Synergistic electrochemical activity of titanium carbide and carbon towards fuel cell reactions

Titanium carbide (TiC) is an electrically conducting refractory interstitial compound possessing several unique properties. A cost-effective, efficient and non-Pt electrocatalyst based on TiC is explored and the multi-functionality of TiC towards various electrochemical reactions that are of significant interest in low temperature fuel cells is studied. Ameliorated activities towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and borohydride oxidation are observed with TiC-carbon composites. High sensitivity and selectivity towards ORR have been demonstrated with very good methanol tolerance. The charge transfer interactions between TiC and carbon seem to play a vital role in the improved activity as compared to their individual counterparts. The present study opens up a way to realize completely Pt-free borohydride fuel cell architecture.

Synthesis, properties and applications of graphene doped with boron, nitrogen and other elements

Chemical doping of graphene becomes necessary to create a band gap which is useful for various applications. Furthermore, chemical doping of elements like boron and nitrogen in graphene gives rise to useful properties. Since chemically doped graphene is both of academic and technical importance, we have prepared this article on the present status of various aspects of this important class of materials. In doing so, we have covered the recent literature on this subject citing all the major references. Some of the aspects that we have covered are the synthesis of chemically doped graphene followed by properties and applications. The applications discussed relate to gas adsorption, lithium batteries, supercapacitors, oxygen reduction reaction, field emission and photochemical water splitting. Characterization of chemically doped graphene also included. We believe that the article will be useful to all those interested in graphene and related materials and provides the present status of the subject. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of structural dimensionality on the electrocatalytic properties of the nickel selenide phase

Nickel selenide (NiSe) nanostructures possessing different morphologies of wires, spheres and hexagons are synthesized by varying the selenium precursors, selenourea, selenium dioxide (SeO2) and potassium selenocyanate (KSeCN), respectively, and are characterized using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Electrical measurements of a single nanowire and a hexagon carried out on devices fabricated by the focused ion beam (FIB) technique depict the semiconducting nature of NiSe and its ability to act as a visible light photodetector. The three different morphologies are used as catalysts for hydrogen evolution (HER), oxygen reduction (ORR) and glucose oxidation reactions. The wire morphology is found to be better than that of spheres and hexagons for all the reactions. Among the reactions studied, NiSe is found to be good for HER and glucose oxidation while ORR seems to terminate at the peroxide stage.

Prussian blue as a single precursor for synthesis of Fe/Fe3C encapsulated N-doped graphitic nanostructures as bi-functional catalysts

We report a unique, single source precursor Prussian blue (iron(III) ferrocyanide (Fe-4(III)Fe-II(CN)(6)](3))) for the synthesis of Fe/Fe3C nanoparticle encapsulated N-doped graphitic layers and bamboo-like graphitic nanotubes. Hollow N-doped graphite (N-HG) nanostructures are obtained when the encapsulated nanostructures are treated with an acid. Both the encapsulated nanostructures and N-HG are shown to be applicable as bi-functional electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reactions (OER). The ORR activity is shown to be improved for N-HG and is comparable to commercial Pt/C. On the other hand, encapsulated nanostructures exhibit OER activity with long-term stability comparable to commercial RuO2.

Prussian blue as a single precursor for synthesis of Fe/Fe3C encapsulated N-doped graphitic nanostructures as bi-functional catalysts

We report a unique, single source precursor Prussian blue (iron(III) ferrocyanide (Fe-4(III)Fe-II(CN)(6)](3))) for the synthesis of Fe/Fe3C nanoparticle encapsulated N-doped graphitic layers and bamboo-like graphitic nanotubes. Hollow N-doped graphite (N-HG) nanostructures are obtained when the encapsulated nanostructures are treated with an acid. Both the encapsulated nanostructures and N-HG are shown to be applicable as bi-functional electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reactions (OER). The ORR activity is shown to be improved for N-HG and is comparable to commercial Pt/C. On the other hand, encapsulated nanostructures exhibit OER activity with long-term stability comparable to commercial RuO2.

Quantum Mechanics Studies of Fuel Cell Catalysts and Proton Conducting Ceramics with Validation by Experiment

We carried out quantum mechanics (QM) studies aimed at improving the performance of hydrogen fuel cells. This led to predictions of improved materials, some of which were subsequently validated with experiments by our collaborators.

