Catalysts and membrane breakthrough for direct high temperature propane PEM fuel cell appliccations

本研究项目旨在为直接高温丙烷质子交换膜燃料电池的发展带来催化剂和膜材料方面的重大突破。以从头计算为基础，首次筛选出了一些用于直接碳氢质子交换膜燃料电池的新型磷钯合金基阴极和Pd-氧氮化物复合材料阳极。该项目将在自制(P-Pd合金、Pd-合金-氧氮化物和PbI-HMI-Tf复合膜)的基础上开发直接丙烷PEM燃料电池。催化剂电极将采用一种基于溶胶凝胶法的新方法进行处理。用X射线衍射仪、扫描电子显微镜、电感耦合等离子体质谱等手段对催化剂进行了表征，并在半电化学池中进行了丙烷在Pd-合金-氮氧化物上的电氧化及动力学研究。将对P-Pd合金的ORR进行类似的研究。表现出最好反应性能的材料将与结果(氧还原物种在P-Pd合金上的吸附能，丙烷氧化在Pd合金上的吸附能，功函数，d带中心等)相关联。由从头计算预测的。这些关联将被用来支持我们正在电催化领域建立的一种新的形式主义。最好的催化剂将以我们已经制备的碳或改性的T4O7纳米管为载体，并将在2.25cm2的单个PEM燃料电池中在80-150oC下作为阳极和阴极进行测试。我们最近确定的一种改进型离子液体浇铸的PBI复合膜将被用作高温膜。DPFC夹具将包括这种改进的纳米复合PBI基膜以及上述优化的阳极和阴极。在不同的丙烷/氧压比(PR)下，得到单一燃料电池的极化曲线。将确定在中温(80-150摄氏度)下运行的DPFC将显示最佳结果的材料和PR。项目结束时的性能目标是电池功率密度为200 mW/cm2。最终目标是确定一种用于直接碳氢质子交换膜燃料电池的新型材料。

This research project aims to bring significant breakthrough in catalyst and membranes materials on the development of direct high temperature propane PEM Fuel cells. Using ab initio calculation as first screening, some new phosphorus Pd-alloy based cathodes and composite Pd-oxy-nitride materials anodes have been identified for direct hydrocarbon PEM fuel cells applications. This project will develop direct propane PEM Fuel Cells based on the home-prepared (P- Pd-alloys, Pd-alloy-oxy nitride and composite PBI-HMI-Tf membrane). The catalysts electrodes will be processed using a new method based on sol-gel approach. The catalyst will be characterised by XRD, SEM-EDS, ICP-MS, etc. They will be tested in a half electrochemical cell for the propane electro-oxidation on Pd-alloy-oxy-nitride and kinetic studies. Similar studies will be done for the ORR on P-Pd-alloy. The materials which exhibited the best performance for these reactions will be correlated to the results (adsorption energies of the O2 reduction species on P-Pd-alloys, and propane oxidation on pd-alloy-oxy-nitride, work function, d-band center, etc.) predicted by ab initio calculations. These correlations will be used to support a new formalism we are building in electro catalysis. The best catalysts will be supported on carbon or modified T4O7 nano-tubes we already fabricated and will be tested as anodes and cathodes in a 2.25 cm2 area single PEM fuel cell at 80- 150 oC. An improved composite PBI membranes cast with ionic liquids, we identified recently will be used as high temperature membranes. The DPFC fixture will include this modified nano composite PBI based membranes and the above optimised anodes and cathodes. Single Fuel cell polarization curves will be taken under different propane/oxygen pressure ratios (ratio PR). The materials and PR which will exhibit the best results for DPFC operating at intermediate temperature (80-150 oC) will be determined. The performance target at the end of the project will be a cell power density of a 200 mW/cm2. The ultimate objective is to determine a new class of materials for direct hydrocarbon PEM fuel cells.