Editors’ choice⇔uncovering the role of alkaline pretreatment for hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells

Lin Shi; Brian P. Setzler; Keda Hu; Catherine M. Weiss; Stephanie Matz; Yanrong Xue; Zhiyuan Xu; Zhongbin Zhuang; Shimshon Gottesfeld; Yushan Yan

doi:10.1149/1945-7111/abc4bd

Editors’ choice⇔uncovering the role of alkaline pretreatment for hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells

Lin Shi, Brian P. Setzler, Keda Hu, Catherine M. Weiss, Stephanie Matz, Yanrong Xue, Zhiyuan Xu, Zhongbin Zhuang, Shimshon Gottesfeld, Yushan Yan^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Physical Sciences and Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Alkaline pretreatment is perceived as an essential step for high-performance hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells (HEMFCs), but its exact function is not fully understood. Here we show that alkaline pretreatment is only necessary when carboxylates are generated from platinum- or palladium-catalyzed oxidation of primary alcohol solvents during membrane electrode assembly (MEA) fabrication. When alkaline pretreatment is needed, bicarbonates are a better choice than the most commonly used hydroxide bases. We further demonstrate that MEAs with Pt/Pd-free catalysts, which can be used in HEMFCs, exhibit a better performance without the alkaline pretreatment: a voltage of 0.64 V at 1.0 A cm⁻² and a peak power density of 0.69 W cm⁻² in H₂/O₂. The optimization or elimination of the alkaline pretreatment will simplify the fabrication process for fuel cells and thus reduces their manufacturing costs.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	144506
Journal	Journal of The Electrochemical Society
Volume	167
Issue number	14
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/abc4bd
State	Published - Nov 2020

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Electrochemistry
Materials Chemistry

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1149/1945-7111/abc4bd

Cite this

@article{bf081cc6ff4546e7aa6e4b2c01c89c7a,

title = "Editors{\textquoteright} choice⇔uncovering the role of alkaline pretreatment for hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells",

abstract = "Alkaline pretreatment is perceived as an essential step for high-performance hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells (HEMFCs), but its exact function is not fully understood. Here we show that alkaline pretreatment is only necessary when carboxylates are generated from platinum- or palladium-catalyzed oxidation of primary alcohol solvents during membrane electrode assembly (MEA) fabrication. When alkaline pretreatment is needed, bicarbonates are a better choice than the most commonly used hydroxide bases. We further demonstrate that MEAs with Pt/Pd-free catalysts, which can be used in HEMFCs, exhibit a better performance without the alkaline pretreatment: a voltage of 0.64 V at 1.0 A cm−2 and a peak power density of 0.69 W cm−2 in H2/O2. The optimization or elimination of the alkaline pretreatment will simplify the fabrication process for fuel cells and thus reduces their manufacturing costs.",

author = "Lin Shi and Setzler, {Brian P.} and Keda Hu and Weiss, {Catherine M.} and Stephanie Matz and Yanrong Xue and Zhiyuan Xu and Zhongbin Zhuang and Shimshon Gottesfeld and Yushan Yan",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 The Author(s). Published on behalf of The Electrochemical Society by IOP Publishing Limited.",

year = "2020",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1149/1945-7111/abc4bd",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "167",

journal = "Journal of The Electrochemical Society",

issn = "0013-4651",

publisher = "Electrochemical Society",

number = "14",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Editors’ choice⇔uncovering the role of alkaline pretreatment for hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells

AU - Shi, Lin

AU - Setzler, Brian P.

AU - Hu, Keda

AU - Weiss, Catherine M.

AU - Matz, Stephanie

AU - Xue, Yanrong

AU - Xu, Zhiyuan

AU - Zhuang, Zhongbin

AU - Gottesfeld, Shimshon

AU - Yan, Yushan

PY - 2020/11

Y1 - 2020/11

N2 - Alkaline pretreatment is perceived as an essential step for high-performance hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells (HEMFCs), but its exact function is not fully understood. Here we show that alkaline pretreatment is only necessary when carboxylates are generated from platinum- or palladium-catalyzed oxidation of primary alcohol solvents during membrane electrode assembly (MEA) fabrication. When alkaline pretreatment is needed, bicarbonates are a better choice than the most commonly used hydroxide bases. We further demonstrate that MEAs with Pt/Pd-free catalysts, which can be used in HEMFCs, exhibit a better performance without the alkaline pretreatment: a voltage of 0.64 V at 1.0 A cm−2 and a peak power density of 0.69 W cm−2 in H2/O2. The optimization or elimination of the alkaline pretreatment will simplify the fabrication process for fuel cells and thus reduces their manufacturing costs.

AB - Alkaline pretreatment is perceived as an essential step for high-performance hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells (HEMFCs), but its exact function is not fully understood. Here we show that alkaline pretreatment is only necessary when carboxylates are generated from platinum- or palladium-catalyzed oxidation of primary alcohol solvents during membrane electrode assembly (MEA) fabrication. When alkaline pretreatment is needed, bicarbonates are a better choice than the most commonly used hydroxide bases. We further demonstrate that MEAs with Pt/Pd-free catalysts, which can be used in HEMFCs, exhibit a better performance without the alkaline pretreatment: a voltage of 0.64 V at 1.0 A cm−2 and a peak power density of 0.69 W cm−2 in H2/O2. The optimization or elimination of the alkaline pretreatment will simplify the fabrication process for fuel cells and thus reduces their manufacturing costs.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096608333&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1149/1945-7111/abc4bd

DO - 10.1149/1945-7111/abc4bd

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85096608333

SN - 0013-4651

VL - 167

JO - Journal of The Electrochemical Society

JF - Journal of The Electrochemical Society

IS - 14

M1 - 144506

ER -

Editors’ choice⇔uncovering the role of alkaline pretreatment for hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this