Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Investigations in Fuel Cell Catalysis

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The objective of this proposal is to use electrochemical nuclear magnetic resonance (EC-NMR) to study the influence of various platinum alloys on the electronic properties of Pt surfaces. Candidate electrocatalyst materials for fuel-cell applications will be synthesized through the spontaneous deposition of monolayer quantities of Pt and other noble metal (Ru, Ir, Os, and Re) nanoparticles. EC-NMR studies will probe the metal surfaces and poisoning adsorbates. Carbon monoxide tolerance on Pd/Pt electrodes will also be studied. Electronic-level information, obtained from EC-NMR, will be correlated with the results of electrochemical measurements in an effort to better understand the mechanisms of CO-poisoning. Such correlations are expected to help guide the preparation of anodes for methanol electro-oxidation. Reviewers recognized the PIs as pioneers in the development of EC-NMR for examining changes in the electronic state of the substrate and adsorbate-structure bonding. A correlation of the surface work function changes as a function of adsorption and overpotential is important in the fundamental understanding of the thermodynamics and kinetics of an electrode process. The broader impacts of this project will be to train graduate and undergraduate students in the methods of electrocatalysis. This research could help guide the development of improved fuel-cell catalysts for applications in transportation and mobile applications.