Online analysis of the dissolution of palladium-based electrocatalysts in alkaline medium

• Grant number: 21/10033-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: March 01, 2022
• End date: September 30, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Mauro Coelho dos Santos
• Grantee: Tuani Carla Gentil
• Supervisor: Serhiy Cherevko
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/18675-8 - Nanostructured electrocatalysts based on PT, PD and oxides of low cost for applications in energy and environment, BP.DR

Abstract

In the context of renewable energy, this project aims to evaluate the dissolution of electrocatalysts based on Pd, Sn, Nb and Fe, destined for the anode of alkaline direct liquid cells, as this is one of the main factors affecting the life cycle of a fuel cell. For that, accelerated stress tests will be performed using a rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) to evaluate the dissolution of metals which will be investigated quantitatively using a microelectrochemical scanning flow cell (SFC) coupled to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (On-line ICP-MS), allowing the determination of corrosion products with low degradation rates. This is totally new for alkaline fuel cells. The project will be carried out with the support of the research group of the Helmholtz-Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy (IEK-11) for palladium-based materials (PdxSny/C, PdxNby/C and/or PdFe3O4/C) in an alkaline medium, not yet studied. The development of the project will allow the exchange of knowledge between the parties, as well as innovation and advancement in the study of these electrocatalysts used for the ethanol and acetol oxidation reaction in alkaline direct liquid fuel cells. (AU)