• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.46-52
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• 2010

Membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have been extensively studied to improve their initial performance as well as their durability and to facilitate the commercialization of fuel cell technology. To improve the MEA performance, particularly at low Pt loadings, many approaches have been made. In the present study, MEA performance improvement was performed by adding $TiO_2$ particles into the catalyst layer of MEA. Most of previous studies have focused on the MEA performance enhancement under low humidity conditions by adding metal oxides into the catalyst layer mainly due to the water keeping ability of those metal oxides particles such as $Al_2O_3$, $SiO_2$ and zeolites. However, this study mainly focused on the improvement of MEA performance under fully humidified normal conditions. In this study, the MEA was prepared by decal method aiming for a continuous MEA fabrication process. The decal process can make very thin and uniform catalyst layer on the surface of electrolyte membrane resulting in very low interfacial resistance between catalyst layer and the membrane surface and uniform electrode structure in the MEA. It was found that the addition of $TiO_2$ particles into the catalyst layer made by decal method can minimize water flooding in the catalyst layer, resulting in the improvement of MEA performance.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.295-300
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• 2007

A new characterization method using a porous plug model was proposed to determine the degree of sulfonation (DS) of ionomer binder with respect to the membrane used in membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) and to analyze the fraction of proton pathways through ionomer-catalyst combined electrodes in MEAs for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) was prepared to use a polymeric electrolyte and laboratory-made SPEEK solution (5wt.%, DMAc based) was added to catalyst slurry to form catalyst layers. In case of the SPEEK-based MEAs in this study, DS of ionomer binder for catalyst layers should be the same or higher than that of the SPEEK membrane used in the MEAs. The porous plug model suggested that most of protons were via the ionomer binder (${\sim}92.5%$) bridging the catalyst surface to the polymeric electrolyte, compared with the pathways through the alternative between the interstitial water on the surface of ionomer binder or catalyst and the ionomer binder (${\sim}7.3%$) and through only the interstitial water on the surface of ionomer or catalyst (${\sim}0.2%$) in the electrode of the MEA comprising of the sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) membrane and the 5wt.% SPEEK ionomer binder. As a result, it was believed that the majority of proton at both electrodeds moves through ionomer binder until reaching to electrolyte membrane. The porous plug model of the electrodes of MEAs reemphasized the importance of well-optimized structure of ionomer binder and catalyst for fuel cells.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.373-380
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• 1993

The preparation method of Raney nickel catalyst and the effect of promotor for the hydrogen electrode in alkaline fuel cell were investigated with electrochemical methods. The best electrode performance was observed with the Raney nickel which was obtained at $700^{\circ}C$ of sintering temperature and 60:40 of nickel:aluminum. As titanium was added for promotor, the activity of catalyst and characteristic of electrode was improved. Especially, the electrode containing 2w/o of titanium showed the maximum mass activity of 2.4A/g and its mean particle size was $5.7{\mu}m$. The resistance and capacitance of the electrode containing 2w/o of titanium, measured with AC impedance spectroscopy, were calculated to the $0.3{\Omega}cm^2$ and $0.42F/cm^2$, respectively.

• Ceramist
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.388-405
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• 2018

In this paper, we review about current development of electrode materials for Li-ion batteries and catalysts for fuel cells. We scrutinized various electrode materials for cathode and anode in Li-ion batteries, which include the materials currently being used in the industry and candidates with high energy density. While layered, spinel, olivine, and rock-salt type inorganic electrode materials were introduced as the cathode materials, the Li metal, graphite, Li-alloying metal, and oxide compound have been discussed for the application to the anode materials. In the development of fuel cell catalysts, the catalyst structures classified according to the catalyst composition and surface structure, such as Pt-based metal nanoparticles, non-Pt catalysts, and carbon-based materials, were discussed in detail. Moreover, various support materials used to maximize the active surface area of fuel cell catalysts were explained. New electrode materials and catalysts with both high electrochemical performance and stability can be developed based on the thorough understanding of earlier studied electrode materials and catalysts.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.523-530
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• 2019

For the low-Pt electrodes for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEMFCs), the optimization of ionomer content for anode catalyst layers was carried out. A commercial catalyst of 20 wt.% Pt/C was used instead of 50 wt.% Pt/C which is commonly used for PEMFCs. The ionomer content varies from 0.6 to 1.2 based on ionomer to carbon ratio (I/C) and the catalyst layer is formed over the electrolyte by the ultrasonic spray process. Evaluation of the prepared MEA in the unit cell showed that the optimal ionomer content of the air electrode was 0.8 on the I/C basis, while the hydrogen electrode was optimal at the relatively high ionomer content of 1.0. In addition, a large difference in cell performance was observed when the ionomer content of the hydrogen electrode was changed. Increasing the ionomer content from 0.6 to 1.0 by I/C in a hydrogen electrode with 0.05 mg/㎠ platinum loading resulted in more than double cell performance improvements on a 0.6 V. Through the analysis of various electrochemical properties in the single cell, it was assumed that the change in ionomer content of the hydrogen electrode affects the water flow between the hydrogen and air electrodes bounded by the membrane in the cell, which affects the overall performance of the cell. A more specific study will be carried out to understand the water flow mechanism in the future, and this study will show that the optimization process of hydrogen electrode can also be a very important cell design variable for the low-Pt and high-performance MEA.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.522-529
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• 1993

