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Novel electrode boosts green hydrogen research
http://www.npl.co.uk/news/novel-electrode-boosts-green-hydrogen-research[font face=Serif][font size=5]Novel electrode boosts green hydrogen research[/font]
[font size=4]Scientists from the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) have developed a novel reference electrode, and are working with hydrogen energy system manufacturer ITM Power to aid the development of hydrogen production technologies for renewable energy storage.[/font]
[font size=3]Polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysers (PEMWEs) convert electricity and water into hydrogen and oxygen using two electrodes separated by a solid polymer electrolyte. This promising technology could be coupled to intermittent renewable energy sources to generate hydrogen for efficient energy storage and low-carbon transportation.
PEMWEs are more efficient than currently-used alkaline electrolysis technologies, but require relatively expensive catalyst materials such as iridium/ruthenium oxide (for oxygen evolution at the anode) and platinum (for hydrogen evolution at the cathode). Cost-effective design and extended lifetime are needed to boost competitiveness of PEMWEs, but development is currently being held back by poor understanding of the degradation of these catalysts.
…
Commercial PEMWE systems commonly show a decay in open-circuit potential (the voltage at zero current) after the current is switched off. This has conventionally been attributed to changes in the redox state of the anode catalyst which can lead to degradation. But in new work published in Electrochemistry Communications, the NPL reference electrode has demonstrated that the decay in potential is in fact entirely due to the cathode. This is caused by oxidation of the platinum surface following shut-down, and large changes in potential were found to significantly reduce the electrochemical surface area of the platinum catalyst.
…[/font][/font]
[font size=4]Scientists from the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) have developed a novel reference electrode, and are working with hydrogen energy system manufacturer ITM Power to aid the development of hydrogen production technologies for renewable energy storage.[/font]
[font size=3]Polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysers (PEMWEs) convert electricity and water into hydrogen and oxygen using two electrodes separated by a solid polymer electrolyte. This promising technology could be coupled to intermittent renewable energy sources to generate hydrogen for efficient energy storage and low-carbon transportation.
PEMWEs are more efficient than currently-used alkaline electrolysis technologies, but require relatively expensive catalyst materials such as iridium/ruthenium oxide (for oxygen evolution at the anode) and platinum (for hydrogen evolution at the cathode). Cost-effective design and extended lifetime are needed to boost competitiveness of PEMWEs, but development is currently being held back by poor understanding of the degradation of these catalysts.
…
Commercial PEMWE systems commonly show a decay in open-circuit potential (the voltage at zero current) after the current is switched off. This has conventionally been attributed to changes in the redox state of the anode catalyst which can lead to degradation. But in new work published in Electrochemistry Communications, the NPL reference electrode has demonstrated that the decay in potential is in fact entirely due to the cathode. This is caused by oxidation of the platinum surface following shut-down, and large changes in potential were found to significantly reduce the electrochemical surface area of the platinum catalyst.
…[/font][/font]
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