Influence of the Complex Interface between Transport and Catalyst Layer on Water Electrolysis Performance

authored by: Tien Ching Ma, Andreas Hutzler, Boris Bensmann, Richard Hanke-Rauschenbach, Simon Thiele
Abstract: The interface design between anode catalyst layer (ACL) and porous transport layer (PTL) significantly influences the performance of proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers. Lately, the influence of the ACL/PTL interface on performance is more intensively investigated, including modeling approaches. Contrary to other models that apply through-plane resolved modeling, in-plane models better characterize the ACL/PTL interface. These models separate the interface into three domains: in an open pore area (P), under a contacted solid of the PTL (S), and the interfacial point between the pore and solid (S│P). In our work, we focused on the behavior of the model in the kinetic region, in which no two-phase behavior is to be expected. Consequently, we apply a one-phase model as the main model and a simple two-phase model for comparison. We find that for most reference samples, the one-phase model well describes polarization behavior. However, for samples with larger interfacial contact area, a two-phase model might explain the found effect better even for very low current densities. Finally, we show that the one-phase model and the simple two-phase model can be used to study the general behavior of different solid to pore ratios to guide electrode development in the future.
Organisation(s): Institute of Electric Power Systems
External Organisation(s): Forschungszentrum Jülich
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg)
Type: Article
Journal: Journal of the Electrochemical Society
Volume: 171
No. of pages: 22
ISSN: 0013-4651
Publication date: 15.04.2024
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Condensed Matter Physics, Surfaces, Coatings and Films, Electrochemistry, Materials Chemistry
Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ad3497 (Access: Open)