In part I, the challenge was to find a replacement for the Pt cathode that would lead to improved performance for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) while remaining stable under operational conditions and decreasing cost. Our design strategy was to find an alloy with composition Pt3M that would lead to surface segregation such that the top layer would be pure Pt, with the second and subsequent layers richer in M. Under operating conditions we expect the surface to have significant O and/or OH chemisorbed on the surface, and hence we searched for M that would remain segregated under these conditions. Using QM we examined surface segregation for 28 Pt₃M alloys, where M is a transition metal. We found that only Pt₃Os and Pt₃Ir showed significant surface segregation when O and OH are chemisorbed on the catalyst surfaces. This result indicates that Pt₃Os and Pt3Ir favor formation of a Pt-skin surface layer structure that would resist the acidic electrolyte corrosion during fuel cell operation environments. We chose to focus on Os because the phase diagram for Pt-Ir indicated that Pt-Ir could not form a homogeneous alloy at lower temperature. To determine the performance for ORR, we used QM to examine all intermediates, reaction pathways, and reaction barriers involved in the processes for which protons from the anode reactions react with O₂ to form H₂O. These QM calculations used our Poisson-Boltzmann implicit solvation model include the effects of the solvent (water with dielectric constant 78 with pH 7 at 298K). We found that the rate determination step (RDS) was the O_ad hydration reaction (O_ad + H₂O_ad -> OH_ad + OH_ad) in both cases, but that the barrier for pure Pt of 0.50 eV is reduced to 0.48 eV for Pt₃Os, which at 80 degrees C would increase the rate by 218%. We collaborated with the Pu-Wei Wu’s group to carry out experiments, where we found that the dealloying process-treated Pt2Os catalyst showed two-fold higher activity at 25 degrees C than pure Pt and that the alloy had 272% improved stability, validating our theoretical predictions.

We also carried out similar QM studies followed by experimental validation for the Os/Pt core-shell catalyst fabricated by the underpotential deposition (UPD) method. The QM results indicated that the RDS for ORR is a compromise between the OOH formation step (0.37 eV for Pt, 0.23 eV for Pt_2ML/Os core-shell) and H₂O formation steps (0.32 eV for Pt, 0.22 eV for Pt_2ML/Os core-shell). We found that Pt_2ML/Os has the highest activity (compared to pure Pt and to the Pt₃Os alloy) because the 0.37 eV barrier decreases to 0.23 eV. To understand what aspects of the core shell structure lead to this improved performance, we considered the effect on ORR of compressing the alloy slab to the dimensions of pure Pt. However this had little effect, with the same RDS barrier 0.37 eV. This shows that the ligand effect (the electronic structure modification resulting from the Os substrate) plays a more important role than the strain effect, and is responsible for the improved activity of the core- shell catalyst. Experimental materials characterization proves the core-shell feature of our catalyst. The electrochemical experiment for Pt_2ML/Os/C showed 3.5 to 5 times better ORR activity at 0.9V (vs. NHE) in 0.1M HClO₄ solution at 25 degrees C as compared to those of commercially available Pt/C. The excellent correlation between experimental half potential and the OH binding energies and RDS barriers validate the feasibility of predicting catalyst activity using QM calculation and a simple Langmuir–Hinshelwood model.

In part II, we used QM calculations to study methane stream reforming on a Ni-alloy catalyst surfaces for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) application. SOFC has wide fuel adaptability but the coking and sulfur poisoning will reduce its stability. Experimental results suggested that the Ni4Fe alloy improves both its activity and stability compared to pure Ni. To understand the atomistic origin of this, we carried out QM calculations on surface segregation and found that the most stable configuration for Ni₄Fe has a Fe atom distribution of (0%, 50%, 25%, 25%, 0%) starting at the bottom layer. We calculated that the binding of C atoms on the Ni4Fe surface is 142.9 Kcal/mol, which is about 10 Kcal/mol weaker compared to the pure Ni surface. This weaker C binding energy is expected to make coke formation less favorable, explaining why Ni₄Fe has better coking resistance. This result confirms the experimental observation. The reaction energy barriers for CHx decomposition and C binding on various alloy surface, Ni₄X (X=Fe, Co, Mn, and Mo), showed Ni₄Fe, Ni₄Co, and Fe₄Mn all have better coking resistance than pure Ni, but that only Ni₄Fe and Fe₄Mn have (slightly) improved activity compared to pure Ni.

In part III, we used QM to examine the proton transport in doped perovskite-ceramics. Here we used a 2x2x2 supercell of perovskite with composition Ba₈X₇M₁(OH)₁O₂₃ where X=Ce or Zr and M=Y, Gd, or Dy. Thus in each case a 4⁺ X is replace by a 3⁺ M plus a proton on one O. Here we predicted the barriers for proton diffusion allowing both includes intra-octahedron and inter-octahedra proton transfer. Without any restriction, we only observed the inter-octahedra proton transfer with similar energy barrier as previous computational work but 0.2 eV higher than experimental result for Y doped zirconate. For one restriction in our calculations is that the O_donor-O_acceptor atoms were kept at fixed distances, we found that the barrier difference between cerates/zirconates with various dopants are only 0.02~0.03 eV. To fully address performance one would need to examine proton transfer at grain boundaries, which will require larger scale ReaxFF reactive dynamics for systems with millions of atoms. The QM calculations used here will be used to train the ReaxFF force field.

