Novel Catalyst Supports for Water Electrolysis: Experimental and Theoretical Studies

支持水电解的新型催化剂：实验和理论研究

• 批准号: 0933141
• 负责人: Prashant Kumta
• 金额: $ 32.5万
• 依托单位: University of Pittsburgh
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-01-01 至 2012-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0933141&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Novel; Catalyst; Supports; Water; Electrolysis

0933141KumtaNano-structured noble metals and noble metal oxides are used in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells and water electrolyzers for their electro-catalytic activity. The combined generation of acidic protons and the high electrochemical potentials require that the catalysts remain stable under these extremely corrosive environments. The cost of noble metals thus provides the impetus to search for stable catalyst supports to minimize the loading while also enhancing the electrocatalytic activity. Very few materials are known to exhibit the desired electrical conductivity and electrochemical stability at 1.8-2.0V. Group IV oxide particularly, SnO2 is known to exhibit the desired electrochemical stability as well as moderate electronic conductivity. There is a need to further improve its electronic conductivity to enhance the efficiency of the electro-catalytic activity and minimize the catalyst loading. This project will conduct a fundamental experimental and theoretical study to identify a new class of different SnO2 based materials that likely exhibit improved electrochemical and electronic properties for electrolysis of water. The approach will be to use first principles ab initio techniques to determine thermodynamically stable mixed metal oxides while also using the Gaussian methodology to identify the electrochemical stability of the parent and doped tin oxide at the desired electrochemical potentials. Novel chemical approaches will be used to generate high surface area Ir1-xRuxO2 catalyst structures on these stable catalyst supports. The role of bulk and surface microstructure and composition on the electrochemical stability and the electrocatalytic response will be studied by correlating high resolution microscopy results with logical electrochemical potentiometric, and electronic conductivity tests.Intellectual merits: A new class of nano-crystalline mixed metal oxide catalyst supports exhibiting desirable electronic conductivity and electrochemical properties will be developed, and a better understanding of the underlying electrochemical processes and the influence of nano-scale materials structure and microstructure on the electrochemical stability and activity will be generated; 3) The combination of theory and experiments will lay the foundation for the design and development of novel catalyst supports for the generation of carbon free hydrogen using electrolysis of water. Broader impacts: The proposed research will advance the science and technology of mixed metal oxides for electrocatalysis for use in PEM fuel cells and water electrolysis. The proposed studies will offer an excellent opportunity for minority women and individuals from underrepresented groups to participate in the research activity. The on-going existing collaboration with North Carolina Agriculture and Technical University (NCAT) through the recently funded NSF-Engineering Research Center (ERC) will further help to recruit minority individuals into the graduate program. Moreover, web-based audio-visual electrochemistry tools will be developed for local high school students who will be allowed to participate in projects in the PI's laboratory and present their work in a competitive workshop.

0933141kumtanano结构化的贵族金属和贵金属氧化物用于质子交换膜（PEM）燃料电池和水电解液中的电催化活性。酸性质子的组合产生和高电化学电位要求催化剂在这些极具腐蚀性的环境下保持稳定。因此，贵金属的成本为寻找稳定的催化剂提供了动力，以最大程度地减少负载，同时还增强了电催化活性。已知很少有材料在1.8-2.0V时表现出所需的电导率和电化学稳定性。尤其是IV组氧化物，已知SNO2表现出所需的电化学稳定性以及中等电子电导率。有必要进一步提高其电子电导率，以提高电催化活性的效率并最大程度地减少催化剂的负载。该项目将进行基本的实验和理论研究，以识别一类新的基于SNO2的材料，这些材料可能表现出改善水的电化学和电子特性，用于水的电解。该方法将是使用第一原理从头算技术来确定热力学稳定的混合金属氧化物，同时还使用高斯方法来鉴定父母在所需的电化学电位上识别父和掺杂的氧化锡的电化学稳定性。新型化学方法将用于在这些稳定的催化剂支撑物上产生高表面积IR1-XRUXO2催化剂结构。将通过将高分辨率显微镜结果与逻辑电化学计量和电子电导率测试相关联，将研究大量和表面微观结构以及组成对电化学稳定性和电催化反应的作用。将产生对基本电化学过程以及纳米级材料结构和微结构对电化学稳定性和活性的影响； 3）理论和实验的结合将为新型催化剂的设计和开发奠定基础，以支持使用水的电解产生无碳氢的基础。 更广泛的影响：拟议的研究将推动混合金属氧化物的科学和技术用于电催化，以用于PEM燃料电池和水电解。拟议的研究将为来自代表性不足的群体的少数妇女和个人参加研究活动提供了绝佳的机会。通过最近资助的NSF工程研究中心（ERC）与北卡罗来纳州农业和技术大学（NCAT）进行了现有的现有合作，将进一步帮助招募少数群体进入研究生课程。此外，将为当地的高中学生开发基于网络的视听电化学工具，他们将被允许参加PI实验室的项目，并在竞争性的研讨会中介绍他们的工作。