To raise the utilization of precious platinum currently used as catalyst for PAFC's electrode, it is very important to make fine particles of platinum. This study, for preparing highly dispersed platinum catalyst on carbon black, method. And then loading yield of platinum catalyst on carbon black and the particle size were investigated by DCP and XRD and/or TEM respectively. The colloid method by which platinum particle size could be reduced as small as below $30{\AA}$ showed the best result among them, and the loading yield of platinum catalyst on carbon black was above 99%.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.540-546
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• 2010

In order to confirm the effect of Nafion ionomer content in catalyst layer on the performance of PEMFC, we have fabricated several electrodes which were prepared by varying the quantity of Nafion ionomer from 24 wt.% to 39 wt.% in catalyst layer. The effect of Nafion ionomer of each electrode was evaluated with cyclic voltammetry measurement. In addition, cell performance was obtained through single cell test using hydrogen and air. The Pt utilization and performance of single cell were changed by addition of Nafion ionomer to the electrode. Single cell fabricated with 33 wt.% of Nafion ionomer in catalyst layer showed the maximum Pt utilization and performance.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.51 no.12
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• pp.567-572
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• 2002

In these days, diesel vehicle or power plant emits $NO_X\; and SO_2$ which cause air pollution like acid-rain, ozone layer destroy and optical smoke, therefore there are many kinds of methods considered for removing them such as SCR, catalyst, plasma process, and plasma-catalyst hybrid process. T$TiO_2$ is commonly used as catalyst to remove $NO_X$ gas because it have very excellent chemical characteristic as photo catalyst. In this paper, $NO_X$ sensing characteristic of $TiO_2$ thin film deposited by R.F Magnetron sputtering is investigated. A finger shaped electrode on $Al_2$O$_3$ substrate is designed and $TiO_2$ is deposited on the electrode by the magnetron sputtering deposition system. Chemical composition of the deposited $TiO_2$ thin film is $TiO_{1.9}$ by RBS analysis. When the UV is irradiated on it with flowing air, capacitance of $TiO_2$ thin film increases, however, when NO gas is put into the system with air, it immediately decreases because of photo chemical reaction. and it monotonously decreases with increasing NO concentration.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.75.2-75.2
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• 2010

Polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) have received a lot of attention as a power source for both stationary and mobile applications due to their attractive feature. In general, the performance of PEFCs is highly affected by the property of the electrodes. A PEFC electrode essentially consists of a gas diffusion layer and a catalyst layer. The gas difusion layer is highly porous and hydrophobicized with PTFE polymer. The catalyst layer usually contains electrocatalyst, proton conducting polymer, even PTFE as additive. Particularly, the proton conducting ionomer helps to increase the catalytic activity at three-phase boundary and catalyst utilization. Futhermore, it helps to retain moisture, resulting in preventing the electrodes from membrane dehydration. The most widely used proton conducting ionomer is perfluorinated sulfonic acid polymer, namely, Nafion from DuPont due to its high proton conductivity and good mechanical property. However, there are great demands for alternative ionomers based on non-fluorinated materials in terms of high temperature availability, environmental adaptability and production cost. In this study, the electrodes with the various content of the sulfonated poly(ether sulfone) ionomer in the catalyst layer were prepared. In addition, we evaluated electrochemical properties of the prepared electrodes containing the various amount of the ionomers by using the cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy to find an optimal ionomer composition in the catalyst layer.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.68-72
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• 2013

Until a recent day, degradation of PEMFC MEA (membrane and electrode assembly) has been studied, separated with membrane degradation and electrode degradation, respectively. But membrane and electrode were degraded coincidentally at real PEMFC operation condition. During simultaneous degradation, there was interaction between membrane degradation and electrode degradation. The effect of electrode degradation on membrane degradation was studied in this work. We compared membrane degradation after electrode degradation and membrane degradation without electrode degradation. I-V performance, hydrogen crossover current, fluoride emission rate (FER), impedance and TEM were measured after and before degradation of MEA. Electrode degradation reduced active area of Pt catalyst, and then radical/$H_2O_2$ evolution rate decreased on Pt. Decrease of radical/$H_2O_2$ reduced the velocity of membrane degradation.