(Invited) Cost Reduction Strategies in Low Temperature Water Electrolysis with Improved Catalytic Activity
Authors: Friedrich K. Andreas , Wilke Vincent , Torrero Jorge , Morawietz Tobias , Garcia Daniel , Gago Aldo Saul 
Published: August 2024

Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) technology is especially advantageous for green H2 production as a clean energy vector. During the water electrolysis process, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) requires a large amount of iridium (2-3 mgIr cm−2) as catalyst. This material is scarce and expensive, representing a major bottleneck for large-scale deployment of electrolyzers. Recently, Retuerto et al. have synthesized different Ir double perovskites (Sr2CaIrO6) with the Ir atoms in a high oxidation state (Ir6+/5+) 1 and their catalytic activity was extensively investigated. Specifically, a Ca-based double perovskite (Sr2CaIrO6) has showed the highest OER activity similar to those of Ir or Ir oxides-based catalysts while being stable for the OER in half cell measurements. We report the development of a membrane electrode assembly taking advantage of the high activity of the Sr2CaIrO6 catalyst that has only 0.2 mgIr cm−2, around 10 times lower compared to what it is used in the anodes of commercial PEMWE, showing superior performance and stability. The morphology/structure of the developed anode and Sr2CaIrO6 catalyst, before and after operation in PEMWE, were extensively characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES). We discuss in this contribution how the finding of this work can provide a strategy to lower the Ir content in commercial PEMWE.
Anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) combines the advantages of proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE), i.e., high current density while maintaining high efficiency and fast dynamic response with the advantages of alkaline water electrolysis (AWE), i.e., low-cost materials. However, AEMWE technology is still depends on a supporting electrolyte and its durability is low. In this regard, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) is developing novel approaches and cell components. Raney-nickel electrodes were developed via vacuum plasma spraying, reaching performance and stability comparable to SoA MW size PEMWE. The electrodes were further refined, switching to lower cost atmospheric plasma spraying while maintaining high performance. Studying the effect of supporting electrolyte concentration it was found, that lowering the ohmic resistance is by far the largest challenge for high performance AEMWE, especially at low KOH concentrations and electrode kinetics are less impactful. Moreover, a 17% efficiency uplift was achieved by applying a carefully tuned, thermally sprayed, nickel-based macro porous layer (MPL) onto a traditional mesh porous transport layer. Both ohmic and mass transport resistances were found to be lowered by the MPL. FIB-SEM and µCT analysis revealed an ideal structure, i.e., 30-40% porosity, almost exclusively open pores, and a broad pore size distribution2. In a fundamental study3, the mechanism of the OER activity was investigated as well as the effect of trace amounts of iron in Ni(OH)2. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) TGA analysis lead to the conclusion, that iron stabilized the α-Ni(OH)2which is the most active. CV analysis showed that an important redox switching step is also accelerated by Fe-doping.

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