High Performance Palladium-Ceria Anodes for Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Abstract

High-performance anion exchange membranes (AEMs) recently developed for fuel cell (AEMFC) applications has stimulated catalyst developers to synthetize cheaper and more affordable materials in order to accelerate the development of AEMFCs. [1] Cathode catalysts based on not precious metals have been successfully developed (e.g. Fe and Co based cathodes). There are few examples of Pt free anode catalysts. [2] An alternative strategy is the development of high performing catalysts while at the same time reducing as much as possible the critic raw materials loading. We present here a high-performance Pd-CeO 2 @C v anode for the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) where an intimate contact between ceria and palladium nanoparticles allows a synergistic effect which improves the anode activity for HOR compared to traditional palladium based anodes (figure 1). [2] Moreover, Pd-CeO 2 @C v is a versatile anode, showing high activity toward the oxidation of small and renewable organic molecules in Alkaline Direct Liquid Fuel Cells, such as the oxidation of ethanol and potassium formate. [3 ] Aknowledgements: The authors acknowledge the FRESH project for funding. (EU, Horizon Europe, HORIZON-RIA-101069605.) References: [1] Energy & Environmental Science (2014), 7 (10), 3135-3191 [2] ACS Applied Energy Materials (2019), 2 (7), 4999-5008 [3] Energies (2018), 11 (2), 369 Figure 1: Scheme of the hydrogen oxidation mechanism on Pd-CeO 2 @C v Figure 1