ray windows in the endplates of the cell facilitate collection of XAS spectra during fuel cell operation while maintaining good compression in the area of measurement. Results of polarisation curves and cyclic voltammograms (CVs) showed that the operando cell performs well as a fuel cell, while also providing XAS data of suitable quality for robust XANES analysis. The cell has produced comparable XAS results when performing a cyclic voltammogram to an established in situ cell when measuring the Pt LIII edge. Similar trends of Pt oxidation, and reduction of the formed Pt oxide, have been presented with a time resolution of 5 seconds for each spectrum, paving the way for time-resolved spectral measurements of fuel cell catalysts in a fully-operating fuel cell.

Diamond Keywords: Fuel Cells; Electric Vehicles

Subject Areas: Chemistry, Materials, Energy


Instruments: I20-EDE-Energy Dispersive EXAFS (EDE)

Added On: 30/05/2021 17:19

Documents:
Leach+et+al_2021_J._Phys.%3A_Condens._Matter_10.1088_1361-648X_ac0476.pdf

Discipline Tags:

Earth Sciences & Environment Sustainable Energy Systems Energy Climate Change Physical Chemistry Catalysis Chemistry Materials Science Polymer Science

Technical Tags:

Spectroscopy X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) Energy Dispersive EXAFS (EDE)