Open AccessA novel fuel cell design for operando energy-dispersive x-ray absorption measurements
Author(s) -
Andrew S. Leach,
Jennifer Hack,
M. Amboage,
Sofía DíazMoreno,
Haoliang Huang,
Patrick L. Cullen,
Martin C. Wilding,
Emanuele Magliocca,
Thomas E. Miller,
Christopher A. Howard,
Dan J. L. Brett,
Paul R. Shearing,
Paul F. McMillan,
Andrea E. Russell,
Rhodri Jervis
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of physics. condensed matter
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.908
H-Index - 228
eISSN - 1361-648X
pISSN - 0953-8984
DOI - 10.1088/1361-648x/ac0476
Subject(s) - x ray absorption spectroscopy , xanes , absorption spectroscopy , materials science , analytical chemistry (journal) , electrolyte , solid oxide fuel cell , catalysis , absorption (acoustics) , chemical engineering , spectroscopy , electrode , chemistry , optics , composite material , chromatography , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , engineering , physics
A polymer electrolyte fuel cell has been designed to allow operando x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements of catalysts. The cell has been developed to operate under standard fuel cell conditions, with elevated temperatures and humidification of the gas-phase reactants, both of which greatly impact the catalyst utilisation. X-ray windows in the endplates of the cell facilitate collection of XAS spectra during fuel cell operation while maintaining good compression in the area of measurement. Results of polarisation curves and cyclic voltammograms showed that the operando cell performs well as a fuel cell, while also providing XAS data of suitable quality for robust XANES analysis. The cell has produced comparable XAS results when performing a cyclic voltammogram to an established in situ cell when measuring the Pt LIII edge. Similar trends of Pt oxidation, and reduction of the formed Pt oxide, have been presented with a time resolution of 5 s for each spectrum, paving the way for time-resolved spectral measurements of fuel cell catalysts in a fully-operating fuel cell.