Suppression of PEFC Membrane Degradation By Using SnO2 As Electrocatalyst Support
Authors: Nakamura Shogo , Ogawa Taichi , Gautama Zulfi , Noda Zhiyun , Yasutake Masahiro , Lyth Stephen Matthew , Matsuda Junko , Hayashi Akari , Nishihara Masamichi , Sasaki Kazunari 
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Long-term durability of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) is required for various applications such as automobiles. It has been suggested that certain ions dissolved from electrocatalyst materials accelerate radical formation and subsequent chemical degradation of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) by the Fenton reaction [1]. Membrane degradation increases hydrogen and oxygen permeability and decreases proton conductivity and mechanical strength [2]. These phenomena significantly affect the electrochemical performance and durability of PEFCs. Therefore, in case metal oxides are used as catalyst support, it is necessary to check the dissolution of metal ions and to evaluate their effects on membranes. Our research group has been studying Nb-doped SnO2 (Sn(Nb)O2), showing improved durability of the electrocatalysts [3]. Here in this study, we evaluate the effects of Sn(Nb)O2 on the chemical degradation of PEMs.

Experimental

A commercial Pt/C catalyst (TEC10E50E, Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo, Japan) was used as the anode catalyst, while three types of cathode catalysts were applied and compared: 1) the commercial Pt/C; 2) Pt/MC where Pt was directly deposited on mesoporous carbon (MC); and 3) Pt/Sn(Nb)O2/MC where Pt was deposited on the Sn(Nb)O2 decorated on the MC. The durability test at open circuit voltage (OCV) was performed for 100 h. Before and after the durability test, cell performance, hydrogen crossover current density, and electrochemical surface area (ECSA) were characterized. The degree of membrane degradation was evaluated by measuring fluorine emission rate (FER) by ion chromatography, and membrane thickness and elemental distribution by energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) coupled with field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM).

Results and discussion

It was found that the use of Pt/Sn(Nb)O2/MC led to better durability in the OCV durability test. The decrease in OCV using Pt/Sn(Nb)O2/MC was smaller than that using Pt/C and Pt/MC, less than half of that Pt/C, as shown in Figure 1. The membrane thickness with Pt/Sn(Nb)O2/MC after the durability test was the same as that before the durability test, indicating that SnO2 actually suppressed the membrane degradation as shown in Figure 2. EDS elemental analysis confirmed no Sn ion dissolution from the cathode side as shown in Figure 3, also suggesting that SnO2 at the cathode suppressed the membrane degradation. In this presentation, we will quantitatively analyze the membrane degradation in using SnO2 and discuss possible mechanisms.

Acknowledgment

This paper is based on results obtained from a project, JPNP20003, commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

References

[1] J. Zhang, F. Coms, and S. Kumaraguru, J. Electrochem. Soc.,
168, 024520 (2021).

[2] P. Ren, P. Pei, Y. Li, Z. Wu, D. Chen, and S. Huang, Prog. Energy Combust. Sci.,
80, 100859 (2020).

[3] Y. Inoue, M. Yasutake, Z. Noda, S. M. Lyth, M. Nishihara, A. Hayashi, J. Matsuda, and K. Sasaki, ECS Trans., 109 (9), 413 (2022).

Figure 1