Influence of synthetic method on the properties of La0.5Ba0.5FeO3 SOFC cathode

Power Point presentado en The Energy and Materials Research Conference - EMR2015 celebrado en Madrid (España) entre el 25-27 de febrero de 2015

Characterization of cobalt based TPP-bipy coordination polymer

Comunicación a congreso: Póster presentado en The 4th EuCheMS Chemistry Congress (4ECC), Prague, Czech Republic, August 26–30, 2012

Stabilization of a complex perovskite superstructure under ambient conditions: Influence of cation composition and ordering, and evaluation as an SOFC cathode

Ba1.6Ca2.3Y1.1Fe5O13 is an Fe3+ oxide adopting a complex perovskite superstructure, which is an ordered intergrowth between the Ca2Fe2O5 and YBa2Fe3O8 structures featuring octahedral, square pyramidal, and tetrahedral B sites and three distinct A site environments. The distribution of A site cations was evaluated by combined neutron and X-ray powder diffraction. Consistent with the Fe3+ charge state, the material is an antiferromagnetic insulator with a Néel temperature of 480-485 °C and has a relatively low d.c. conductivity of 2.06 S cm-1 at 700 °C. The observed area specific resistance in symmetrical cell cathodes with the samarium-doped ceria electrolyte is 0.87 Ω cm2 at 700 °C, consistent with the square pyramidal Fe3+ layer favoring oxide ion formation and mobility in the oxygen reduction reaction. Density functional theory calculations reveal factors favoring the observed cation ordering and its influence on the electronic structure, in particular the frontier occupied and unoccupied electronic states. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

直接甲醇燃料电池耐甲醇氧还原电催化剂的研究

燃料电池以其高效、环境友好的发电方式，被誉为21世纪的能源技术。其中，直接甲醇燃料电池（DMFC）更以燃料甲醇来源丰富，价格低廉，储存、携带方便而成为近年的研究热点。目前DNDFC存在的一个主要问题是"甲醇透过"，即甲醇从阳极穿过固体电解质膜进入到阴极，而阴极催化剂一般是Pt/C，因此在阴极会同时发生甲醇氧化和氧还原，严重降低了电池的库仑效率和电压效率。此夕卜甲醇及其氧化中间产物还会使P口C中毒。虽然试验了一些低甲醇透过率的电解质膜，但仍无法完全消除甲醇透过。因此研制对氧还原催化活性高而对甲醇氧化没有活性，即耐甲醇的氧还原电催化剂是一个十分重要的课题。本论文主要从催化剂的组成、热处理、制备方法和载体等方面进行了相关研究，此外，还开展了生物燃料电池阴极电催化剂的研究。具体结果如下：1．热处理对电催化剂性能的影响（1）首次研究了炭载铂（Pt/C）对氧还原和甲醇氧化的催化活性与热处理温度的关系。发现P"C的催化活性随热处理温度的升高而降低，其原因是热处理使R／C中Pt的结晶度提高、粒径变大、表面浓度降低。但是，热处理使PUC催化甲醇氧化活性的降低程度远大于催化氧还原活性的降低程度。该研究提供了一种有效改善P口C催化剂耐甲醇性能的简便方法。（2）研究了炭载四狡基酞著钻（CoPcTc／C）和炭载四苯基铁叶琳（FeTPP／C）对氧还原和甲醇氧化的催化活性与热处理温度的关系。发现800℃热处理的CoPcTc／C对氧还原的催化活性最高；XPS和XRD分析表明，其活性位主要为含CoN4结构的物质。FeTPP／C催化剂与CoPcTc／C类似，700℃热处理的对氧还原催化活性最高。二者对甲醇氧化都没有活性。（3）首次研究了炭载四苯基铁叶琳一铂（FeTPP-Pt/C）复合催化剂对氧还原和甲醇氧化的催化活性与热处理温度的关系。发现热处理使FeTPP-Pt/C对氧还原的催化活性提高，并且优于相应P灯C，这是因为复合催化剂对氧还原的催化活性来源于FeTPP和Pt两部分。另外，FeTPP-Pt／C对甲醇氧化的催化活性随热处理温度的升高而降低，降低幅度大于相应Pt/C，这是因为在复合催化剂中，FeTPP在Pt/C表面的分散会降低甲醇与R的接触。700℃热处理的FeTPP-Pt/C对氧还原的催化活性最高，并且耐甲醇能力很强，非常适合作为DMFC阴极电催化剂。（4）首次研究了FeTPP-TiO2/C复合催化剂对氧还原的催化活性与热处理温度的关系。发现70。℃热处理的FeTPP-TiO2／C对氧还原的催化活性最高，并且稳定性好；复合催化剂提高了氧还原的电子转移数。这是因为TIOZ能够将FeTPP催化氧还原过程中产生的H2O2及时分解为O2和H2O，再重新被FeTPP还原。TIOZ的加入有望改善过渡金属大环化合物催化剂的长程稳定性。此夕卜该复合催化剂对甲醇氧化没有活性。2．制备方法对电催化剂性能的影响（1）首次同时研究了Pt/C对氧还原和甲醇氧化的催化性能，讨论了影响Pt/C催化活性的主要因素。XRD、XPS和TEM分析表明，无定型Pt含量高的Pt/C对氧还原的催化活性较高，表面氧化物含量高的Pt/C对甲醇氧化的催化活性较高。为制备耐甲醇能力强、催化氧还原活性高的Pt/C催化剂提供了理论参考。（2）比较了平衡吸附法和强制沉积法制备的FeTPP-Pt/C催化剂的性能，发现前者对氧还原和甲醇氧化的催化活性都高于后者，这是因为由强制吸附法制备的复合催化剂，FeTPP将一部分Pt覆盖，使其无法发挥活性。3．活性炭载体对Pt/C电催化剂性能的影响利用多种分析手段，系统比较了VulcanXC-72炭和上海松木炭的物理、化学性质对Pt/C电催化剂性能的影响。发现孔径适当、电导率高、灰分和表面含氧基团较少的活性炭作载体时，制得的P口C催化剂的性能较好。为PEMFC中电催化剂载体的选择提供了一些理论依据。4．生物燃料电池阴极电催化剂的研究首次制备了炭载微过氧化物酶-11（MP-11／C）电催化剂，通过循环伏安法、线性扫描法和旋转圆盘电极技术研究发现，MP-11／C对O2还原具有较高的催化活性，并且稳定性好，为生物燃料电池的研制提供了一种较好的酶固定方法。

