Roschger Michaela, Wolf Sigrid, Hasso Richard, Genorio Boštjan, Gorgieva Selestina, Hacker Viktor
Institute of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, Graz University of Technology, Inffeldgasse 25/C, 8010 Graz, Austria.
Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 113, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2023 Aug 30;15(34):40687-40699. doi: 10.1021/acsami.3c09192. Epub 2023 Aug 17.
The utilization of graphene as a catalyst support has garnered significant attention due to its potential for enhancing fuel cell performance. However, a critical challenge in electrode production still lies in the electrode preparation technologies and the restacking of graphene sheets, which can greatly impact the fuel cell performance alongside with catalyst development. This study aimed to investigate the impact of different electrode deposition methods for N-rGO-based catalyst inks on catalyst layer morphology, with a specific focus on graphene sheet orientation and its influence on the performance of alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells (ADEFCs). The dispersion behavior and ink stability of the catalysts were assessed using ultraviolet-visible light (UV-vis), ζ potential, and dynamic light scattering techniques. The morphology and physical properties of the gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) were analyzed through Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurements, contact angle measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with energy-dispersive spectroscopy. The electrochemical behavior was evaluated both ex-situ, utilizing half-cell GDE measurements, and in situ, through single-cell tests. The N-rGO-based membrane electrode assembly, comprising Pt-free catalysts and a biobased membrane, exhibited outstanding performance in ADEFCs, as evidenced by high maximum power density values and long-term durability. The N-rGO-based membrane electrode assembly has demonstrated remarkable potential for high-performance fuel cells, presenting an exciting avenue for further exploration.
由于石墨烯在提高燃料电池性能方面的潜力，其作为催化剂载体的应用已引起广泛关注。然而，电极生产中的一个关键挑战仍然在于电极制备技术以及石墨烯片的重新堆叠，这与催化剂开发一起，会极大地影响燃料电池性能。本研究旨在研究基于氮掺杂还原氧化石墨烯（N-rGO）的催化剂墨水的不同电极沉积方法对催化剂层形态的影响，特别关注石墨烯片的取向及其对碱性直接乙醇燃料电池（ADEFC）性能的影响。使用紫外可见光谱（UV-vis）、ζ电位和动态光散射技术评估催化剂的分散行为和墨水稳定性。通过Brunauer-Emmett-Teller测量、接触角测量以及结合能谱分析的扫描电子显微镜（SEM）来分析气体扩散电极（GDE）的形态和物理性质。通过半电池GDE测量进行非原位电化学行为评估，并通过单电池测试进行原位评估。由无铂催化剂和生物基膜组成的基于N-rGO的膜电极组件在ADEFC中表现出优异的性能，高最大功率密度值和长期耐久性证明了这一点。基于N-rGO的膜电极组件已显示出在高性能燃料电池方面的巨大潜力，为进一步探索提供了一条令人兴奋的途径。
