1D and hybrid catalysts: from few particles to gas diffusion electrodes

世界能源需求快速增长，创新和发展替代能源是满足这一需求、减少对化石燃料的依赖和减少温室气体排放的根本。众所周知，燃料电池、金属-空气电池等发电系统的电化学装置和电解槽在可持续能源领域发挥着重要作用。电解槽可将可再生能源提供的电能转化为以化学键形式储存的能量(燃料)，转化为附加值化学品(如过氧化氢)，并可用于去除水中的持久性污染物。 贵金属(铂和铂基合金)和贵金属氧化物(RuO2和IrO2)分别是氧还原和析出反应最有效的催化剂。这些都是发生在这些装置的氧电极上的反应，都具有缓慢的动力学和高过电位的特点。本研究项目旨在开发新型低成本、高活性的氧电极催化剂，并研究其结构性能与稳定性的关系，对燃料电池、金属空气电池和电解槽具有重要意义。更具体地说，将研究由IV和V族过渡金属氧化物衍生的高深宽比钙钛矿型和M/La2O3型以及杂化纳米粒子催化剂。将对少数氧化物纳米颗粒、沉积在圆盘电极表面的标准纳米颗粒薄膜和气体扩散电极进行研究。这一方法将填补氧化物催化剂在筛选和应用水平上的结构、活性和稳定性之间的差距。 与该研究计划相关的好处包括培训HQP，使其掌握与加拿大工业和学术界相关的技能。每年将有3名博士生、1名硕士和1名本科生参与该研究项目。此外，它还将为与该行业的长期研发合作提供新的机会。

The world energy demand grows rapidly, and the innovation and development of alternative energy sources are absolutely fundamental to meet this need, and to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels and the emission of greenhouse gases. It is well recognized that electrochemical devices for power generation systems, such as fuel cells and metal-air batteries, and electrolyzers play an important role in the arena of sustainable energy. Electrolyzers allow the conversion of electrical energy available from renewable sources into energy stored in the form of chemical bonds (fuels), into add-value chemicals (e.g., H2O2), and could be applied in the removal of persistent contaminants from water. Precious metals (Pt and Pt-based alloys) and precious metal oxides (RuO2 and IrO2) remain the most efficient catalysts for the oxygen reduction and evolution reactions, respectively. These are the reactions occurring at the oxygen electrodes in these devices, and are both characterized by sluggish kinetics and high overpotentials. This research program aims to develop novel low cost and active catalysts for the oxygen electrode and to investigate their structural properties stability relationships, of great significance for fuel cells, metal air batteries and electrolyzers. More specifically, high aspect ratio perovskite and M / La2O3 and hybrid nanoparticle catalysts derived from transition metal oxides from groups IV and V will be investigated. Studies will be conducted on few oxide nanoparticles, on the standard nanoparticles thin film deposited on the surface of disk electrodes, and on gas diffusion electrodes. This approach will fill the gap between structure activity stability of oxide catalysts at the screening and applied levels. The benefits related to this research program include the training HQP with skills relevant to Canadian industry and to academia. A total of 3 PhD students, 1 MSc student and 1 undergraduate student per year will be involved in the research program. In addition, it will provide new opportunities for long term R&D collaborations with the industry.