Reducing PGM content for efficient PEM Water Electrolysis by 3D porous catalyst engineering and bottom-up electrode design

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Anna Fischer
• Subject Area: Solid State and Surface Chemistry, Material Synthesis ; Synthesis and Properties of Functional Materials ; Physical Chemistry of Solids and Surfaces, Material Characterisation ; Physical Chemistry of Molecules, Liquids and Interfaces, Biophysical Chemistry
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 530128522

Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is the most advanced technology enabling high purity, high pressure, green H2 production from renewable energies. In current PEMWE, both electrodes (anode and cathode catalyst layers) contain large loadings of platinum-group-metal-based catalysts, that need to be drastically decreased without compromising activity nor stability. Besides the catalyst's activity, the 3D architecture and porosity of the electrodes (catalyst layers) is an equally important aspect that plays a crucial role as it regulates mass transport of electrons, water, protons and evolved gases. Improving PEMWE performance by engineering the 3D electrode architecture remains an underexplored challenge as it requires shaping of complex catalyst materials at multiple scales. In this project, we tackle this challenge, by designing 3D-porous architectured catalysts particles with ultra-low PGM loadings and tailored particle properties. Complementary expertise in materials synthesis of German (Anna Fischer, University Freiburg) and French (Marco Faustini, Sorbonne Université) partners will allow cathode and anode 3D nano- and micro-engineered catalysts to be produced, respectively. To improve Pt utilization at the cathode, Pt-clusters and/or Pt-single sites supported on 3D porous doped carbon nanospheres with tailored particle properties will be developed. 3D porous Ir-based particles tailored particle properties will be synthesized. The impact of the 3D-catalyst and electrode architectures on the performance will be assessed both at the RDE and PEMWE test station level (Jennifer Peron, Université Paris Cité). As such, by nano- and microengineering the catalyst architecture, we intend to develop 3D architectured catalyst layers with an optimized morphology for high performance electrolysis at ultra-low PGM loading.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: France
• Cooperation Partners: Marco Faustini; Dr. Jennifer Peron