An improved palladium-based DMFCs cathode catalyst

A novel carbon-supported palladium-rich Pd3Pt1/C catalyst prepared by a modified polyol process showed a better cell performance than Pt/C in direct methanol fuel cells, which may be attributed to palladium's inactivity to methanol electro-oxidation while exhibiting good performance to oxygen reduction reaction.

Degradation mechanism of polystyrene sulfonic acid membrane and application of its composite membranes in fuel cells

The lifetime behavior of a H-2/O-2 proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell with polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSSA) membrane have been investigated in order to give an insight into the degradation mechanism of the PSSA membrane. The distribution of sulfur concentration in the cross section of the PSSA membrane was measured by energy dispersive analysis of X-ray, and the chemical composition of the PSSA membrane was characterized by infrared spectroscopy before and after the lifetime experiment. The degradation mechanism of the PSSA membrane is postulated as: the oxygen reduction at the cathode proceeds through some peroxide intermediates during the fuel cell operation, and these intermediates have strong oxidative ability and may chemically attack the tertiary hydrogen at the a carbon of the PSSA; the degradation of the PSSA membrane mainly takes place at the cathode side of the cell, and the loss of the aromatic rings and the SO3- groups simultaneously occurs from the PSSA membrane. A new kind of the PSSA-Nafion composite membrane, where the Nafion membrane is bonded with the PSSA membrane and located at the cathode of the cell, was designed to prevent oxidation degradation of the PSSA membrane in fuel cells. The performances of fuel cells with PSSA-Nafion101 and PSSA-recast Nafion composite membranes are demonstrated to be stable after 835 h and 240 h, respectively.

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes supported Pt-Fe cathodic catalyst for direct methanol fuel cell

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes supported Pt-Fe cathodic catalyst shows higher specific activity towards oxygen reduction reaction as compared to Pt/MWNTs when employed as cathodic catalyst in direct methanol fuel cell.

Magnet-assisted assembly of 1-dimensional hollow PtCo nanomaterials on an electrode surface

In this work, rapid and controllable confinement of one-dimensional (1D) hollow PtCo nanomaterials on an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode surface was simply realized via magnetic attraction. The successful assembly was verified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cyclic voltammetry, which showed that a longer exposure time of the electrode to the suspension of these 1D hollow nanomaterials (magnetic suspension) led to a larger amount of attached 1D hollow PtCo nanomaterials.

Electrochemical characteristics of mediated laccase-catalysis and electrochemical detection of environmental pollutants

Laccase has been immobilized on the carbon nanotubes modified glassy carbon electrode surface by adsorption. As-prepared laccase retains good electrocatalytic activity to oxygen reduction by using 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) as the mediator. It can be used as a biosensor for the determination of catechol with broad linear range.