Oxygen Catalysts for Reversible Alkaline Fuel Cells

Gang Wu Lab

Scheme of a reversible alkaline membrane fuel cell for energy storage and conversion, showing process where water and PV collector travel to electrolyser, then converting to oxygen & hydrogen and then to fuel cell.

Schematic of a reversible alkaline membrane fuel cell for energy storage and conversion(http://www.storedsolar.com/electrolysers.html. Reprinted with permission from Scott Voorhees)

The primary goal of this project is to develop advanced catalysts and membrane electrodes assembly (MEAs) that may help to revive reversible AMFCs in stationary energy storage.

Overview

At UB, we make three efforts to reach this goal by developing high-performance platinum-group metal (PGM)-free catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in reversible AMFCs similar to discharging and charging processes in a battery. In a collaboration with industry (Giner Inc) and National Renewable National Laboratory (NREL), we further incorporate the developed catalysts with selected anion-exchange ionomer and membranes with good conductivity and stability for MEA design and fabrication. U.S. DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office financially supports the research.

Resulting Publications

Gupta, S.; Zhao, S.; Ogoke, O.; Lin, Y.; Xu, H.; Wu, G., Engineering Favorable Morphology and Structure of Fe-N-C Oxygen-Reduction Catalysts Via Tuning Nitrogen/Carbon Precursors. ChemSusChem, 10 (4), 774–785
Gupta S.; Qiao L., Devaguptapu S.V.; Zhao S; Xu H. Swihart M.T.; Wu G. Highly Active and Stable Graphene Tubes Decorated with FeCoNi Alloy Nanoparticles via a Template-free Graphitization for Bifunctional Oxygen Reduction and Evolution, Advanced Energy Materials, 6 (22), 1601198, 2016.
Gupta S.; Kellogg W.; Xu H.; Liu X.; Cho J.; Wu G., Bifunctional Perovskite Oxide Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction and Evolution in Alkaline Media. Chemistry-An Asian Journal, 11 (1), 10–21, 2016.
Osgood H.; Devaguptapu S. V.; Xu H.; Cho J.; Wu. G. Transition Metal (Fe, Co, Ni, and Mn) Oxides for Oxygen Reduction and Evolution Bifunctional Catalysts in Alkaline Media, Nano Today, 11, 11, 601–625, 2016.
Wu, G.; Santandreu, A.; Kellogg, W.; Gupta, S.; Ogoke, O.; Zhang, H.; Wang, H.-L.; Dai, L., Carbon Nanocomposite Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction and Evolution Reactions: from Nitrogen Doping to Transition-Metal Addition. Nano Energy, 29, 83–110, 2016.
Liu, X.; Park, M.; Kim, M. G.; Gupta, S.; Wang, X.; Wu, G; Cho, J. High-performance non-spinel cobalt–manganese mixed oxide-based bifunctional electrocatalysts for rechargeable zinc–air batteries. Nano Energy, 20, 315-325, 2016.
Liu X.; Liu W.; Ko M.; Chae S.; Park S.; Casimir A.; Wu G.; Cho J.. Metal (Ni, Co)-Metal Oxides/Graphene Nanocomposites as Multifunctional Electrocatalysts. Advanced Functional Materials. 25, 5799-5808, 2015.
Liu X.; Park M.; Kim M. G.; Gupta S.; Wu G.; Cho J.. Integrating NiCo Alloys with Their Oxides as Efficient Bifunctional Cathode Catalysts for Rechargeable Zinc-Air Batteries. Angew. Chem.-Int. Edit., 54 (33), 9654-9658, 2015
Chen C-F; King G, Dickerson R M; Papin P A; Gupta S, Kellogg WR; Wu G, Oxygen-Deficient BaTiO_3-x Perovskite as an Efficient Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalyst, Nano Energy, 13, 423–432, 2015.
Li, Q.; Wang, T.; Havas, D.; Zhang, H.; Xu, P.; Han, J.; Cho, J*.; Wu, G*. High-Performance Direct Methanol Fuel Cells with Precious-Metal-Free Cathode. Advanced Science 3 (11), 1600140, 2016,